| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
Today I got caught speeding coming to work. To make a long story short the cop really busted my chops. I just tried to stay composed while listening to all the supposed infractions and inconsistencies he noted. He ended letting me off after noting that if I was caught again I'd get hit with everything he had. Do we not deserve to be let off after an encounter like that? | ||
| Midknyte |
No ticket. No sweat. All certainly credit to maintaining your composure. Me wonders though if Amur'can sportbike riders are more likely to be let off with a warning than riders of other persuasions. | ||
| Dasbuell |
There have been people who interrupted the ••• chewing (typically I have seen this happen when a flagrant infraction has occurred but the officer is inclined to give a "verbal" warning). In one case I know of, the officer who was surprised asked the driver "So do you want a ticket then?" The driver responded... "Which is shorter, I'm in a hurry!" He got a quick ticket! Always opt for the ••• chewing! Smarting off, even when the officer might be taking his frustration out on you, in his/her verbal warning, may get you found in contempt of cop. Translation... the ticket in place of an ••• chewing, and maybe an equipment violation he has seen and up to that point chose to overlook it. I know these things!!! (formerly dasxb9s) | ||
| Sardawg2dpd |
Normally if I see a bike speeding I tend to consider there riding style. If they appear to know what there doing and not a kid with his first bike trying to be cool I usually don't even stop em. But then again if I see a bike I think looks sharp and just want to chat I always ask "In a hurry?" when they respond "No." I just good cuz I would like to look at your bike. In doing this job for eight years respect goes along way.(For me atleast) if I stop some one and they are honest and pollite, more then likely u will get a verbal warning. No @55 chewing just a nice explanation of what could happen. (Of course this depends on your driving record.) Unfortunately there our some people who once they get to work and put on the badge they think they are above everyone. It boils down to Officer descrection (which is a great thing), if the officer wants to be an @55, I suggest just keeping you composure and let him do his thing. If you feel he was over the line, by all means try to get his name or squad car number and call down to the station and speka with a supervisor. (Tends to happen to me alot when I arrest someone). Then the suppervisor checks in to it. Most squad cars are equiped with camera's and mic's so if they were an @55 it will be on tape and they can get themself's a warning. but thats just how I look at it, while doing my job. Sar  | ||
| Bomber |
some observations -- Riders of ratty bikes are more likely to be ticketed than clean, obviously in good repair, well maintained machines pulling over in a place/manner that leaves the officer a safe way to exit his cruiser is only common courtesy, I think imediately removing your helmet so's the officer can see your face seems to take some tension outa the deal (secondary hint, helps to have gray hair and crows' feet -- I get a lot more, "try to keep it down near town, sir" than I used to) Officer's have bad days too --- sounds like the warning you got was his way of apologizing for, perhaps, over-chewing your butt . . .. . Arguing with an armed person has always seemed silly to me, but, hey, that's just me | ||
| Blackbelt |
Hay man i think that a Verbal Warning is FAR better than a Ticket. Cause a verbal warning doesnt' make your insurance go up.. Sar, why don't you move to Michigan and tell some of the State troopers to relax. Some are so darned up-tight. Of course i would guess that the job has its stress points. I wanted to become a police officer, but unfortunatly that profession here in Central Michigan isn't doin to well so i opted to teach martial arts. But i Respect every officer that i cross paths w/ and i give a nice wave to any squad car i see... more times than not, they wave back. I have been pulled over for the occasional speeding, but when questioned, usually get a warning. That i can handle any day. | ||
| Sardawg2dpd |
Sar, why don't you move to Michigan and tell some of the State troopers to relax. Some are so darned up-tight. Funny you should say that. I think it is part of the training Troopers receive. Even here in Iowa they are the same way. City and county guys are much more relaxed. Oh yea and by the way I am in looking in to moving to Michigan. Gonna be near St. Joe., looking in to it at this point, but would not mind gettin a job with Burein Co., or St. Joe (city). course if I really wanted to ruff it I could go to Benton Harbor.....Nah the two years I spent on the s side of Chicago was enough...hehe Sar | ||
| Blackbelt |
west side of the state is nice.. unfortunatly i am on the east side.... though the roads are nice aroudn there.. keep me informed, i will have ya come up w/ us when we go to my cottage.. | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
(secondary hint, helps to have gray hair and crows' feet -- I get a lot more, "try to keep it down near town, sir" than I used to) Hell yes! Now you have more of both than I do, but I think the cop is usually shocked when they pull me over for doing a wheelie & when I remove the helmet they see im not some 20 yr old kid. | ||
