First time pulled over, first ticket :(

[PowellB]

...on a bike, that is.

Left work in Hollywood a week ago friday around 11:30pm and shot towards the freeway to head home. Passed a CHP patrol car that had stopped an SUV just past a light. 200 yards further North there was a slight bend to the left. Thought I was clear, so I rolled on the throttle for a spirited lean into sharper left corner just ahead.

Light around the sharper corner turned yellow, so I stood the bike up and stopped, even though it would've been smoother to make the light (would've made it no prob). As I stop, I see headlights in the mirror pulling in to the left turn lane to my side, stopping short.

I think to myself, "Hmm, I didn't have anyone behind me a second ago." Before I can even curse myself under my breath, I see the red and blue reflections from his lights begin to bounce off everything in view ahead of me.

Here's the funny part. Over the car's loudspeaker I hear a voice, identical in tone and inflection to Lumberg from Office Space saying, "Ummm, yeeeeeeah. How about we pull over now." I couldn't hold back the laughter and chuckled myself to the side of the road.

We all know how the next part goes... I was polite, he was all business. Ended up letting me off with a performance award for "Unsafe Speed". His partner leaned out the window, complimented my riding and also made sure I knew they cut me a break on an "unsafe lane change" since it looked like I used both northbound lanes through the turn. Thanks?

Seemed to be two younger guys, pretty respectful and I'll give it to 'em -kinda funny. I wonder if they would've cut me a break for calling them out on the Office Space reference. (If it was intentional, haha)

Think I'm going to do traffic school for this one

Don't be an idiot like me. Never underestimate an "occupied" LEO

Saw a bike that looked to be an FZ6 pass me as I stood on the sidewalk of Cahuenga, Shoei bowed in shame. Wasn't sure if it was anyone here.

 

[fzme]

Don't be an idiot like me. Never underestimate an "occupied" LEO

I learned that lesson the hard way too. I passed a cop who had someone pulled over on the interstate shoulder. He peels out to get me, abandoning his first catch, and gives me a ticket for "failure to yield" because I didn't merge into the left lane as I went by. I appealed and won.

It doesn't seem like much of a "break" when you are given a ticket. I guess some cops really do cut people breaks, I just don't see a ticket as a break...Good luck the ticket. You might look into payment options or even a defensive driving class to keep the points off of your license.

 

[Motogiro]

I learned that lesson the hard way too. I passed a cop who had someone pulled over on the interstate shoulder. He peels out to get me, abandoning his first catch, and gives me a ticket for "failure to yield" because I didn't merge into the left lane as I went by. I appealed and won.

It doesn't seem like much of a "break" when you are given a ticket. I guess some cops really do cut people breaks, I just don't see a ticket as a break...Good luck the ticket. You might look into payment options or even a defensive driving class to keep the points off of your license.

Man! Been wondering where you've been. Of course I know you've prolly been busy as 'all get out' Me???Not too busy at all and getting some rides in. Got some Bt-016's Wow!

Hope to see you soon and those LEO's don't know half of how good you are in those turns! Hahaha!! At least you got some cool guys...

Have you seen John's new Kawasaki?

 

[Wavex]

Hey Powell... sucks!

Almost got busted by an occupied LEO a couple of weeks ago... John and I were coming home from a test ride to play with the new ZX6R, cruising along on the freeway and we pass a couple of cop cars obviously patrolling around the area in Long Beach... so we're watching our speed... a couple of miles down the road we pass a motorcycle CHP, stopped on the side of the road behind an SUV... as soon as I pass him I see him look up (he heard the sound of the bike I guess) and jump on his bike... OH OH... well he ends up finding John's blind spot for a few seconds... then he passes John and gets right into my blind spot for a few seconds... then he decides to pull between me and the car in front of me (I had to brake to make room for him), and he turns his lights on... I was like WTH, is this for me??? he and the car in front of me slow down to 55mph, so I decide to pass... the cop ended up pulling the car in front of me over... I have no idea why as we were going about the speed limit in one of the far right lanes...

oh well I was happy it wasn't for me!

Good luck with traffic school... the online class can be done in a couple hours

 

[Goop]

The Office Space thing is funny!

