The Driver: My Dangerous Pursuit of Speed and Truth in the Outlaw Racing World

I thought this was a great read ... whenever I put the book(my Kindle actually) down, I was anxious to pick it up again and continue reading. While Alex Roy in his Team Polizei BMW M5 is engaging in activities that are illegal -- road rallies and cross-country runs for speed, often triple digit speeds on public roads -- I couldn't help but get a vicarious guilty pleasure in hearing how these guys do it, and was impressed with the detailed planning and considerable technology involved. I'm a fan of F1 and ALMS racing, and its the endurance and off-track nature of Roy's activity that adds the spice. I'm no more likely to try to drive non-stop cross-country in 31 hours than I am to get a contract with Ferrari to drive in F1, but that doesn't mean you can't get some enjoyment out of the activities of those who do.If you're a gadget freak of any worth, you can't help but be impressed by the quantity (and high $dollar$ value)of the tech employed in evading traffic stops. I use a radar detector myself on long-distance trips, but Roy adds multiple scanners and CB radios, GPS's, cell phones, thermal and night vision imaging devices, night vision binoculars and even a spotter plane to his tech arsenal.If you check You Tube, you can find actual video of many of the stories/events that he tells about in the book. There may be some embellishment in the book, but not as much as you might think.The book is not Shakespeare but I think he does a good job of relating the story -- it made me feel like sort of like he was sitting across the table at the pizza joint telling me his tale. And for all those folks who are hung up on the police evading, illegal, dangerous nature of the activity ... do you watch any crime shows on TV, or any movies involving robberies? Do you condemn them because they are portraying illegal activities (often based on actual events)? If I'm passed in the middle of the night by a blue BMW driving on thermal imaging devices with no lights doing 140 mph+, I'm going to call the state police to report it -- but the book is still a great read!

"The Driver" is written by Alexander Roy (aka Alex Roy), about his experiences while involved in the underground world of cross county street racing & rallies. The book starts with Alex's father on his deathbed telling Alex about his involvement in underground rallies, and a mysterious person known only as `The Driver'. After his father's death Alex's life in underground street racing takes off as he first tries to recreate "Rendezvous" followed by the creation of Team Polizei and racing in famous road rallies until his ultimate cross-country race. Driving from New York to L.A. in under 32 hours!Overall the book is a great read! You get a feeling of excitement as you ride shotgun with Alex & his co-pilots as they drive 140mph in the rain, weaving through traffic, and evading the police. Discover the madness and complexity of street racing and Alex draws up his plans while taking into account the fuel economy vs speed & weight , MPH vs time & traffic, time vs delays from cops, civilians, weather & gas stops! There are also several pages of glossy photos with Alex's parents, as a child, different rallies, co-pilots, & cars!If you like the `Fast & Furious' movie series, Gumball, Bullrun, & Cannonball Run rallies, then this is one book you don't wanna miss! See racing from another side besides shiny metal & exhaust fumes!

I, like Alex Roy, clearly remember the first time I saw "Rendez-vous" as a grainy, mysterious bootleg. Having lived in Paris, I understood the enormous implications of that video. I bought a $50 dollar copy and showed it to all my car friends. It changed me."The Driver", Alex Roy's story, not just about 31:04, but from the very beginning, the spark that started it all, is so compelling and beautifully authored that I was as captivated by his writing as I was by that Lelouche footage so long ago. I absolutely could not set the book down until it was finished. Every moment; his relationship with his father, Europe By Car, Septermber 11, 2001, are equally as engaging as the recounting of the experiences behind the wheel of the Gumballs and Cannonball(s). His use of writing is magic as he captures his thoughts and feelings, emotions, and the adrenaline on the page for the reader to experience.This is, without a doubt, the best non-fiction book I've ever read!

I very much enjoyed this compelling memoir. Maybe because of my shared connection with the movie, "Rendezvous," which I stumbled across nearly two decades ago, I was immediately hooked. I read this book during a recent vacation with my family, and found myself sneaking time with the book. Unfortunately, I also found myself struggling with the writing. If it were a scale of one to ten, rather than five stars, I'd have rated Mr. Roy's book a 7 or 8. With better editing, the story and book would have been a raging 10. Mr. Roy does a great job of sounding endearing and no more reckless than was absolutely required for the task at hand. Sure, the task at hand is inherently dangerous, but not necessarily reckless. Mr. Roy comes across as driven (sorry, seems like the best description) by a personal quest, rather than by carelessness, ego or testosterone.I have no idea how a casual reader would react to this story or material, so please take that as a caveat. With that being said, if you're an enthusiast this story might leave you with a similar effect as the movie, "Rendezvous," did. If you don't know about "Rendezvous," and the act of driving a good car quickly and competently on public roads gives you joy (or, I suppose, the IDEA of driving a good car quickly and competently on public roads gives you joy), buy them together and enjoy yourself. I noticed a handy bundle of this book, the book,"Cannonball," by Brock Yates, and the movie, "Rendezvous," together. All three might just tip the scale from thrilling to overwhelming.So be it.

Even if going fast over distance isn’t your thing, this book is a fantastic book!

Description correct

Great product , as described. would buy again.

Ich fasse mich kurz, denn eigentlich wurde in den anderen Rezessionen schon alles gesagt.Jeder mit Benzin im Blut und ein paar hart erarbeiteten Punkten in Flensburg sollte wenigstens mal ein Blick auf dieses Buch werfen.Toll geschrieben, nie langweilig und irgendwie faszinieren. Daumen hoch, Team Polizei!

Les passionnés de conduite apprécieront de se plonger dans cet univers de la course illégaleau travers des USA.Se lit très facilement en anglais.

Abseits der breiter tiefer lauter Fraktion wird hier illegales Straßenrennen gegen die Uhr glorifiziert und in wunderbar arroganter Weise beschrieben. Ein schnelles fesselndes Buch für Pistonheads über ein Abenteuer inmitten unserer überreglementierten Gesellschaft. Verantwortungsloses und gemeingefährliches Verhalten? - Ja, aber genau das macht den Reiz aus.Love or leave it