I got pulled over

[biknut]

I was riding down a main thoroughfare at night. The area has a lot of bars and strip joints in close proximity. Of course I was only on my way to visit some friends at church at the time. The church of the virgin fire water guzzlers.

This is how the traffic stop went.

You got ID?

I'm sorry I don't have any on me, but I do know my license number by heart.

One cop got back in the squad car to check out my license number, while I chatted with the other one.

So what is that?

It's a motor bicycle officer.

Your taillight is flashing.

LOL, yes, bicycle taillights flash.

Yeah I guess so. How fast does it go?

About 33 against this wind. 37 if I go the other way.

So you always ride this on the street?

Yes, for 2 years now. This is the first time I've been pulled over on it.

How is it you don't have to register it?

I found out from the DPS it's a gray area in Texas law officer. In Texas all motor vehicles are considered self propelled. This bike has to be peddled from a stop to get going. You probably noticed back at that light I peddled half way across the street?

So it's just up to any police officer to decide what to do?

Yes that's right officer, but there's never been a conviction in Texas if it was challenged.




At this point what little tension there was disappeared, and the conversation changed to something like,

Damn where did you get this? How much did it cost? That's all? I want one. You get how many MPG? Be careful there's a lot of drunks out here, see you.


Thank you for your courtesy officer.


The worst part was now I realized I left the house without any money so I had to miss the church service.

 

[scotto-]

Yeah.......same here.

Officer: How big is that engine? Me: Aww, it's only 212cc's.

Officer: Wow, that's quite a contraption. Me: Ummm......yer sir.....yes it is.....

 

[biknut]

Yeah.......same here.

Officer: How big is that engine? Me: Aww, it's only 212cc's.

Officer: Wow, that's quite a contraption. Me: Ummm......yer sir.....yes it is.....

So we belong to the same church then?

 

[Allen_Wrench]

At Wally World some time ago I picked up a plastic bicycle "license plate" and some stick-on numbers & letters.

I made a little plate that read "49 CC" and mounted it on the rear, above my tail-lights. (See below pic.)

I hardly ever go much above 25mph anyway. But I've had cops pass me. They often check out the bike on the way by. Sometimes they wave. But I've never been pulled over yet. They don't seem to feel the necessity.

 

[machiasmort]

When an EMP hits and you use your bike to power the doughnut fryer at the local bakery while spinning a GMAC car alternator, see how many complaints you get!

 

[motor_bike_fanatic]

I have been pulled over twice, once in 2009 and once in 2010. The stop in 09 wasnt so bad. I ran a red light around 11 or midnight. There were no cars even around, and I didnt see the cop because he was hiding in a Burger King parking lot. He pulled me over, I played stupid and said I didnt realize there was a red light, he reminded me that all bicycles and motorized vehicles were required to stop at red lights, and let me go. The second time, in 2010, I was about a third of the way through the first half of a 100 mile tour. The cop stopped me and told me if he caught me again, he would cite me and impound my bike. He asked me where I was headed, and I told him I was headed about 30 miles north of there. Luckily, he acted like he believed me when I told him I would pedal the rest of the way =). I did pedal........till I got out of that town. Then I dumped the clutch and cruised the rest of the way.

 

[biknut]

I have been pulled over twice, once in 2009 and once in 2010. The stop in 09 wasnt so bad. I ran a red light around 11 or midnight. There were no cars even around, and I didnt see the cop because he was hiding in a Burger King parking lot. He pulled me over, I played stupid and said I didnt realize there was a red light, he reminded me that all bicycles and motorized vehicles were required to stop at red lights, and let me go. The second time, in 2010, I was about a third of the way through the first half of a 100 mile tour. The cop stopped me and told me if he caught me again, he would cite me and impound my bike. He asked me where I was headed, and I told him I was headed about 30 miles north of there. Luckily, he acted like he believed me when I told him I would pedal the rest of the way =). I did pedal........till I got out of that town. Then I dumped the clutch and cruised the rest of the way.

Yeah, that all sounds about right. I'm sure I'd of done the same thing. They can nail any bicycle for running a light if they wanted to.

These cops I talked to sounded like they had at least talked over what they might be able to write me up for, because one of them mentioned some bull doodoo about having to walk my bike through a cross walk. I looked at him with a WTF look when he said it, because I wasn't thinking I was ever in a cross walk driving across the street lol. Anyway I could tell he thought it sounded embarrassingly stupid even to him when he said it.

Almost right away I think they figured out I probably knew more about what laws pertain to my MB than they did, so we all were just playing nice.

 

[biknut]

At Wally World some time ago I picked up a plastic bicycle "license plate" and some stick-on numbers & letters.

I made a little plate that read "49 CC" and mounted it on the rear, above my tail-lights. (See below pic.)

I hardly ever go much above 25mph anyway. But I've had cops pass me. They often check out the bike on the way by. Sometimes they wave. But I've never been pulled over yet. They don't seem to feel the necessity.

Really they're all very friendly here too. This was a fluke. I really think it's slightly possible they were a little concerned about my welfare in this neighborhood.