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Skyline Drive: First Time a Victim of Anti-Motorcycle Bias

The more of this thread I read, the more I think too much is expected.

My math is horrible, I need a calculator to substantiate my statement. I have driven on average 80K a year for over thirty years. Everything, from pickups to tractor-trailers. I don't even count the time on a motorcycle because that's my time.

Today, I was covering for a friend that was sick and he hauls snow. I guess this load was 40k+ as the truck was a dog and spiking jerked me around pretty good. 3rd low from intersections and I could hear a good bark so I knew I was heavy.

Coming over an overpass, my lane, right hand side, somebody decided it was a good time to pull in front. Binders on, horn full tilt and hung on. Been there, done that, never ended well.

RCMP on my left saw it all.

I did the road rage thing with the horn and the lights. Seconds later, blue and red behind me. I pulled over. I was mad. I went to get out of the truck and the officer pointed at me and said, "stay in your truck".

He went back to his car, a few minutes later, "Driver's License, Registration, Log Book". Nothing pleasant in his tone.

My paperwork is good and he asks me if I knew why he pulled me over. I said, "No". He said if I hadn't pulled my "high school" stunt with the road rage, he would taken the other driver instead for "failure to yield oncoming". Then he said, "I will take an angry driver and make them sit on the side road over stupid. Stupid are easy to catch, you aren't and you are more dangerous."

Wow. The boys with the badge have a tough job and I have to say, after my experience today, I'm going to let them give me s--t and just take it.

Back to my first paragraph, I still have a lot to learn.
 
Please conjugate that.

Hmmm.....I've run it through two grammar checks and found no issues. What are you questioning? I will admit to often applying PA Dutch grammar and verbiage. But, I'm pretty sure this is real English grammar...
 
Wow. The boys with the badge have a tough job and I have to say, after my experience today, I'm going to let them give me s--t and just take it.

Back to my first paragraph, I still have a lot to learn.

The officer was pretty smart........an angry guy with a heavy load can do a lot more damage than a twit in car or pick-up.

Since you understand that, the world is a good place. Of course, you could have called your lawyer and made the officer waste a few days to prove his wisdom to a judge. That may have provided some sense of moral victory to you and allowed your lawyer to buy nicer Christmas gifts for his wife and girlfriend.
 
Long Post. About zealous enforcement. The good and the bad.

I live just north of Terlingua, Texas. Terlingua is the home of a huge international Chili Cookoff. Every November some 10,000 folks in motorhomes, trucks, motorcycles, cars, bicycles, and on foot arrive at one or the other of two sites to party, cook chili, get drunk, cook chili, ride around in ATVs, cook chili, get drunk again, and have a good time. Think huge rally but drunker and more boisterous. This in a rural area with a few hundred local inhabitants.

In the early years there was a lot of drunk driving, lots of accidents, injuries, and a few deaths. As years have passed the presence of the Texas state troopers has increased. We see trooper cars more often in the three peak days of the cookoff than all of the rest of the year combined. There can be 10 or 15 troopers patrolling a few miles of highway. I've seen 5 in 3 miles. Drivers will be stopped for anything! Dirty license plate; your tire hit the white line at the edge of the road; one mph over the limit; you were 10 under and I wondered why; your back window is dirty; etc.

Mostly the locals just stay home while the troopers imported from all over the state do their thing.

But over the years the chiliheads that drink have learned. Now they mostly haul their intoxicants here with them, settle into their encampments, and stay there for the entire cookoff. The rash of drunk driving, accidents, injuries, and deaths doesn't happen any more.

The locals tolerate things but grumble a lot. The input to the local economy is limited because the restaurants and other businesses don't see most of the cookoff folk much- they bring stuff and stay put, and then leave. The stops that would be silly any other time of year are just expected because we know the troopers have invaded south Brewster County.

We think they use seniority when deciding who to send from Dallas, or Houston, or Amarillo, or Dripping Springs, or wherever. We don't get wisend seasoned troopers. We get the young ones whose shoes have never been polished yet, but are still shiny out of the box.

