* I received a text message over the weekend from Oswego Willy…

Out & about and look who I have in front of me? lol

That would be Rep. Tom Cross’ car…

As most of you know, Willy wasn’t exactly Cross’ biggest fan back when Cross was the House GOP Leader. In those days, Tom might’ve thought that OW was stalking him, but Willy seems to be supportive of the guy’s statewide bid. However, he did add this…

Tom was on the phone, no hands-free. Just struck me as funny.

Funny and, um, currently illegal.

Then again, OW may have been texting and driving.

       

50 Comments - PoolGuy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:26 am: double fail - Louis G Atsaves - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:27 am: Was that a hands free photograph from OW? :Will they both be sharing the same cell? -) - Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:27 am: And Willy also looks like he’s tailgating! - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:31 am: 1) We were stopped at a light, thus the break lights… 2) I sent the text after arriving safely home. 3) Tom has bumper stickers if you look real close… “My other car is a golf cart” “I’d rather be driving a Titleist” The bumper stickers made me look to see it was the House Plate. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:31 am: Years ago, I was driving into the city on the Ike when a lead-foot little old lady in a big Cadillac blew my doors off. Her license plate was Illinois “1.” I couldn’t figure out who it was. A few days later over beers with the Usual Suspects, one of the crew revealed it was Mrs. Ogilvie, the widow of the former governor. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:36 am: I do support Tom Cross for Treasurer. If Tom gets out of the Primary, I hope (I know he will, I mean its his thing!) Cross has a golf outing… - PoolGuy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:37 am: apologies i retract the fail - Louis G Atsaves - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:48 am: Hmmm! I didn’t know there was a red light exception to the hands free law! :Now that you have confessed to both of your crimes . . . -) - RonOglesby - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:53 am: Laws are for the little people. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:56 am: What is the cost of the ticket? - Chi - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:57 am: OW has nothing to apologize for; this is all baloney; he was trying to help out his fellow CapFax commenters, and he’d do it again and again if given the chance! - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:59 am: This revelation will likely torpedo any political aspirations OW may have had. And the media dust-up will be relentless. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:05 pm: I “own it”. I was stopped at a light, I took a picture to be sent later, but clearly, I am in a car, as the driver, taking a photo. Not my best judgement, especially, after taking nearly 30 minutes, and being safely home myself, I include in the text about the driver whose car I photographed appears to be doing something, but I am sure I don’t know 100% for sure. I know what I did, 100%, and clearly I am wrong, and clearly wrong at the moment, and embarrassing wrong sending a snarky text about someone else, when I, myself, clearly was in violation. I did it. I am wrong. I am sorry. Respectfully, Oswego Willy - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:06 pm: Sorry for causing you so much grief, OW. lol - Chavez-respecting Obamist - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:12 pm: Gee, Willie, nothing to apologize for. You were stopped at a light. Plus it beats my picture of Forrest Claypool on the Brown Line, sitting while other riders are standing. That’s against CTA rules for little people employees–they’re supposed to stand if anyone on the train/bus is standing. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:12 pm: Humble Pie is delicious - lol You have nothing to be sorry for Rich. I will start taking pitches to be someone’s “Hands Free” camera/phone product… - SAP - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:13 pm: Willie, Don’t you mean that Mrs. Oswego Willie took the picture from the passenger seat while you were driving. - Powell - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:13 pm: if OW took the picture without using his hands, then I never, ever want to touch his phone. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:18 pm: - SAP -, I was driving. Appreciate an excuse to use, but having the one truthful story is better than, say, dismissing, than calling out those pummeling me, or calling this baloney. I own it. - Powell -, There is only one “Superman”, found by Johnny Ola, and introduced to us all by Fredo. Just saying. - Cletus Purcel - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:21 pm: Is OW stalking the BIG TC? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:22 pm: @FakeTwoPutt - You should no better, OW. BTW, next time wave, reverse works great on the Suburban. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:24 pm: - Cletus Purcel -, Ironically, we were both driving to the Golf Dome at Routes 30 & 34. Tom, you are not shifting your weight on the downswing. That will help with that “push” you keep hitting. Wasn’t stalking, he was 4 mats down! - Stuff happens - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:26 pm: I believe the new law allows phones to be used in an emergency. I think this qualifies. It also says the law does not apply to “a driver using an electronic communication device when the vehicle is stopped due to normal traffic being obstructed and the driver has the motor vehicle transmission in neutral or park” I’m sure OW had put his vehicle in park, and unless he says otherwise I think everyone else should believe it too… (although maybe Mr. Cross had his in park too) - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:31 pm: If Cross knew it was me, even cared it was me, or knew who I was and connected all that together, I doubt it qualifies. I called him out on alleged talking on a phone as I clearly take a picture in a car, admittedly at a light, in traffic, not parked. Call it as I see it, I’m a Dope. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:34 pm: @FakeTwoPutt - Yeah, OW, let Willy have it! And I don’t push those shots, I play a fade, which is better for stooping shots on fast greens, like Medinah, Dopey Willy #LearnShotMaking - Rusty618 - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:48 pm: I’m not quite sure that taking a photo violates the hands free law, as long as you are not talking or typing. As a side note, one of my local law enforcement officers drove past me yesterday with his cell phone to his ear. I guess he was letting his wife know what he wanted for dinner. - Bemused - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:54 pm: I think we all know this law like the speed limits will be broken often. Just looking around while driving last weekend, quite a few were unaware of the new law. Might help the state coffers some though. Cell phones and the use of same is touchy subject. Mix it with conceal carry and you have Florida’s Theater mess. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 12:56 pm: Willy, are you driving a,a…minivan? #SayItAintSo - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 1:01 pm: - AA -, Ease your troubles. On the day in question, i wad driving an American car, made in the States, 4 door. The rest is “Classified”, you understand - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 1:04 pm: Willy, thank the Lord. Musta been the camera angle lol. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 1:09 pm: I am sitting low, the phone was on the seat, and to the right…on the seat, and to the right… on the seat, and to the right… Cross’ Campaign calls this the “magic picture theory” - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 1:13 pm: Let me be clear, there is a van in the OW Fleet, but for that instance, that day, that picture, that “moment” etched in history… American 4-door - Ghost - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 1:26 pm: Sign not sit off….although considering where you were when this happened… - Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 1:54 pm: The longer this thread gets, the more OW sounds like Gov. Christie! - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 2:05 pm: - Louis G. Atsaves - Gov. Christie, I could only hope… I thought you would go Gov. Corzine, and his driver, and the accident, that he thankfully recovered from…bad scene there. - Joe from Joliet - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 2:17 pm: === musta been the camera angle=== Exactly. Next time hold the phone way out to the right and say you were the passenger. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 2:30 pm: CROSS SUBMITS FINAL BILL; PROHIBITS ‘PLAXTING’ Plainfield, IL - Representative Tom Cross, (R - Oswego), announces today he is introducing his final bill as a member of the Illinois General Assembly. The bill, the “Oswego Willy Bill”, prohibits citizens for taking pictures of legislator’s cars and plates or “plaxting” as the bill calls this practice. Under the bill, violators must hand over their phone to the State for 6 months, and after 6 months, must retrieve their phone personally from the legislator pubically. “I call upon my fellow members in the General Assembly and the Governor to support this bill, and actually retro-active this bill back to December 2013, just in case”, Cross states. “This horrible crime should be met with personal and public rebuke.” “Plaxting” is not a real word, recognized by no one, but it appears the “Oswego Willy” bill has strong bi-partisan support from an array of different coalitions in both chambers. Websites posting “plaxting” pictures are immune from prosecution. ### - Vinron - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 3:06 pm: Do those license plates have registration stickers? It doesn’t look like it. I’ve always wondered that and I don’t see them very often in Peoria. - Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 3:24 pm: Oswego Willy - The Godfather II reference was well played sir, well played! - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 3:36 pm: (Tips cap to - Anyone Remember -) I try to leave an Easter Egg or two out there daily… - Jake From Elwood - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 4:10 pm: What, nobody has posted any blurry pictures of Governor Quinn’s 1977 AMC Pacer? Equal time is demanded. - ??? - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 4:58 pm: Oswego Willy wrote: “The bill, the “Oswego Willy Bill”, prohibits citizens for taking pictures of legislator’s cars and plates or “plaxting” as the bill calls this practice. Under the bill, violators must hand over their phone to the State for 6 months, and after 6 months, must retrieve their phone personally from the legislator pubically.” Dear Lord, I hope that last word was a typo and you meant “publically.” - So. Style - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 6:48 pm: Rusty 618……..do your homework before you blast police officers…..They are exempt. I bet if Mr. Cross was stopped by a officer whose pension benefits were stolen….as M.C. hammer said…..It’s HAMMER time! - Usually Silent Observer - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 6:52 pm: OW, I will never, ever “plaxt.” I could not stand to retrieve my phone “personally from the legislator pubically.” Not even if I didn’t have to do this in public. Seems like pretty harsh consequences to me, but a definite deterrent. - Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 7:25 pm: Too funny–good stuff Willy. It is a small world indeed. And particularly amusing is the Cross Non-hands free cell phone usage part–just goes to show that even HE doesn’t REALLY believe it’s so dang “necessary” in order to drive safely…! (So does this development mean a REPEAL of that silly law is now in order??? If not, I think the next thing they should ticket is folks’ combing or brushing their hair while driving–there’s at least as much if not more movement and distraction doing THAT after all)!! - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 7:54 pm: Now my pool spelling betrays me. When it rains, it pours, or in the case of this picture, when it snows, it accumulates. Thanks to all for being good sports, and apologies. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 7:55 pm: lol … poor. Ok, I need to quit while I am behind. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 1:49 am: I have always thought all those plates do is draw attention. In today’s political climate I think I would refuse to have such plates. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 1:54 am: I understand why executive officers have plates given they have state cars, but having a state plate for a senator, or rep. all it could do is cause aggravation. - child games - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 6:39 am: It was an emergency call: TC - Artl you told me I would skate in this primary and no one would support this Grogan guy Artl - Lead, Leader I was told we had it wrapped up TC - well he was just endorsed in two townships today and it wasn’t even close Artl - Leader I will take care of him, I got 4 City captains that already endorsed us, but I’ll use them again - no one remembers that kind of stuff. TC - Fine Artl, get it done. I really don’t want and need to be out meeting people - it’s cold out here. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.