Cops hate bikes.

[redhotz28]

So I go out for my first ride since I got my liscence back (6 months without, for being absolutly stupid on my bike... learned my lesson) and I have 6 more months of probation, where if I get a ticket, I have to go in for 're-evaluation' of my previous ticket. So I head out, me and one other guy on an F4i, were just cruising out to a local canyon road, nice and slow, high gear so low noise, no wheelies or anything... following traffic, and this bike cop pulls both of us over, and gives us both a ticket for going 56 in a 40. Said he radared us both doing 56 exactly. We suck it up, and the cop was a jerk, so we didn't even try to negotiate. Later, someone asked if we looked at the radar gun... well, no... that would have been a great idea though.... So then I talk to my wife, who is planning on becoming a cop, and does a lot of ride-a-longs with police, and she says that cops don't use their radar guns while driving, rather they match speed. Great. Also, how the hell did he radar us WHILE riding? And, even if he had it pointed into the oncoming lane, how the HELL did he get us while he was going around a corner? So now, I have to go back in, and 're-evaluate' my previous ticket. Neither of us looked at our speedometer, me because I re-geared my bike and its not accurate anyways, and him because neither of us were worried. I seriously didn't even think we were doing anything wrong.
This is the second cop I've had say he radared me, then it turns out he didn't actually, and it was just an intimidation tactic. It has seriously made me think about giving up one of the major loves of my life- motorcycling. I know this is rash, but police bully us so much anymore it just really isn't worth it. Ok, sorry... had to rant to someone who would understand.

[Mojave954]

See if you can appear in court to fight it. File for a delay, then go in. Don't know how it works there but here in Cali if the cop ain't there it gets tossed.

Sucks to be in your situation. Hope it all works out.

Oh, just remembered. Ask your wife if you can do the above first.

[Scout]

Okay, the more serious thing is - your wife wants to be a cop. I'm telling you now, with all seriousness and respect, DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. Remember, it was me who said this......

(and I'd stop the ride-alongs too.)

Anyway, patrol cars can be outfitted with radar to the front, back, and side. The chippies here have it, soooo.

This kinda thing happens all over. Sorry it happened to you. It happened to me a few months back. 42 in a 35, and "going with traffic". That's what I told the Sarge, and he said "You know how many times I've heard that one?". I said, "Well, it's true." Went on my merry way after some back and forth.

I figure the red on my blade is worth another 15-20mph over the limit anyway, fact of life...

[fastjester]

Originally Posted by Scout Okay, the more serious thing is - your wife wants to be a cop. I'm telling you now, with all seriousness and respect, DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. Remember, it was me who said this...... (and I'd stop the ride-alongs too.)

[luvtolean]

Interesting two police officers are telling you this.

I have to admit, I'm still glad my GF decided to goto law school over being a LEO.

And yes, some officers definatley hate bikes. Just like some people.

[redhotz28]

The funny thing is... I've seen several bikers get pulled over for stand up wheelies around traffic and get verbal warnings. This whole thing just sucks. If I put it off... might be enough to get past my probation.

[jaim]

If you are really adamant about this you could start a grass roots campaign against the cop. Write the AMA, find other riders who have been targeted by the jerk, Entrap him if possible. Then file complaints against him. You do have some recourse. But you have to be willing to go through a lot. I would also suggest getting a good traffic attorny.

[Red Rider]

FWIW, cops use radar while driving all the time. Not sure what your wife was told, but they can get a reading heading in the same or opposite direction as you. As for the ticket, tell the judge your speedo is off and you weren't aware of it until now.

Good luck... and all cops aren't bad.

[Heavy-Dee]

Originally Posted by redhotz28 It has seriously made me think about giving up one of the major loves of my life- motorcycling. I know this is rash, but police bully us so much anymore it just really isn't worth it. Ok, sorry... had to rant to someone who would understand.

I have had this exact feeling after getting a ticket, but it passed. However, I have stopped street riding (for other reasons) only temporarily.