When we do need to go someplace, all in all I'd rather risk a roadside chat than a head-on with a drunk. The troopers would say, "mission accomplished".
 
I was on Skyline Drive yesterday and had been about 100 yards behind a park ranger for around a mile. Then he pulled over, flipped on his lights, and gave me a lecture about how "those things" can "easily speed." Keep in mind I hadn't broken any laws whatsoever. The he demanded to know how far I intended to ride on Skyline (which wasn't really any of his business) and felt compelled to correct my pronunciation of "Luray."

At the time, I didn't want to get confrontation so I could just continue on, but now that I've stewed about it, I'm considering filing a complaint. I'm a HUGE supporter of law enforcement but the fact is that there is some tiny minority of them who become abusive as a power trip, and this seemed like one.

I would be in hot water at work if I pulled you for "just because". There is case law about traffic stops, there has to be a reason for his stop. I am sorry that you encountered a bad apple. We are not all like that and love motorcycles and motorcyclist.
 
"This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put."


Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill

Churchill did not have a hyphenated last name. It was Churchill. Period.

Happy to live the quotation, though. :laugh
 
Wow, that seems like a high threshold. Washington State and especially Oregon don't give that kind of leeway.

That is a pretty common threshold, especially if the officer isn't primarily assigned to traffic enforcement. When I was wearing the badge, I did a lot of years of general patrol (but always being partial to traffic enforcement, made more stops, more tickets, and more DUI arrests then other 'generalists'), before finally spending my last six years on a traffic detail.

When I was working general patrol, I gave everyone 15 over. I always figured that it was pretty hard to argue that much of a violation (it wasn't LOL). Most of my partners did the same. And in spite of that, I still wrote as many tickets as I had time for (as someone else already mentioned). Once I was assigned to traffic, my threshold dropped to about 10 over, simply because I was expected to write more tickets, and I was working a lot more surface streets with lower speed limits.

Now, I routinely set my pedal (or cruise control) at 9 mph over posted, and can drive by CHP officers running laser and through active aircraft speed zones all day long...I have never been stopped. It truly is the discretion of the individual officer, but I have found that here in my area, this works for me (and I commute 100 miles round trip a day).
 
trumpetman

I was on Skyline Drive yesterday and had been about 100 yards behind a park ranger for around a mile. Then he pulled over, flipped on his lights, and gave me a lecture about how "those things" can "easily speed." Keep in mind I hadn't broken any laws whatsoever. The he demanded to know how far I intended to ride on Skyline (which wasn't really any of his business) and felt compelled to correct my pronunciation of "Luray."

At the time, I didn't want to get confrontation so I could just continue on, but now that I've stewed about it, I'm considering filing a complaint. I'm a HUGE supporter of law enforcement but the fact is that there is some tiny minority of them who become abusive as a power trip, and this seemed like one.

Though I realize the importance and dedication of the majority of our law enforcement I too have reached the conclusion that a few are really just bullies and were probably so in high-school. Since getting in a confrontation with one of them is never in our favor I have reached the conclusion it is best to give them that false sense of control they seem to need. So, it is best to choose ones battles carefully.:scratch
 
No offense to Rockbottom, the Original Poster.

But, we only have heard his side. The cop might give details and facts to make us think differently.

Ever watch Judge Judy? It amazes me how people tell a story, then the cop will play a video or voice recording of the incident, and you find it doesn't exactly match the plaintiff's version!

Again, not calling you a liar, Rockbottom, just making a point. There are a lot of stories in this thread, and I'm certain there is some hyperbole somewhere!

I have said before that I don't like, or get along with MOST cops. But I still think MOST cops are decent guys just doing the job. Every profession has its bad apples.
 
One time on a Interstate in TexSux I was written for 6 over. No that's not a typo, six miles per hour above the speed limit. It was at night but not the wee hours, weather was clear, traffic was light, the road was straight and level.

