Triumphrat

stanegoli · 11-01-2007

For the first two years I rode my Tiger I had no cop problems. I was quite smug about this because I do tend to hammer it out on the road from time to time (yesterday I got her up to 120mph on Hwy 4 in WA State - GPS verified).

Then about a month ago I got nailed out in the country. I failed to come to a full stop before crossing a bridge under repair. Fines were doubled due to "Workers present" signs (although being a Saturday there were no workers present). The fine was a huge $484. I went to court on Monday. The judge was a really decent fellow. He reduced the fine to the greatest extent within his power, $242. I was also referred to driver education. Four hours class on a Saturday costing $45 but once I do this the citation will no longer appear on my record, so this is quite helpful.

Last weekend I was riding through a small town. Was stopped at a red traffic light behind a truck, both of us turning left. The light turned green and the truck remained stationery. I could see the driver yacking on his cell phone oblivious to the green light. In frustration I cut left across the intersection. I was riding slowly down the main street when in my mirror I spy a cop car pull up behind me light flashing. I acted like I had not seen him and continued on well within the speed limit. I then made a big act of swivelling my head to look in my mirror, acted startled as if I had just noticed him, and pulled over. He acted as if he was going to cite me, making notes in that silver pad they carry containing the citations. However when he returned he gave me a stern warning about my impatience (I had told him about the yacking truck driver) and let me off with a warning. Phew!

Yesterday I was about ten miles from home after a 280 mile ride when I was passed by a car going about 70mph in a 55 zone on a main road. A few miles down the road I had speeded up to about 60 when suddenly about 75 yards in front of me a cop heading in the opposite direction pulls a sudden u-turn as he switches on his flashing lights. I had not seen him until he pulled this dumb move. Gave me a heck of a start I tell you. I had to stand on the brakes to keep back of him.

At first I thought he was going to pull me over but instead he pulled over the car that had passed me earlier. He must have got them with his radar while going in the opposite direction.

All this cop acitivity has now made me really skittish. Oregon has for years had fewer cops per capita than most other states due to funding issues. However new tax measures were passed that have allowed for an increase in the number of officers and I think I am now seeing the effects. Maybe it is a good thing that winter is almost here and I will be spending far less time on the bike for a while. I really preferred it when we were a poor state with few officers

LoVel · 11-01-2007

The great thing is with all this revenue they are generating they will hire even more state troopers.

Weasel Pete · 11-01-2007

You could try this stuff.

Whisperinsmith · 11-01-2007

hey Stan,
I would never have thought of you as a hooligan! Great story. Best of luck. You may have to stick to those dirt roads I've seen pictures of you on. (I always think back to my English teacher telling me not to end in prepositions. Haven't figured that out yet.)

fivehundo · 11-01-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by stanegoli

For the first two years I rode my Tiger I had no cop problems....

I got that ticket a few months back for doing a HORRENDOUS 74 in a 55.

Officer Stout (very appropriate name, I might add) cited me at the Angels Crest. I did the same thing with the traffic school. I had to pay the fine though but I wrote a cute little note in the "For" line on my check. First, you'll need a little background on this tale though:

A while back, CHP Officer Stout pulled up to the scene of an accident where a forum member on another one of the forums I'm on had high sided and was injured pretty bad. He asked Stout to help him to which Stout replied (and I'm quoting what the guy who crashed relayed to me) "I'm not touchin your a--."

Then, he asked to see his licence. The guy told him that his wallet was under his seat on his bike. Since the bike had been wrecked, Stout seemed to think it was okay to break open the guys tail section a little more to get the wallet. He could have just pulled the key out of the ignition and opened it but...

So, he takes the guy's licence out of his wallet and then throws the wallet on top of the injured rider. Turned out later that the guy had broken ribs amongst other things. If you've ever had broken ribs, you know how bad it hurts to even breathe. Can you immagine how it would feel to have a portly cop huck a wallet at your chest?

So, a fellow forum member of that forum went up to the crest with a few of his buddies. I'm told that their intent was to catch Stout on camera chasing a speeding rider while breaking the same laws that he is paid to enforce.