Consider putting the bike on the track only. You can't get tickets there. It's safer too. If you aren't a dumbass.

HD

[allred]

Originally Posted by redhotz28 just cruising out to a local canyon road, nice and slow, high gear so low noise, no wheelies or anything... following traffic, and this bike cop pulls both of us over, and gives us both a ticket for going 56 in a 40. ... had to rant to someone who would understand.

Yep, A fact of life. I got pulled over on the freeway a month ago doing 75mph in a 65mph. A quiet saturday morning with absolutely no traffic on my side of the freeway. The cop was going the other direction in heavy traffic. He braked hard in all that traffic, and tore across the median with lights blazing. I thought he had spotted Osama Bin Laden or something!! He asked how many tickets I had and I told him I haven't had a ticket in 20 years. He said, "Well, you've just been lucky". How's that for prejudging!!! You just can't win with these people. It's revenue, and targeting of "easy prey". My bike looks like it is doing 50 mph when it is parked, so you have no chance when you run across a cop who just WANTS to give a ticket to a biker. Just think of it as a form of tax.

[MrX954]

You'd never get a cop to show you a radar gun....no way.

[redhotz28]

I know there are some decent cops out there, and while I lost my liscence, I was led astrey that all cops were good cops, and they didn't really WANT to give tickets, it was just a last resort to someone oblivious to their surroundings. I thought they would let me go with a slap on the wrist if I had good judgement. O well... now I have to deal with this thing. Going to go talk to the District Attourney, see what would happen if....

[9uno9]

cops never lie

obey the law, never fight back

[allred]

Originally Posted by Scout This kinda thing happens all over. It happened to me a few months back. 42 in a 35, and "going with traffic".

A lot of times it is chance and circumstance. I had a 42 in a 35 once, in my car. The cops were just out that day sitting at a particular spot giving tickets out like confetti. I guess they needed the cash! You could have driven past the same spot at 50mph for the next year and never get a ticket. Or, you just run across a cop who loves giving tickets to bikes. He may not hate bikers, he may just see it as an easy catch. Let's face it when you look at most 175+mph bikes it's hard to not believe they were maybe going 10-15mph over the limit.
It is distressing to get a ticket on a bike for going 10mph over the limit, and then see a minivan being driven by a woman on her cell phone, with 8 kids jumping around in the back heading to a soccer game doing 80mph and no one giving them a second glance!!!

No one said life was going to be fair.

[MrX954]

I got pulled over once the cop said he "clocked" me at 47 in a 35 from beside a Dodge Neons drivers window while handing out another ticket 30ft from his cruiser, and I was entering a traffic circle the center filled with trees at night. So there was 0% chance he got me doing that. Plus I had just left my friends house not 5miles down the road, tires covered in moisture and the temp was in the 30's so there was 0% chance I was speeding. When he told me he clocked me I told him straight out he was full of **** and unless he showed me a radar gun built into his eyeball there was no way in hell I was leaving with a ticket. I asked him to call one of his superiors just before he let me off with a warning and followed me as I did 10mph less than the speed limit all the way across town. He sucked.

Another occasion I was doing 45 in a 35 the first thing the cop said to me was "I'm suprised you were able to refrain from going a lot faster on that bike (current 954)" I smiled and said "I didnt want to speed and get a ticket" He replied "Alright I can tell your not one of the guys causing problems on this road enjoy your ride" He was wicked cool.

Moral of the story: Some cops royally suck and should get their badge shoved up their , but not all. Its like that in all professions.

[edit] Applies for bikes only, I get harrassed by every cop I see in my S10....wicked sux [/edit]

[Scout]

Originally Posted by MrX954 You'd never get a cop to show you a radar gun....no way.

Not true. An acquaintance of mine was doing a "mini-butt", and hit triple digits on a 2-lane rural road in CA, over some woopty-dont's. The oncoming Officer got him on radar, and was more than happy to show him "the gun".


Doesn't hurt to ask, after giving up license and reg.