In the eleven years that I lived in TexSux I got stopped a good number of times, and received a citation every time except once (Note 1). None were for more than 18-19 over. They ran the gamut from a very kindly and courteous motorcop (Note 2) to some real attitude-cases. At least two were electronically-generated, and in one of those cases the whole stop took less than 30 seconds: no self-incrimination questions, just hand over my license which got swiped through a hand-held device that printed a thermal-paper ticket, sign it and he was gone. One time I got pulled while a big pickup was blatantly passing me at much greater speed (but I was in one a' them lil' socialist furrin' cars though, so I must be evil, right?). That one too was super-quick and efficient, and my boss from out of state was in the car with me and he was SHOCKED that the cop didn't give me a chance to talk him out of the ticket.

In my experience, admitting that I was speeding doesn't make a damn bit of difference- I get the ticket whether I do it or not. (I'm talking everywhere now, not just TX).

I had a BS-stop once too, in suburban evening traffic. Cop told me that my license-plate light was out. He waves his flashlight over my registration and inspection stickers, then shines it in all the windows, sees nothing suspicious, and lets me go. Fishing for probable cause?

I haven't had a speed-citation since moving to GA just over five years ago, although about three years ago in Alabama I got one for following too closely. The trooper pulled me and one other guy in an assembly-line stop for that one, so I really rather suspect that he was hard-up to demonstrate his efficacy to his superiours.



Note 1: The one time I got let-off with a speed-warning in TX I was on a rough-looking, 17-year-old K100RT and passing through the panhandle on the way to Colorado. I was in my mid-30s but looked about 25. The trooper was unusually friendly in his manner, and politely asked if there was anything in my side-cases that should make him feel the need to call for a K9 unit to sniff around. I answered in the negative and he seemed satisfied with my answer.

Note 2: This one was a Kawasaki-mounted member of the Plano TX Police Department and he was just so damned nice about the whole thing that I thanked him for his courtesy (even though I did get the ticket) at the conclusion of the matter, and I guess he wasn't used to that kind of reaction because he seemed to be having an awkward moment as he got back on his bike.
 
One of my DIL's got stopped in Knxv,TN last week by a city cop there for 5 over, as in actually was 5 over & not a school zone,etc.. She had her two babies(2 & 4) with her in SUV & cold out. Isn't there a higher purpose to be found for that officer?
Maybe it was "anti pre-soccer mom bias"?
 
The most obvious problem with law enforcement in this country is its increased militarization in terms of equipment and mentality- and the attitude that comes with it.
Trigger happy behavior is becoming way too common.
Here in NC I have no idea what the total actually is but I can easily recall 3 instances in the last couple months where so called qualified law enforcement officers shot and killed unarmed persons.

Example 1- Brunswick County NC
Mentally ill kid (known schizophrenic) refuses to give screwdriver to mother and acts agitated to the point of scaring her. 2 officers respond and are talking to the kid, no violence happening. Eventually 3rd more senior officer responds and within a minute of arrival, says "we don't have time for this", orders others to taze and jump the kid- then in the resulting pile, claims the kid is threatening the life of one of the first officers and shoots him twice while on the ground under the 2 others. Under investigation. Long line of the rather small (90 lbs, about 16 IIRC) kids relatives and friends say he had no history of violence.

Example 2- Ferrell, Charlotte, NC
Ferrell, black athlete mid 30s, crashes car in small hours of morning in a mostly white area of town (photos show him with a white girlfriend). Runs toward a police officer seeking help and is shot 10 times and killed instead. Officer had apparently spent most of career in animal control and had responded to a 911 call re a possible break in nearby, is now indicted for voluntary manslaughter. Both his dept (immediately) and SBI called his actions excessive.

Example 3- Wilmington NC
Suspect sitting still under a bush while hiding shot and killed by officers claiming he had a gun- which is actually the cell phone he was using. This episode happens a few days after a different person in a nearby neighborhood shoots another officer in the leg and is apprehended a couple days later. No indictments- as in most places NC law allows this as justifiable as long as officer thought/says a threat existed

2 of the above victims were black. All the officers were white.

Bottom line is you could run into one of the nuts above. I believe it is possible to make a case that law enforcement has at least its share of nuts and crooks (we've had folks all the way up to DA indicted locally for all manner of crimes from drug sales to personal use of public funds) and that like most professions is not at all good at internal policing until the evidence of wrongdoing is overwhelming.