Sorry you got the Wonka Golden Ticket for tht though.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

usually, when I see LEO"s that has someone pulled over, I speed up. It' s an indication to me that cops are occupied for a while, and thanks for somebody else taking one for the team, the road ahead is clear. Unless there are more than one in the area.

As far as David's & John's case, the radar will always pick up the larger object, in their case the car. I'm not surprised with that story.

 

[Red Wazp]

usually, when I see LEO"s that has someone pulled over, I speed up. It' s an indication to me that cops are occupied for a while, and thanks for somebody else taking one for the team, the road ahead is clear. Unless there are more than one in the area.

On the freeway here they like to work in packs.

Always nice to another fish and not me getting eaten by a shark.

 

[PowellB]

Hey guys, sorry for disappearing. Yeah, I suppose I didn't get a 'break' in the best sense of the word. I'm debating whether to chance it and fight the ticket since I'm pretty sure the speed limit for the road was 40, as opposed to the 25 the ticket claims. Might still do the traffic school just to play it safe and avoid points.

Can you still do traffic school if you fight and lose?

Cliff, I have been crazy busy, but don't ask me how or why. I swear the last month or two just vanished. I've been loving the 016's as well, but I have a pile of Dunlop GP-A's waiting to get thrashed come track season

Glad to see that you and John fared better than I, David. You might be interested to know that John isn't the only FZ6er to add a kawi to his stable...

I just acquired an '05 ZX-6RR myself. Thread to come later. :rockon:

 

[liquiddragon86]

Hey sorry to hear about the speeding tickets. If i were you i'd take it to court and just argue to have it removed from the record. This summer i got 3 speeding tickets on my bike >_<. 2 of them were in the city i lived in on diff roads, and the last was in a neighboring city but diff police court. I fought all three in court just saying that i wanted them off the record. Lucky enough for me i got all three tickets before the first tickets court date, else i'd be sitting on 3 tickets on my record. ::wipes brow:: Oh for those who are wondering,

first ticket: was 22 over in a 55 on a freeway heading home from a friends
second: was 23 over in a 45 on a windy road going to my house
third: was 10 over in a 50... ...this one was bs, the cop pulled me over going 55 in a 50 and said i was speeding in a 45. then he even lied on the ticket and put that he clocked me over a mile from where he actually did (where it happens to be 45mph speed limit)

ride on!

 

[gpd211]

As far as David's & John's case, the radar will always pick up the larger object, in their case the car. I'm not surprised with that story.

Don't be too sure of that. The Stalker radar picks up the strongest and fastest. For instance if a bike is passing a car (or semi) the car will be displayed in the strongest box and the bike in the fastest. The newest one does coming at the unit as well as going away from the unit in both directions. Being someone who uses this radar I have gone to court with many a driver that wants to fight the ticket because they were passing a larger vehicle (usually a car passing a semi here) and they think I can't clock them.

 

[Kaz247]

One of the times I was pulled over -

Running late for work heading towards our town centre. I usually sneak up the bus lane but one morning there was a lovely police car in the long traffic jam.

My choice was be late for work again or have a go sneaking on past the police car. I went for the latter.

No sooner had I passed him blue flashing lights beside me. We were side by side I got a gentle ticking off, I promised I would'nt do it again. Got let off, his parting comment was that I was riding a very nice bike hahaha

 

[deeptekkie]

Red Wazp said "On the freeway here they like to work in packs". I've seen them do that too, but it's been awhile. They used to use two cars. They would both run down the speeder, but only one would stop. The second one would then go on about a half-mile or just across the next hill and set up. (VERY SNEAKY!)
Once several bikers were running 160 - 165 mph (indicated) and met a trooper, (on a long, straight stretch of two-lane). After covering about 10 miles and pulling into a service station for the obligatory drink, snack, pee thingee, ten minutes later here comes the trooper cruising in, slowly, quietly, low-key. He pulls up, grins and asks, "They'll run won't they?" We, I mean they replied, "Yeah, they do alright". He came back, " I know they will. I have one! Sometimes it's hard to keep 'em down there. You all slow down, okay?" We all shot back, "Yep!" He pulled back out and left.
Some are cool, some are middle of the road, and some are plain old SOB's - just like us civvies. Honestly - I've had my fair share of tickets, but I deserved everyone of them.