First cop interaction

[woogie_man]

Well not sure if I should get a cookie or something, but it happened to me. Was on my way home from work last thursday morning, around 0715. Was riding down main street on the side of the road to keep out of the main trafic. Went to change lanes, checked all the way across and nobody was coming. Went to the turning lane and made my turn at the green light. About 500 yards later I heard "that sound". Turned to see the same cop that had passed me a few minutes earlier. Pulled over onto an approach, killed the engine, and got off of the bike.

The cop got out of his cruiser, and just looked at the bike. After a while he asked, what they all ask, what is that thing? So I explained it to him, what it was, the top speed and all of the info he was looking for. He did ask about the DMV and other info about the laws. Informed him about the 49cc law and that anything at that or lower than that level doesn't need any paperwork or what not.

After what seemed like an eternity, he let me go with a "warning". Well me being me I just had to ask why I was getting a warning for doing nothing illegal? He honestly didn't have anything to say.......just that I need to make sure I use my hand signals and stay safe. And I had to ask him, of course making sure he know I was just currious, if he would pull people over in cars that were not using their turn signals? Being about 100' from a stop sign and seeing many cars turn, or even blow through it, while we were talking. He just chuckled and jumped in his cruiser and said to have fun with the bike.

Monday afternoon I was cruising around town, and well I heard the sound again. It wound up being the same cop! He got out and asked to get some pictures of the bike on his cell phone, and was interested in the bike. Was saying the it would be a fun thing to cruise around on durring his off time. So gave him some info on it, figuring he was doing more searching on the laws than anything, and hoping to see him again and hopefully with a bike! He did ask what the cost was, and how long it would take to get one set up for him as well......so possibly a good thing may come of the interaction.

 

[copmagnet80cc]

Haha awesome story.

 

[2door]

Glad it worked out well for you, Woogie.

Did you direct him to our forum? Many of us carry business cards with the forum URL. That way we spread the word.

Tom

 

[woogie_man]

Didn't think about a card.....I am sure I will see him again.

Well get his the addy when I see him again.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

In my state (Tennessee) we aren't required to have brake, tail or signal lights, mirrors or a horn. Still I have them for my own personal safety. Most vehicles out there are much bigger than us.

 

[greaser_monkey_87]

I look at our hobby as a counterculture, and I don't want to see a cop of all people on one of our bikes. I'd not have given him any more info than necessary. I'd also have told him to stop pulling me over when I wasn't doing anything wrong. I've got #*$% to do, and don't have time to explain how I built my bike to a cop. I'd have told him to google motorized bicycles and that would've been all. It would be a bit like Fidel joining the Cuban Revolution. Just my $0.02.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Anything that increases acceptance of our alternative transportation could be heralded as a good thing & I suspect it's far, far too late for "counterculture" concerns lol;

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

Anything that increases acceptance of our alternative transportation could be heralded as a good thing & I suspect it's far, far too late for "counterculture" concerns lol;

Cops on ebikes?
I wanna see cops on China girls!

 

[KCvale]

Cops on ebikes?
I wanna see cops on China girls!

I'd rather see them on Segway's or Unicycles, juggling ;-}

 

[Going2Hell]

I have never been "pulled" over... I have been followed to the store by a Colorado Highway Patrol though! When I had parked I turned and saw the cop, turns out he was also full of those standard curiosity questions!

Other than that, officers up here in Northern Colorado are cool and even interested in their own. Pull up next to them all the time, talk about weather and traffic and MPG! HA

 

[The_Aleman]

I lived in North Dakota (Grand Forks) when I built my first chinagirl in 2006. I rode all over the dang place for almost 2 years.

Never was pulled over in Grand Forks, but like the OP I was pulled over in Fargo in the summer of '07. Cop just wanted to check it out

 

[greaser_monkey_87]

Cops on ebikes are hardly an invasion of our counterculture, and I was just giving my opinion, which I'm entitled to, and I'm sticking my my original statement.

