Cops' attitude about bikers????

[rwilli1228]

Cops must have a hard on for bikers...

A few months ago I was stopped for doing 55 on a city street in a 35 and got away with a warning.  Earlier tonight I was stopped for doing 67 in a 45 (and that was while slowing down for a red light on a highway).  Again the officer gave me a warning!  Is it luck or do most cops understand that bikers are more concerned with their visual perception of road conditions verses what the speedometer needle is reading?  Has anyone else had good luck?  (I'm a speed demon and adrenaline junkie though...)  Experiences with cops...anybody?

[Brittles]

Seems like the only bikes I ever see pulled over are crotch rockets. I don't think the cops like them much............

[hppants]

Thus far, I've been blessed to have avoided the police.  However, as I gain a little saddle experience, I'm noticing that on the bike I am riding much faster than the speed limit.  Especially in the curves, where the yellow sign suggest 45 mph, I can safely take it at 55 mph.  I'm going to concentrate on slowing down a little more.  On the high speed highway, it's just the opposite.  While the speed limit may be 65 or 70, I'm most comfortable wind and riding wise at 55 -60, so I'm going slower than most.

I'm also learning to use the engine noise and the gear I'm in to determine how fast I'm going without looking at the speedo.

[LOKi]

Only got pulled over once on the NH and that was by the feds on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There they do give bikes a hard time. Mostly because of a gang of squids in Asheville where using it as a race track pushing triple digit speeds and passing cars in blind corners while doing it. $100 ticket and no points of the license is reasonable to me. Better than getting popped speeding and over taking cars on double yellow lines by regular cops. If I where ever to do such things.   

I've gotten out of a ticket on the scooter by clamming that I didn't know it would go that fast. It was in Denver cutting through thick traffic. He pointed out that if I'm changing lanes every second and a half then maybe I should slow down a bit.

[Burgi]

Police here have never bothered me on a motorcycle but they seem to be really jerks when it comes to scooters. I had one mc cop crowd me in my lane and cut me off. Another time one got on his loud speaker to yell at me. Neither time had I done anything wrong. The second one was riding in a group of motorcycle officers and pulled into a gas station. It was all I could do not turn around and go ask them what their problem was. Certainly wouldn't have been my smartest move but I was so 

[Custom82Hawk]

the only problems i've ever had with a cop while on my bike was on the way home from work, about 1 am.  sitting across the street from a cop at a stop light, we're the only ones in the intersection.  he turns on his spot light, shines it in my eyes, and then drives away.  not sure what that was about, guess he was checking to see if i had on my gear.  i did, so i guess he got mad and left.  that was the only problem i've ever had.

[skramer360]

Especially in the curves, where the yellow sign suggest 45 mph, I can safely take it at 55 mph. 

That's what I've always considered the yellow signs, "suggestions." If I know the road I don't even look at those. I've never been looked at by a cop on my bike.

[Custom82Hawk]

i do believe the yellow speed limit signs you see near corners and what not are for truckers.  from what i understand, that's the speed limit they should take the corner at unless they want their load to shift in the trailer and screw everything up or worse.  not really for cars/bikes.

[happycommuter]

We're elusive prey that they love to chase, but except for glaring exceptions they realize that we pose the greatest danger to ourselves, not others.  Also, as guys that ride around in souped-up CVPIs all day, they understand the call of effortless propulsion.
Let's see:
- Speedtrap cop let me go for at least 20mph over because I pulled over instead of running, and it was a foggy morning on a truck route (danger to self not others).
- Verbal reprimand for lanesplitting, but this was a cop on foot who walked over to me when I merged upon spotting him, so the stop was pretty voluntary.
- At least one State Trooper didn't like it when I buzzed past his other stop at um ~40mph over the posted limit and then pulled over on the left side of the highway when he finally caught me.  He even showed up in court and urged the prosecutor to push for license suspension.  Successfully.

Anyhow, an unbelievably high percentage of cops will claim that they ride (usually a 'Ninja').  I highly suggest accepting this attempt at comaraderie and not inquiring too hard in order to disprove their claim.

[martian]

Here are a couple of fun YouTube videos on the subject courtesy of Kawasaki:

[rwilli1228]

Especially in the curves, where the yellow sign suggest 45 mph, I can safely take it at 55 mph. 

That's what I've always considered the yellow signs, "suggestions." If I know the road I don't even look at those. I've never been looked at by a cop on my bike.

