I don't trust Santa Barbara as far as I can spit. I am afraid that if I went back there, it's possible that I could be run through their system, their judicial system, and wind up in some county jail where I could be killed and I'm not gonna take that chance.

The quote "I don't trust Santa Barbara as far as I can spit" by Randy Quaid expresses deep mistrust toward the Santa Barbara authorities, particularly their judicial system. The phrase “as far as I can spit” is a colloquial idiom meaning “not at all” or “to no extent,” emphasizing how little trust the speaker has. Quaid is essentially saying that he has zero confidence in the fairness or safety of returning to that jurisdiction.

The origin of this statement lies in Quaid’s long-running legal troubles. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, he and his wife were involved in multiple disputes in California, including allegations of vandalism and squatting in a property they once owned. Quaid later claimed that he feared the legal authorities in Santa Barbara would unfairly prosecute or harm him, which he tied to a broader belief that his life was in danger.

In this context, his reference to being “run through their system” and potentially “killed” in a county jail underscores a belief in both systemic bias and personal risk. Whether rooted in genuine personal experiences or in his broader fears, it reflects a deep-seated suspicion of local law enforcement and judicial processes.

The choice of words also shows Quaid’s flair for dramatic and vivid imagery, turning what might have been a simple statement of mistrust into something more memorable. By framing it in a folksy, almost humorous idiom and then escalating to life-or-death stakes, he delivers both a cultural punch and a personal warning about returning to Santa Barbara.