 

[woogie_man]

Yeah I think he was just curious as to what it was really. He really want pushing anything out looking for an excuse for a problem. He was more interested in what it was really. He was nice enough, and was just asking the basic questions.

Really no harm. The only reason why he stated he needed to say it was a warning, is because he already called it in. He didn't have any information of mine or anything, so no harm done....and honestly he didn't ask for any either.

 

[greaser_monkey_87]

I just won't give a cop the time of day. Too many run-ins with them (non mb related) where they were rude for no reason. If they pull me over, it's yes sir no sir and that's it. If I've done nothing wrong, then I'll be on my way.

 

[Desert Rat]

Yeah I think he was just curious as to what it was really. He really want pushing anything out looking for an excuse for a problem. He was more interested in what it was really. He was nice enough, and was just asking the basic questions.

Really no harm. The only reason why he stated he needed to say it was a warning, is because he already called it in. He didn't have any information of mine or anything, so no harm done....and honestly he didn't ask for any either.

I agree with the way you handled it however remember when talking to them
even the smallest thing can be used against you if they so wish and they are
allowed to lie to you! You let it slip that maybe your engine is a little bigger
than they allow and then it's seized all nice and legal like.

A lot of it depends on where you live small towns can be much more lenient
than bigger cities and their training can be different.

since when did it go from to protect and serve to
population control?

2 days ago mom was sitting at a stop light when rear ended, and car was movable but totaled.
the police officer after having her move it on to private property (store parking lot)
told her he had to call the tow truck state owned, I showed
up and told her to call her insurance to have it towed and informed him
we had taken care of it, he didn't say a word but was he rude after that.

The experience would have entailed them towing it to their place 1 charge
then us waiting to have it towed to her shop 2 days later for a grand total
of $400 rather than her insurance paying for the single tow to the shop.

I know how sad it sounds but you have to watch out for yourself nowadays

On a side note Mom is OK some soft tissue damage but at least she had
the presence of mind to turn on the flash drive voice recorder I gave her.
got the guy admitting it was his fault on tape so to say and even her interactions with the police.
I personally carry one on my key chain and have a set of video sun glasses
both from ebay and cheap flash drive about $20 and glasses cost me 30

Happy Riding and CYA

PS the flash drive is a working 4 gig and she keeps her medical records on it.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?



& it's nothin' new;

 

[greaser_monkey_87]

I still don't consider it as infiltrating our counterculture, and I never will. The black and white photo, they were still motorcycle cops because that's what motorcycles were back then. Cops on segways? Not even gonna dignify that. Even a cop on a motorized bicycle, still don't care because he's still a cop and out of uniform he's still nobody to me. We are a counterculture, no matter what photos you bring up to try to prove otherwise, and why deny it? I embrace it. Even if no one else wants to be it, I'll be the counterculture all by myself because that's how I roll. You can paint a donkeys butt to look like the sistine chapel, but it's still a donkeys butt. A cop on a bike is still a cop on a bike, not the leader of the revolution.

 

[BarelyAWake]

I'd rather see them on Segway's or Unicycles, juggling ;-}

I couldn't manage juggling, sorry

I still don't consider it as infiltrating our counterculture, and I never will. The black and white photo, they were still motorcycle cops because that's what motorcycles were back then. Cops on segways? Not even gonna dignify that. Even a cop on a motorized bicycle, still don't care because he's still a cop and out of uniform he's still nobody to me. We are a counterculture, no matter what photos you bring up to try to prove otherwise, and why deny it? I embrace it. Even if no one else wants to be it, I'll be the counterculture all by myself because that's how I roll. You can paint a donkeys butt to look like the sistine chapel, but it's still a donkeys butt. A cop on a bike is still a cop on a bike, not the leader of the revolution.