[esoteric]

Originally Posted by MrX954 I asked him to call one of his superiors just before he let me off with a warning and followed me as I did 10mph less than the speed limit all the way across town. He sucked.

In that case I would have pulled over and made him pass. If he didn't I would have been talking to the him or the police chief about harassment and predation.

[MrX954]

Originally Posted by esoteric In that case I would have pulled over and made him pass. If he didn't I would have been talking to the him or the police chief about harassment and predation.

Now that would have been a good idea

[MrX954]

Originally Posted by Scout Not true. An acquaintance of mine was doing a "mini-butt", and hit triple digits on a 2-lane rural road in CA, over some woopty-dont's. The oncoming Officer got him on radar, and was more than happy to show him "the gun". Doesn't hurt to ask, after giving up license and reg.

Ok I'll rephrase myself and say "I've never got a cop to show my the radar gun"

[Scout]

Originally Posted by MrX954 Ok I'll rephrase myself and say "I've never got a cop to show my the radar gun"

Sorry man, didn't mean to harrass or predate(?).

[allred]

Originally Posted by MrX954 I asked him to call one of his superiors just before he let me off with a warning and followed me as I did 10mph less than the speed limit all the way across town. He sucked.

One thing's for sure, (some) cops harrassing a particular section of the population does no one any good and just enhances "cop bashing". These cops should have better things to do. As in my recent instance, a cop braking hard in heavy traffic and barrelling across an interstate median to pull me over for doing 10 mph over the posted speed limit is asinine. For a cop to do his job he has to have the respect of the public.........these type of antics definitely do not encourage that!!!

[Scout]

[MrX954]

Originally Posted by Scout Sorry man, didn't mean to harrass or predate(?).

Thats okay I kind of expect it from you po-po

[redhotz28]

Their motto is "To Serve and Protect" But how many times do you see a cop pass up a teenage girl with a flat tire? I just wish cops had better priorities. I guess if I had the power, I'd really crack down on certain people, depending on my experiences... like SUVs or trucks that cut off motorcyclists or people who make lane changes rapidly in succession without blinkers... stuff like that. I guess they just see bikes as being dangerous to people around them. Just sucks I have to be the one to get made an example of rather than the jerk who cut off a semi doing 100 then lays down a knee going off the exit.

[allred]

Originally Posted by redhotz28 Just sucks I have to be the one to get made an example of rather than the jerk who cut off a semi doing 100 then lays down a knee going off the exit.

The only way you have to look at it is "So I get an asinine speeding ticket once in a while for doing 10mph over the limit when I'm unlucky enough to be in vicinity of an over zealous cop. But at least I have got away with riding at 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170mph many many times when they weren't looking.

[cbr99xx]

(RE: Thread title)

Not true... The nice Graham Co. (NC) Officer had nothing but nice things to say about my bike... The whole time he was writing.

[abtech]

I think it was Alfred Hitchcock that said something like:

The only person in the world I am afraid of is a police officer. He has a gun and if he likes, he can do whatever it is that he feels necessary to manage any particular situation.

Discretion is always the better part of valor and I personally don't believe anyone told an officer "he was full of **** and unless he showed me a radar gun built into his eyeball there was no way in hell I was leaving with a ticket" and left in anything other than the officer's patrol car riding in the back seat.

I have seen this sort of response garner anything from a full bodysearch and handcuffing to a few pokes with a nightstick or a friendly tap with several thousands of volts.

On the other hand a measured response or dialog has often defused the situation and resulted in nothing more than a verbal warning.

[phobiaphobe]

Originally Posted by abtech ... On the other hand a measured response or dialog has often defused the situation and resulted in nothing more than a verbal warning.

I've politely talked my way out of thousands of dollars in fines.

[redhotz28]

You guys must have experience! Every time I fess up to doing something, they write me for the whole thing. Every time I act dumb, they write me up for the whole thing. I swear... I need to practise my skills.

[Getsome]

It's not the tickets I mind so much. It's the pending Insurance hike..