The text and photo is from http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/gatesmug1.html.

Microsoft boss Bill Gates was photographed by the Albuquerque, New Mexico police in 1977 after a traffic violation (details of which have been lost over time).



My guess is with the right caption this could be a right howler but I just can't hink of anything funny right now, any takers?

I knew I shouldn't have taken the left at Albuquerque?

"I have $40 billion, and you don't, pig."

" I hate sauerkraut. "

Words fail me.

The only thing I can think of is "Dude, where's my car?".

'Be kind to geeks, Dude. One day I'll buy you and this sorry town. You'll see. No! Stop It!, Don't kick sand in my face! AARRGH *sob*'

Dig those prescription sunglasses. Future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades.

God, did we really dress like that in 1977? Or is it just him?

I'm pretty sure it was just him.
I was too young to wear stuff like that, it was probably much worse. At least I didn't choose it.

"haha, I'm smiling now, but I won't be when my cellmate realizes how cute I am."

I have no idea, I wasn't born for another two years!

Ow! That hurt!

In reply to:

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Microsoft boss Bill Gates was photographed by the Albuquerque, New Mexico police in 1977 after a traffic violation (details of which have been lost over time).

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I must admit that in my youth I did some very stupid things in a car. Twice the speed limit dumb stuff. And I got caught several times, but I never got taken in and booked. So this begs the question is my experience unique? Or what did he have to do in a car to get busted and a mug shot taken?

Second issue, how does a criminal record get lost? Maybe a donation to the local chapter?

I was also wondering about that. However, I know a kid in high school who was doing 80 in a 55, and the officer told him that he had to either go into the station or have his parents pick him up there. Not sure if they would have taken a mug shot, though. That is pretty serious...

*edit* although what makes it strange is that he's smiling in the face-forward shot. That's kinda weird...

I read somewhere that Bill Gates always had a penchant for high speed driving, and I know he had a porsche at some point early on in his money-making career. Maybe even at this point.
In a late seventies era Porsche, in the desert you could hit 130-150 easy. That would be enough to piss off some local cops.
Especially if they had to chase you in their late seventies era Crown Vic's/Caprice's etc. etc.

Z~

I get a mental image of Rosco P. Coltrane trying to keep up Gates going 120 in a Porsche.

I guess I need to elaborate. I once got pulled over for 110 in a 55. The guy wrote me a ticket and I continued to my destination. I was 19. I also got pulled over for 65 in a 30 in town, still nothing but a ticket. I mean either these Albuquerque cops were having a bad day or I'm extremely lucky.

Was 1977 gas crisis time yet?
When did we get hit with the double nickel (55 save lives)?
I dont remember. (I was only 4).

Z~

I'm with you man... I was 2.

Or Buford T. Justice.
That would work too.

When did we get hit with the double nickel (55 save lives)?

1974

If this one part of "Pirates of the Silicon Valley" was true, he was brought in regarding an incident with a construction vehicle.

Of course that show had so many other holes in it, who knows.

he was brought in regarding an incident with a construction vehicle

Yeah, I was just vaguely remembering that movie too. Didnt he play around with a bulldozer or something?

and I know he had a porsche at some point early on in his money-making career.

That would have been in 1989, but it is highly unlikely that he would have been driving it in New Mexico as the car (a Porsche 959) was not legally imported and could not be licensed.

Bill Gates, the CEO of Microsoft, has a 959, as does his partner Paul Allen. Supposedly those 959s are stuck in Customs somewhere in the US, although some people 'report' seeing him driving it around Seattle. Gates and Allen's are Comfort models which means they are not part of the 30 originally designated for the US market. Those 2, along with 2 more were brought in by Bruce Canepa, who claims (but has yet to) certify them.

tanstaafl.

He seems to like cars a bit. His pad certainly has parking for more than a couple.

It's apparently a regular stopping point for dinner-cruises on Lake Washington. At least, we had it pointed out to us on ours when I was there like 2 summers ago. (Right after the Evergreen Point bridge had that barge pushed into it... I have pictures of the freshly repaired damage somewhere)

The story is, according to 'Hard Drive' by James Wallace and Jim Erickson, that Bill Gates and Paul Allen were in Gates' 911 and were pulled over for speeding. Gates had, at some point earlier, taken the Porsche back to the dealer complaining that it only went to 125Mph, not nearly as fast as the manual specified.
The officer hauled Gates to jail as Allen and Gates were playing games as to who was actually driving at the time. As Gates was the owner, he got booked. Bail was posted at $1000. Gates probably had that in his spare change pocket at that time.
Gates was tailed by police for several days after that as the police couldn't believe that someone so young could own a car like that, have so much money and run a legitimate business.

It may comfort you to know that Gates did actually lose control of the car once. He and Chris Larson were taking a 3am break and were winding through the desert alon interstate 40. As Larson describes it, "we were doing 120 forwards then 120 sideways."
Neither were injured and the Porsche only suffered minor bruises.

Didnt he play around with a bulldozer or something?

The story goes: In the early days of Microsoft, they were located across the street from a site where some construction was going on. They discovered that the bulldozer operators left the keys in the machines overnight. So during crunch time, the programmers would go play with the equipment late at night as a stress reliever. They called it "Dozing".

. They called it "Dozing".

"Dozing" is how I relieve stress at work, too...