"Leader of the revolution"? Naturally, you are free to view yourself however you see fit - counterculture or mainstream, whatever label you may choose to affix to yourself to proclaim to others what you'd like to be is obviously your decision.

Please don't assume a "we" in that assertion however, particularly given that the actual "us" is so vastly diversified across so many cultures, even countries that any attempt at a general classification is laughably inappropriate, as most stereotypes generally are when examined closely enough, when actual experience displaces preconception.

It's one of the things I truly enjoy about this activity in general, this forum specifically - that everyone from teens to the elderly, the fit & handicapped, regardless of class or nation, race, religion, politics or even if they think they're a rebel or they're cop on a bicycle, we're all playing with the same toys in the end & most of the time, the vast majority of the time, we all get along jus' fine because of that, bugs in the teeth & grease on the pantleg feels just the same no matter.

Some of us need a totem to proclaim our allegiance, draw a line in the sand to define ourselves through the exclusion of others & that's fine too, they've a motorized bicycle or are interested in one so the rest doesn't matter I figure, no more so then what their day job may be... but when such lines are drawn, such exclusions are made, when others are declared enemies on general principals over individual actions - the inevitable consequence is a self-fulfilling prophecy, the perception of persecution now a fact, justified in the eyes of those rebuffed as a foe even before they'd a chance to say hi.

I on the other hand, as well as apparently the OP & fortunately so many others don't see it as a cause or a flag to be waved, we would far rather jus' babble bikes with whoever'll listen & if "they" like 'em too so much the better, the more of "us" jus' gives all of us a bit more freedom to play as we please - I've had laughing & lighthearted conversation, the exchange of experience with so many different folks I'd likely never had cause to talk to otherwise were it not for these silly things I ride, LEOs being no exception.

Funny thing is I now get a smile & wave where there may have only been previously a peering suspicion... interesting that, I s'pose there's something of the subversive in me after all

 

[greaser_monkey_87]

I just don't like cops, never will, and I'm an individualist. Best way to define that is the interests of the individual take precedence over those of a social group. Interpreted, I do what I do for myself and because I want to, not because it benefits a group. I'm not here to make anyone look good, not even myself. I'm not concerned with acceptance, nor am I required to accept those that I don't feel belong a part of this hobby. You don't want me to label the group? Ok that's fair and I won't. There is no we. But to me, motor-bicycling is an expression of counterculture, and it's one of the biggest reasons I do it. I'm a rebel. If the rest of you all are trying to "fit in", I want no part of it.

 

[2door]

The OP of this thread didn't ask for this. He was simply relaying an event that he wished to share. He wasn't asking for personal opinions about law enforcement or personalities.

I'm going to suggest that we get back on track here.

Tom

 

[woogie_man]

I agree with you both, greaser and barely. I do it to have fun and not really worry about others. As far as the cops go.....in my area the cops are not your stereotypical cops you hear about in the news. Heck I typically do things in my neighborhood that most other people would be thrown in jail for. But being as the cops see what I am doing, being safe, and know what I am talking about and doing....the want to try it and see have fun as well.

Now I have lived, and been other places where just walking down the street will get a cop to get out and talk to you...Just trying to get you to slip up so they can use their power. If I am in an area that I have been I will be polite and see how the cop acts towards me, if nice and curtious I will be the same. But if they are smug and power hungry thugs, they will get no respect and my recorder goes on. I will not be bullied by a person I pay to do their job,I have seen to much and have been in much worse places to let some arrogant cop ruin my fun.

With that said.....in my area the cops actually act like cops should. As long as you are not hurting anyone, and not causing problems for others they will leave you alone. Typically we have no problems with them up here....Heck I have had cops in my house while I had my rifle locked and ready to go, due to a neighbor wigging out and threatening people with a knife in the street. The cops didn't say a thing about it, just made sure I knew what I was doing and nothing more was said. It all really depends on your area honestly. Up here we still have the small town feel, and people look out for each other.