My local police force pays wages so low (not even $30K) to newbs that they're always hiring- so the guy with gun you'll run into has almost no experience and probably just can't get a better paying job elsewhere, yet.
 
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Couldn't agree with you more Racer. Many younger law enforcement guys are from the military hence their boot camp hair cuts and Marine Corp in your face threatening PTSD influenced attitude. As a group they are just plain scary. If it weren't for career opportunities in law enforcement many of these so called cops would be on the streets like the hoods they really are. This of course just my humble not worth much opinion.
 
Couldn't agree with you more Racer. Many younger law enforcement guys are from the military hence their boot camp hair cuts and Marine Corp in your face threatening PTSD influenced attitude. As a group they are just plain scary. If it weren't for career opportunities in law enforcement many of these so called cops would be on the streets like the hoods they really are. This of course just my humble not worth much opinion.

As expressed here as an overly broad and inaccurate generalization, I agree with your characterization of your opinion.
 
Folks, in reading through this entire thread, posts are starting to get more onto the personal attack side about people that someone has never met or only read about, etc. It was stated earlier there are always bad apples in every barrel. Let's just leave it at that. The OP started out by talking about an incident that happened to HIM....he did something to help resolve the issue in his mind. Now people are bringing instances out of the woodwork or local crime columns as a way of seemingly painting all LEOs in bad light. If you weren't there, I find it hard to report on any aspect of what might or might not have happened.

So, let's reign it in or we'll close the thread. It's Parked Motorcycle Season, so maybe that's what this is. But let's just no go there...anymore!

Thanks...
 
A couple of comments regarding an earlier post about Texas. First, it is not at all unusual to get a TICKET from a Texas State Trooper at 4 or 5 over the limit. They may well stop you for a chat at 2 or 3 over. Local police departments and sheriff departments might be a little more lenient - but maybe not.

Their rationale for being strict is this isn't a little 55 mph state. In western Texas and parts of east Texas the two-lane rural speed limit is 70. Much of it is 75. Some Interstate is 80. The attitude is, "We give you 70 or 75 or 80! How much more do you think you'll get???"

If perchance you want to suggest that a few mph is within the error of your speedometer you might hear the suggestion that you could get an equipment fix-it ticket too.
 
My last stop in Alabama

First let me confess that my son works as corrections officer for a county in Texas. I have gotten to know lots of his friends. First thing to understand is that if they did had a very passive or weak demeanor they wouldn't be in that line of work, but they are all very nice people.

I was riding in a 45 mph construction zone early morning before daylight when I decided to pass an older truck who was doing the speed limit most of the time but would slow down going uphill. So I passed him and then slowed back to the speed limit more or less. Sure enough I soon saw a bunch of blue lights flashing. The young officer said he stopped me for driving over the speed limit and not signaling when I passed. I explained why I passed and that my turn signals had gone out on that trip. I guess he believed me because my bike was almost twice his age. He told me right up front that he was going to run my license and wasn't going to write me a ticket if it was clear. He was very polite and interested in my old bike and true to his word I rode away with no ticket or warning just a be careful and have fun.

Some of these guys are great folks, and some can be jerks. Anyway that is my last experience with a LEO.
 
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As expressed here as an overly broad and inaccurate generalization, I agree with your characterization of your opinion.

In part I agree with you in that I was a bit general in my previous post. Sorry for having offended. However, I believe that many law enforcement types we see today especially those with recent military combat experience have a tendency to be less forgiving and may react a bit over zealously in certain situations the result often being unnecessary injury and even death inflicted on the general public. An adrenalin rush can be frightening. For myself I want no interaction with local municipal law enforcement folks because I am a bit fearful of the them in general. I have been stopped for speeding by OSP (Oregon State Police) twice in the past 4 years without any problem whatsoever and because I was honest when asked how fast I was traveling received no ticket. Both stops were in 55 mph zones and once was for over 75 mph. I think most state police agency officers are a cut above many of their local brethren. Sorry for another generalization.
 
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