I fought the law

On my way home today, I passed a police officer on a divided highway (three lanes each way): speed limit was 50. With 4-6 cars piled up at each light, I took off at my normal pace. Let the clutch out at about 2k, and give the throttle a good twist, shift at 4k through first and second, and then tool along a couple over the speed limit. I repeated this process along with the same pack of cars including the police car through 3 lights and about 3 miles. Then I see the flashing blue lights in my mirror. I'm thinking that he's after somebody else. No such luck, he wants me. I'm wondering, what did I do? The officer's first words? "If you're trying to get my attention, you've got it." I'm in shock... just stood there and stared at him. I'm thinking, "Is this a bad dream? Is this really happening?" "So," he says, "The reason I pulled you over is: you can't take off like a bat out of __ __ __ __ like that, you're going to get into an accident." While he said that he was twisting an imaginary throttle like he was demonstrating a drag race. Now I'm thinking of several things to say... like for example, "but officer, that was only half throttle..." or, "I never took it over 4 grand!!" Or maybe, "I didn't pull any wheelies, I didn't burn the tire, you didn't hear the engine revving to 15 grand, I didn't even break the speed limit." But I didn't say anything, just stood and stared at him. The happy ending: he came back in a few moments after half the county drove by looking at me (how embarrassing, there's nothing to hide behind on a bike)... and said, "I'm going to give you a break today because of your driving record, and the fact that I'm a biker too." He told me about his Gold Wing, and said that my FJR was a pretty sharp looking machine. It's been 20 years since I was given a moving violation, and I'm still trying to figure out what law I broke. Oh well. Guess I'll just be thankful that I didn't get ticketed.

Gary

darksider #44

They call it drag racing around these parts, even if nobody's beside ya. :lol:

Good to see you didn't get an award Gary.

Today is the End of the Month...quota time with a good fish.

Unfortunately, you were one with voice of reason and could make someone look very foolish and let you go.

Congratulations and Have a Great Weekend.

Gary - One must realize within the presence of "The Man" that tach’en that Feej to 2K and then given’er a good twist appears to be speeding, even if it is just great acceleration and maintaining the speed limit. Also doing it as soon as the light changes sets one up for a red light runner to make a bike a nice target. I’m sure you totally obeyed the laws, but…. He is "The Man”… Just sayin’.

Listen to Bluenuts here. Poor bastage got a ticket driving his wheelchair last week! :lol:

Always nice in CA to filter to the front of the pack at a light, and watch the patrol car jammed in the pack fall away behind. That said, it is easy for a bike to look fast relative to other traffic. That is what makes our speed tough to gauge for most other drivers, as well as the LEO.

Bustanut joker said:

Listen to Bluenuts here. Poor bastage got a ticket driving his wheelchair last week! :lol:

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Them bastages! :angry2:

garyahouse said:

"... and the fact that I'm a biker too." He told me about his Gold Wing,

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I would have just asked for the ticket and told him to make is snappy, I have places I need to be.

He was just demonstrating to you that the FJR isn't faster from the traffic lights than he is with the blue lights

Maybe he just wanted to see what that good looking bike really was

Glad you maintained your 20 year record. May you go another 20 without a ticket!

Ken

In Calif its called exihibition of speed, citeable for reckless driving even though you did not break the speed law or break traction. More of a "Malum Probhibitum as opposed to Malum in se" type of law, viewed by the courts as a violation based on the officers description of the violation of your speed, actions. you were lucky, kissing ass really helps in the prevention of a citation, if you continue to ride like that around the police, get used to the taste...

FWFE

Shutting up was the absolute best thing you could possibly have done. And it worked, right?

The other thing that helps is taking off the helmet or lifting the faceplate and having him find some gray hair and a stray laugh line or two. They don't give such breaks to punk kids with nose rings and tattoos, you know.

I guess you should have gotten a ticket, then you would have known what law you broke.

FarWestFastEddie said:

In Calif its called exihibition of speed, citeable for reckless driving even though you did not break the speed law or break traction. More of a "Malum Probhibitum as opposed to Malum in se" type of law, viewed by the courts as a violation based on the officers description of the violation of your speed, actions. you were lucky, kissing ass really helps in the prevention of a citation, if you continue to ride like that around the police, get used to the taste...

FWFE

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Yeah, what he said.

About a month ago I was riding along with the Wife on the back, minding my own business out in the sticks on a 2 lane State Hwy, when a Trooper coming the other way clocks me at 70 in a 60.(Well that's what it was when he locked on) He turns around, pulls me over, let's me know how fast i was going. I tell him a story about how i must not have been going that fast for more than a moment. I told him i have this automatic speed control mounted on the back seat and it usually works pretty good. I get a poke in the ribs if I'm going much faster than the limit. Then I asked him if he was feeling benevolent today. He asked me about my L.E.M.(Law Enforcement Memorial) lic plate. I told him i have family in law enforcement and he went back to the cruiser to check my stats.

I waited until he was in the cruiser and told my wife to be ready to punch me in the arm when i say now. I wait til he's looking and she hits me. Now he thinks i'm in for it.

My license has been clean for years do to large contributions to the Mucklestone Law offices, so i wasn't worried he would find anything.

He comes back without a ticket, and then he spots the radar detector. What's that? he says. I laughed and said, it doesn't work, just like the other one on the back. If it did we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'm going to throw it away when i get home.

He shook his head and walked away.

^^^ Sounds like a movie story. :huh:

Cali cops hate bikers, period. Been ticketed by motor cops, hassled by cage cops, they just aren't so nice or gracious here in Cali. I was very kind and ansewred all questions honestly, it got me a ticket. Maybe the doughnuts aren't that good anymore. :dribble: Maybe they hate Yamaha's?

What pissed me off is the last CHP motor cop that ticketed me was a young, obnoxious, punk, that was trying to prove, I don't know what. I've been riding bikes longer than he's been alive. <_<

Good on ya for keepin it cool...instant Karma...and i am sorry to hear Cali motorcops are still so mean, got my first ticket within 30 minutes of hitting san diego proper in 1978 on my new rd400 before even making it to my ship to report in...didnt like my Basani exhaust chambers it seems...mosquito killer bike...

Bobby

FJRBluesman said:

^^^ Sounds like a movie story. :huh:

Cali cops hate bikers, period. Been ticketed by motor cops, hassled by cage cops, they just aren't so nice or gracious here in Cali. I was very kind and ansewred all questions honestly, it got me a ticket. Maybe the doughnuts aren't that good anymore. :dribble: Maybe they hate Yamaha's?

What pissed me off is the last CHP motor cop that ticketed me was a young, obnoxious, punk, that was trying to prove, I don't know what. I've been riding bikes longer than he's been alive. <_<

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Yep....with a chip on their young little shoulder..... :angry:

Well duh- it was the damn tire..looks like a drag slick.

Ken45 said:

He was just demonstrating to you that the FJR isn't faster from the traffic lights than he is with the blue lights

Maybe he just wanted to see what that good looking bike really was

Glad you maintained your 20 year record. May you go another 20 without a ticket!

Ken

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Could be the truth. I owned a pristine restored 1968 Triumph. In 1998 I was pulled over for no apparent reason. The cop said my bike matched a stolen bike description and he needed to check my registration. We talked, he asked questions about the bike and finally admitted...Hey I really stopped you so I could look at the bike. That was most flattering but I had a hell of a time picking a safe spot on the shoulder as it was sloped and narrow. Didn't say anything but thought the stop was very inappropriate.

Bill