Hmmm I always assumed the white speed limit signs were suggestions!   

Yes I have noticed too that nearly every time I've been pulled over the cop says he rides or used to ride.

Yesterday there was a bad wreck blocking the road.  The Nighthawk being air cooled is not suited for long idle (and neither is my patience) so I began to lane split and then made my way around on the shoulder leaving all those suckers in their cages in the dust.  The cops seemed to not even care.

[spiritof86]

I was taking a break at a gas station one day and a cop came over to compliment my 86 rwb Nighthawk. Maybe they're not ALL bad--lol. 

[mazer]

As an X-LEO I have owned and mostly enjoyed Hondas, everything from a 200 to a 700. I have also been on my friends bikes and my boyfriends bikes - all too many brands and cc's to list. I have friends who are current LEO's and who ride as many hours as they can. There is no specific brand of bike they ride. Many of the LEO's I know who are in cruisers on the job also have motorcycles they ride when not in uniform, and I would guess only about a third of the officers I know want to be on a motorcycle on the job (various reasons), seems many more have motorcycles at home than want to ride one at work.
My best buddy owned an 86 Nighthawk when they first came out, he loved that bike and took great care of it. I currently have an 86 in part due to the bike he had oh so many years ago. I believe both he and his wifes current bikes are Valkyries.
I dont think LEO's in general gun for anyone in particular, admittedly there are officers out there with chips on their shoulders about somethings which can cloud their sense of fairness in maintaining the law but most of them, from my experience don't want to see you wreck, they dont want to hear about your wreck, they dont want to see you doing stupid stunts which can lead to wrecks. They want you to enjoy your day out on your bike, maintain a safe speed, and be careful about other drivers. All too many times we have to clean up a scene where someones life has been either cut short permanently or temporarily - believe me, it hits home each time and the cumulitive effect is hard to live with.
For an example just in the last week, we have had beautiful weather, mid sixties, clear and no wind, but due to the leaves on the ground, and the pine needles add a bit of dew (especially under the trees where it does not dry) to the mix and the road is slicker than snot. Add even more debri from the last storm we had and BINGO there have been at least a half a dozen serious wrecks just because riders were not prepared for the change of conditions on a road every single one of them was familar with and have ridden for years...life flight had to respond to more than one accident. Please consider your environment and the seasonal and road condition changes and save racing for the track where all of the conditions are carefull controlled.

[martian]

Received a "Performance Award" this morning on my way to.... Church.

I'm not upset about the ticket (I was going as fast as he said I was) but when he told me that he had followed me from the time I got on the Interstate, all through town, and then onto the loop  .  He said "I figured you'd speed up onto the loop and you did"  Of course the speed limit is doesn't bump up from 65 to 70 for a half mile or so into the loop.

He was in a red unmarked Mustang and obviously followed me for over 5 miles before pulling me over and wrote the ticket for the highest ping he could get on me at still in the 65 zone.

Don't get me wrong.  I was speeding and I got caught.  It just irritates me that I was singled out and followed just because I was on a bike.

I earned it, and I intend to pay the fine and hopefully enroll in a deferment program to avoid the points.

Just thought my story fit well in this thread.

Martian

[Burgi]

Received a "Performance Award" this morning on my way to.... Church.
Martian

Congratulations for living in such a crime free area that the police have nothing to do but follow a motorcycle for 5 miles!   
My daughter was hit by a kid that blew a stop and pulled across a 4 lane road in front of her last week. Both her car and his were totaled. He didn't get a ticket and the only reason I think an officer showed up at all was cause she said usually in that area fights break out when there is an accident.
I'm not saying you didn't deserve it either but there seems to be little sense to lots of these things.

[Brumbie13]

I don't think you deserve it.
You're innocent until proven guilty.
Being followed for 5 miles just because he was waiting for you to screw up is seriously a jerk move. Especially in an undercover car.

I don't exactly know what entrapment means, but if this isn't it, it ought to be.

[Snoopy]

I know here in Iowa, if a cop follows you for more then 3 miles, then pulls you over its considered entrapment, the cops here are dicks, they try to get away with what they can. I can't say that ive ever been followed, but know people who have, went to court, and had the ticket tossed out.     I did have a cop pull me over three fridays in a row tho..same cop..same spot..same excuse... 