One guy went blasting down the mountain and they had riders ahead with cameras. Stout started chasing the guy and before they could get him on camera, he crashed his BMW down the side of the mountain.

He spent who knows how much in medical fees, helicopter transport to the hospital, replacement of the bike, etc in an attempt to issue a guy a $200 ticket. REALLY SMART!!!

In the "For" line of the check for my ticket I wrote "Stout's BMW repair fund".

Diego · 11-01-2007

If it were me, I think I'd view the recent string of events as a wakeup call...a sign that perhaps I'd grown a bit complacent about the hazards of riding.

In the third incident, the cop wasn't even interested in you, though it illustrates the risk of going a little fast on a public road where anything unexpected can (and eventually will) happen right in front of you.

In the second one, I'd be surprised but super grateful that he let me off with only a warning! After having done the questionable turn where visibility couldn't have been very good, pretending not to see the flashing lights should have raised all kinds of red flags with the policeman: "If this guy wasn't observant enough to see me behind him, would he have been aware enough to notice someone coming from the other side of the truck? Is he too distracted or too impaired to be riding?" (My nearest neighbor was the county undersheriff, and one of my other friends here in town is a state trooper. I can assure you that's exactly how they would have viewed it. The ol' Breathalyzer would've been out of its case before they even asked to see my license.)

I'm glad you had an understanding judge in the first matter and that it will only amount to a fine and classroom time. That's a positive outcome.

As I say, and it's just my opinion FWIW, but I'd treat the close timing of these incidents as a sign to evaluate my priorities. We appreciate having all our members safe and able to participate in this site.

Dirk_Gently · 11-01-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diego

As I say, and it's just my opinion FWIW, but I'd treat the close timing of these incidents as a sign to evaluate my priorities. We appreciate having all our members safe and able to participate in this site.

I'd say i'm with Diego on this one. Based on your story i'd say the cops are pretty far off your back as it is. I would have thought you'd get a ticket for sure passing the truck. And while i'm glad you had an easy going judge, the reason those work zone areas are so heavily enforced is because a number of constuction guys get killed every year. Most DOTs pay their road crews hazard pay it's so dangerous. Now, I realize there weren't any there on that day, but it makes the public more likely to follow the rule when it's always the rule as opposed to sometimes yes, sometimes no, only when the lights flash.....etc

stanegoli · 11-01-2007

Diego your point is well made and taken.
In fact I think I am going through the same thing riding the bike on dirt.

At the Tiger ride-in in Kamiah, Idaho during summer I dropped the bike three times in two days on dirt. Did a fair bit of damage (cosmetic) to the bike, none to me fortunately.
Since then I have REALLY slowed down when on dirt roads and trails. As my riding buddy tells me, the falls caused me to "recalibrate". How true.

When I got the Tiger two years ago I had not ridden on the road for over 20 years. I took the MSF riding course, learned a lot, and rode pretty cautiously on the road. However as I have gained in confidence and skill the past two years I have started riding a lot more aggressively, while still trying to use the knowledge gained at MSF.
Perhaps I need to "recalibrate" on the road too.

When I cut across the intersection in the small town I had excellent visibility of oncoming traffic. The only reason I ignored the cop at first was so that I could ride real slow and appear to be a law abiding citizen.....it did seem to help.

fivehundo · 11-01-2007

Sometimes you have a bad run of luck though...

From the time I got my licence, until I was 22, I didn't get any tickets.

Then, I got two in the same month...

Maybe, just lay low for a while until the bad fortune passes.

Will · 11-01-2007

And certainly don't bait the police! I don't know what to make of your earlier story- as amusing as it is to think about, actually doing something that could cause a crash like the officer's is a very bad move.

Don't get me wrong- I have had my own frustratingly arbitrary experiences with the police. I got pulled for 71 in a 60, about 250 miles from home. I stuck to the speed limit EXACTLY the rest of the way, and was almost knocked over twice- by police cars! But, I still think deliberate chases and cop baiting should be left for action movies and left out of reality.