| Buellkowski |
Don't cops usually give out more citations at the end of the month, or is that urban legend? | ||
| Outrider |
Think it depends on the position of the moon and stars as well as how many times they have heard or seen you scream by in the past. LOL | ||
| Ray_maines |
I wish the police would play fair. I hate getting yelled at, but that's better than getting a ticket. But I really really really hate getting yelled at AND getting a ticket. The trouble is you have to tolerate the verbal abuse and simply hope he won't write the ticket. If you knew ahead of time you were going to get the ticket you could do both parties a favor by telling him you didn't feel the need for the BS safety lecture and they should just get on with the business at hand. Actually, I think most traffic police like to see their victim quake, tremble, and sweat. It would please them if you cried and groveled in the dirt for awhile. If you're polite and say all the right things but look bored or roll your eyes you'll get a ticket for sure, even if you do have a shinny bike and gray hair. Trust me on this. I've learned to tone down my dislike for traffic police, but I'll still say that I don't believe most of them have my best interest at heart. If they did they would be dealing with people that run red lights, tailgate on the freeway, change lanes ten times a mile, do the speed limit in the left lane, commit acts of road rage, trucks that spill Diesel fuel on the street, drivers that turn left in front of on coming traffic, etc. etc. etc. ... I honestly believe most traffic policemen (and women) were sexually abused as children and now that they have a badge they plan to get even with the world. They were victims and now they see everyone else as potential victims. Except that they are basically cowards: they don't want to take the chance of dealing with a large young man with an attitude or maybe even a gun. They would much rather pull over a young woman or middle age or older man that was committing the heinous crime of going 10 - 15 over in a 60 mph zone on a straight strip of freeway in light traffic at 4:30 in the morning. (Message edited by Ray_maines on August 05, 2004) | ||
| Tod662 |
can somebody tell me the legalities of having a license plate on sideways i took the fender of my S1 and as i was getting ready to make a mount for under the seat i decided to mount it on the axle adjustment bolt. last sunday i rode from Spring Green (south west Wis.) up to the U.P. and back i was pulled over 3 times once for speeding suprisingly i was let off by a state trooper and twice for my plate location they all told me i had to move it but the only legal issue i see is not being lighted | ||
| Southernmarine |
So far, in my 21 yrs of driving legally, I have been ticketed twice, having to pay fines. For those I was nice and courteous and because of that, the officers didn't write me up for reckless driving (doing about 25-30 mph over the speed limit). Other than that I was pulled over 4 or 5 times during my 3 years on recruiting duty and not once was given a ticket. Again, being courteous, listening to the officer, and of course being in uniform (Marines) helped out. Seeing how I was in an area where it was rare to see a Marine in uniform. Huge thanks for all those Officers doing there job. They put their life in jeopardy each and every day. If I have to listen to them chew on my ear, so be it, especially if he lets me off with a warning in the end. | ||
| Court |
Be polite. Keep a generous supply of Buell goodies on board. (Lessons gleaned from Lap of America - 1995 jaunt through 31 states) | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Do you have speed cameras in the US? It's a huge issue here, and I think it's a pretty big issue in the UK too, but I've never heard anyone mention them on BadWeb. Hey, I'd much rather get an •••-chewing and a warning than getting a fine with a photo in the mail  lemonchili | ||
| Bomber |
plate location and orientation seems to be state dependant, Todd -- on bad days, it's officer dependant ;-} WOw, Ray -- you sure seem to bring out the best in the police, doncha? Lemon -- there are traffic camers in a few metropolitan areas, by, in Chicago at least, they seem to be deployed to catch red-light runners more than anything else -- I've never seen one in an area that I would consider out in the toolies, or on a road that I would get to on purpose for enjoyment -- only in cities oh, yeah, and in toll boths on the local tollways, to catch non-paying drivers/riders | ||
| Chaser |
Verbal is better that a ticket | ||
| Mikej |
Tod662, Wisconsin has a fairly good DOT site with a search engine that should take you to the appropriate section detailing your plate mounting. I'm a little unclear how you have it mounted though, is it visible and readable from the rear or do you have it bolted flat to the side? | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