I was training at my current job, which happend to be 5pm - 2am.  Was on my way home about 2:30 am, my tie rod on the front right side was going out so my front end was slightly wobbly.  I can't say that I was 100% awake either but no alcohol and not speeding, but I saw him turn around and fly up behind me and pull me over, so I stop get my info out give it to him and he was like do you know why i pulled u over, of course i said nope so he said i see you were swerving in your lane, have you had anything to drink, i said nope i m just getting off work and on my way home, explained the tie rod..he checked my info, and sent me on my way..no harm no foul..well that next week same thing, went thru all the same again...so thinking it would happen again, i bought a six pack and put it on the floor next to me, sure enough got pulled over he walked up i said can i help you..he asked if i had been drinking, said nope havnt had time pointed on the floor and smiled...he sent me on my way..not to be pulled over again.  the a** hole.

[rapta619]

being from a family a bikers, i can share many stories with the genesee county shariffs office, NYS troopers, Amherst police (worst cops in the world, but have the safest town in the US, go figure) and the friggin lancaster police.

heres a couple of my favs (mind u this is all on harleys)

my buddy and i went to brockport, ny. just a short hop for fun. riding in our t shirts and all, we decide to stop at wegmans for some gaterade. we pull in, go in, get our drink, come out to a friggin state boy with his car behind our bikes like were gunna try to run with em and hes standing there and ask the dumbest question in the world

"which one of you boys has the loud one?" we look at each other and said he does.

cop goes "start them up, i want to see" so we start em, im running drag pipes he had well almost none (they came off the head, curved and that was it) so the cop being a dick gives my buddy the ticket. then tells him "i know ur in with the local druggies, so if you tell me where they are, ill let u go for free" my buddy is like "im not a druggy, just a biker, and im not from around here" cop called him a liar and gave im a nice 200$ ticket for loud pipes...a**hole.

so after we left i luaghed my azz off at him for his pipes...well he who luaghs first, luaghs last...

couple days later im in lancaster,ny. coming home from an awesome day with my girl, going down rt 5, and i see a check point way ahead, so im like screw this, cut down a road and went roaring up it. come to an intersecton...there three traffic stops in each way..im like fu**. so i went straight and gambled my luck, went threw the first part, the lady asked if it was inspect and crap, yup, sends me threw, then a cop (the chaser that sits down a little bit from the stop incase u try to run) gets outa his truck and flags me down, mind u im doing about 5 and just coasting with the clutch pulled in. i shut it down, he tells me "your pipes are to loud, ur getting a ticket, you say anything and ill arrest you, i know ur in a gang" im like woah...chill dude. so i txt my girl while i waited and shes tweakin, he comes back with the form, and tells me its illagel to txt during a stop. im like what? took the ticket and left, about a quarter mile down the road, i light it up, full boar cuz i know he can hear it.

then i pull off at a shop, call my mom to explain to her what happen before she wigged on me, next thing i know, that same cop for hualing a** down the road, lights and all. im like...uh oh...i think he herd it. so i get off the phone, go down the road some more....found the cop.

you will never guess where...

tim hortens.   

i sh!t you not.

so i guess he wasn't chasing me after all.

[Custom82Hawk]

you could always tell the judge that this red mustang kept following you and you thought it was your ex girlfriend who's been stalking you and wants to hurt you and so you feared for your life :)

[tcoop]

I've only be pulled over once while ridding. The cop said he checked my plates and it came back with no insurance. I assured him that I had insurance but could not prove anything. I had just swapped seats to get the original seat covered and it had my insurance card and registration papers. We catted for a few minutes about riding, then he let me go with just a warning. Contacted my insurance company to make sure I was covered (which I was) and she said that is something they say to justify pulling someone over if they think something is not quite right. I had no problem with it just figure they were doing there job.

[rapta619]

its funny, if your on a metric, chances seem to be slimmer (around here atleast). ride a harley and they'll find everything wrong with you, even a missed hair on ur face from shavin, and give u a ticket.

[chromy]

its funny, if your on a metric, chances seem to be slimmer (around here at least). ride a harley and they'll find everything wrong with you, even a missed hair on ur face from shavin, and give u a ticket.

  That's too funny.  Seems all the LEO's and more seasoned riders around here ride HD's and the younger generation favor the metrics.

[Laminar]

and gave im a nice 200$ ticket for loud pipes...a**hole.

Good. If only that were more common, I wouldn't be awakened at 4AM when my neighbor with the drag-piped Harley goes roaring by.

so after we left i luaghed my azz off at him for his pipes...well he who luaghs first, luaghs last...

I don't think that's how the saying goes...