We have red-light cameras too, which I think are a great thing - I've heard of too many people (bikes/cars/pedestrians) getting nailed by someone running a red... Speed cameras here can be mobile or fixed. Where I live they prefer mobile units - usually a 4WD parked on the side of the road with the camera/radar mounted in the passenger seat, and an officer sitting in the back seat to change the film when it runs out. Sometimes set up to catch traffic in both directions, which isn't so bad on a bike - no number plate on the front... These things generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the state governments, and I'm not exaggerating - down south, the Victorian government is the worst, and most profitable. In 2003 they earned $334 million in fines, 2004 is estimated to be over $400 million. None of the state governments have been able to clearly show that this money is being put back in to driver/rider education or better roads... (but the Victorian gov has a healthy budget surplus these days...) What makes me mad is the fact that the state governments ram the "speed kills" message down everyones throat to justify the cameras... and people buy it - and everyone (including me) spends a lot more time looking at their speedo's to stop getting a ticket in the mail for 10km/h over the limit, when they should be watching the road... Sorry - that's my rant, it just winds me up...  lemonchili | ||
| Honu |
Got pulled over for doing a wheelie a couple of weeks ago, as he is lecturing me about unicycles I hand him my drivers lic and pull off my helment, he looks at me and lic and says 1959, aren't you alittle old to be doing things like this. I agree and he starts laughing and telling me about his bike. I thank him for not giving me a ticket. The ironic thing is I have only been pulled over twice on a moyorcycle, thirty years apart (15 years old ) for same offense (wheelies) no ticket back then either, just a stronger lecture. | ||
| Sardawg2dpd |
Except that they are basically cowards: I will agree with that to an extent. Some of the guys I work woth are exactly like that. I had made a traffic stop one day and ended up wresteling with the guy, so he wouldn't swallow the 8 rocks of crack he had in his mouth. My partner looked at me for a second, then decided before he was gonna help me he had to get in to his trunk, get his latex gloves out, put them on, and then try to help. Of course by that time for some reason the bad guy passed out. (I think I had ahold of him wrong....) Yes there are cops ou there that tend two be that way and would rather feel like the big man and write you a ticket because they are better then you, but for the most part we are good people. The other you have to remember is traffic stops lead to many great arrests, like for drugs, guns, terrorists, and wanted people. Just because your driving a nice car or look like an upstanding person doesn't mean you are not the bad guy. @Todd - License plates issues vary state to state. The thing I think is consistent is if it is illuminated. MAny guys around here have there's maounted vertical without a light, it just gives us a reason to stop you. so its up to you if ya want the head ach or not. Main thing is Officer descretion. If I saw you riding with your plate like that would I stop you....No...My plate isn't illuminated, so why should I stop u and give u a ticket for summin I do. Don't cops usually give out more citations at the end of the month, or is that urban legend? Depends from jursidiction to jursidiction...We do not because we do not have them.....Now personal goalsfor the month.....well thats a different story....... I guess the thing to remember is we all have a job to do and unfortunatly some of us take our job more seriously then others. Like I said at the begining all officers are different but I think as long as you are polite and nice its always better. You may still get a ticket..but he/she may only write you for 10 over instead of 20. I personnally will stick to the hood where I patrol and get the dope dealers and crack Wh#$es of the street. I will get off my soap box now, but if anyone has any questions about laws, I have access to a go data base for all states and I will see what I can dofor you. have fun and ride safe. Sar | ||
| Bomber |
sounds like police officers mirror the rest of society when it comes to darned near everything! except, of course, the level of stress in their jobs | ||
| Midknyte |
"I've learned to tone down my dislike for traffic police, but I'll still say that I don't believe most of them have my best interest at heart. If they did they would be dealing with people that run red lights, tailgate on the freeway, change lanes ten times a mile, do the speed limit in the left lane, commit acts of road rage, trucks that spill Diesel fuel on the street, drivers that turn left in front of on coming traffic, etc. etc. etc." Add to that, rolling stops, lane changes when turning, no stops (following the person ahead into an intersection w/o making own stop) grrr mumble grumble | ||
| Dasbuell |
About the camera tickets... Car goes through red light red light camera snaps photo photo and ticket gets mailed to registered owner registered owned mails photo of cash equal to the fine police mails registered owner photo of a pair of handcuffs registered owner responds in person and pays fine (formerly dasxb9s... still several bricks short of a load) | ||
| Socoken |
i dont see any difference between people badmouthing the job our troops are doing and badmouthing police officers at home. unless you have been one, you cannot understand the callouses and mentalities officers acquire in years of service. it takes a DAMN GOOD MAN to be a cop, in a rough area, for years and maintain his compassion and not become calloused. i dont think enough people understand that, and its too easy to sit back and criticize and spout off ignorance. when an officer pulls you over, as he has done thousands of times before, he expects you to show the same indifference towards him as most every one else has. he might even expect disrespect from you, based on the profiles he has compiled in his thousands of experiences. when you show respect, and courtesy, it may catch him off guard, and cause him to let you off. i might go further to assume, that should you make a really good impression, it may change his temperance and mood for the entire day. BUT, should you only show what he expected, by being condescending, or disrespectful, you are only affirming his profile, and hardening his caullouses. most cops are how they are, based on their experiences with YOU, the citizen. MOST cops started their career wanting to help people, and wanting to make a difference. MOST cops ARE good men and women. its the condescending, conceited, disrespectful ones that ruin good officers, and make things tougher on the rest of us. should a cop only pull over people that were nice and polite, and respectful, i think its safe to say that many of them would seldom ever cross the line and become verbally abusive, or physically. its the ones that think they are better than the officer, or too good or important to be bothered, that ruin it for the rest of us. so, in closing, my point is many cops act like they do, because people act like they do, and the only way to change the general mentalities and temperances of police officers, is to change the way we act towards them. the ones that complain, are also the cause, some irony i think. then again, go ahead, keep rolling your eyes and showing indifference, it only enhances the appreciation they have when they pull good people over, and increases the odds good people get off, and you idiots continue to get tickets. NOTE: this post was not aimed at anyone, nor was anyones previous post the cause for this.(except for maybe ray's, but nothing personal ray) this is an issue to which i feel very strongly, and i am simply expressing my opinion. (Message edited by socoken on August 06, 2004) (Message edited by socoken on August 06, 2004) | ||
| Raraf |
I disagree with you Seņor Socoken. Cops are sphincters because because they were Sphincters before. I don't know of any person whose job caused a personality swap. I have met many people who wanted to become cops or became cops. Similar trait in EVERY SINGLE ONE. They loved the power. Quite sad. The old west is the best way to keep a law officer in control. Be allowed to carry a firearm NOT CONCEALED and have a few of them shot every now and then. Weeds out the wusses we got now. I remember one time a cop pulled my brother over for speeding when he was 16. My dad pulls up while the cop is writing my brother a ticket. The cops says, "Do you know I am writing your son a ticket for speeding?" My dad says, without missing a beat, "Thats your F*CK*NG job, what you want? a F*ck*ng medal?" Shut that b*st*rd right up. Priceless. A cop is in LAW ENFORCEMENT not LAW LECTURING. He should do his job and shut up unless I want a lecture. I don't need a pimple faced kid in McDonalds lecturing me on how that Big Mac is gonna clog my arteries. Same thing. IMHO. | ||
| Ted |
I dont have a problem paying the price if get caught speeding or what-not. Its when ,for what ever reason, the cop searches for insignificant things like modifications. If theres a prob, ok ,warn me. Last fine was a U-turn I did. Cop says 'you know why I pulled you over?' I says Yep. So by not whining at him , I get a 'unsafe lane change' instead of a U-turn. That saved me $40 bucks anyway. fair enough. | ||
| Socoken |
I don't know of any person whose job caused a personality swap. no one? not a service rep or a gradeschool teacher or a car salesman? not one person has changed in the slightest when they became a member of a different fraternity or group? well, pretend for a moment you know me, and then you will know one. i cannot count the differnces in me since i got back. my point was, they give lectures, becuase people treat them with disrespect and indifference. anyone that treats ANY OTHER PERSON with disrespect and indifference, is a low level human, and deserves to be treated as such. when thats all cops deal with, they become predisposed to lecture, and treat idiots like idiots. i WILL agree with you, there are a few that seek to powertrip, and they tend to ruin it for the rest. for some the powertrip has its roots, for others, the power is simply consuming, much like a fast bike, or great wealth, and until you have lived with it, you cannot judge how others react to it. | ||
| Bomber |
I was once ticketed for 90 in •••• (I guess that using numbers to indicate the numberal fifty five is somehow offensive to someone . . . . wow!) -- went to court to beg for supervision (clean record for 90 days or some such, and no record of the ticket) The nice lady judge asked why I was going so fast (on a clear country two-lane, with good long sight lines, no other traffic, bright daylight), and I said it's the first nice day in April, your honor . . . I got a little carried away . . . she had a nice laugh, and I did get the supervision ;-} |
