Not all cops know bikes...

[dean2287]

So I'm riding home from work today and I pass a cop who's turning onto a side street. He pulls back onto the road and follows me. I only live 2 blocks away so I let him follow me home. I'm wondering why he's following me because I was going the speed limit and not doing anything abnormal.

I park in the driveway and he stops on the road, get out and comes walking up. "Scuse me"...I said hi. "I was going to pull you over...you have a headlight burned out".

Huh?

I look at my signal lights, brake light etc. "No, one of your front headlights is burned out..."

I chuckled and said "No,no...only one light is on when using low beams"

He couldn't understand this. :spank:

"If you are coming towards me, it looks like you have a burned out headlight".

It took a few minutes of explaining to help him understand that motorcycles and cars are not the same. Gee - some motorcycles don't even have 2 on the front

He was OK with this. We shook hands and he went on his way.

 

[psnbye]

Too funny! I've been told I had a light out a few times when it was new too, not by the law, but others. It's part of the reason I got the BD43 headlight mod. Nice of him to be cool enough to learn something. Come to think of it, my drivers examiner thought it was burnt out too!

 

[Erci]

I think we've all been there. I had a MSF rider coach tell me that my light was out! BD43 mod FTW!

 

[gpd211]

being a cop myself I thought my light was burned out to before I realized Yamaha designed it that was.

In Indiana it is a ticketable offense to have a head light out. I have never written one for that, but have stopped a lot just to let them know before someone does write them for it.

 

[Dennis in NH]

... I have never written one for that, but have stopped a lot just to let them know before someone does write them for it.

Cool cop in my book :thumbup:.

Dennis

 

[reiobard]

yeah.... i have had people pull out in front of me and stop to tell me that my headlight is out.... I kindly explain that is it not, flsh my high beam to show them, then inform me that they could have killed my by pulling out in front of me...


:spank:

 

[chimneydoc]

I was getting tired of people telling me that one of my lights wad burned out, besides I like having two lights on. Most of the time I ride with my highs on anyhow, so when opproaching cagers flash their highs at me I just wave back and say to myself atleast they see me.

Doc

 

[wolfc70]

This is why I did the BD43 mod also!! Got really sick of people telling me I had a headlight burned out. It was frustrating, but it is hard to get mad at people when they are only trying to do the right thing.

Only had one cop tell me I had a burned out headlight, when I told him that is how Yamaha designed it, he gave me a very confused look that was priceless!!

 

[zigzagg321]

Ive had ppl try to tell me one light is out, never got hassled by the cops for it though. But, the one time I have been pulled over on the FZ, the cop thought it was a Honda, and actually politely argued with me about it.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

being a cop myself I thought my light was burned out to before I realized Yamaha designed it that was.

In Indiana it is a ticketable offense to have a head light out. I have never written one for that, but have stopped a lot just to let them know before someone does write them for it.

I don't know how you could enforce this? I mean that is the way the headlight comes from the factory. It's wired so that the motorcycle has at least one headlight and it's no different than a bike that has a single headlight. It's not technically burned out.

I'm sure every state has some sort of law written that a motorcycle must have at least one headlight so a light on one side or the other would fall in that category. Probably like it's written a car must have two working headlights, and if one is not working then it should be fair game.

Here in Nevada, all motorcles must have at least one working headlight and no more than two during dawn, dusk and at night. It is legal to ride without a headlight during the day.

People have to understand that even though traffic laws are the same for cars and motorcycles, operational equipment differs, and headlights just happen to be one of them. For example, motorcycles are allowed to have headlight modulators on during the day. Cars cannot, unless they are emergency vehicles.

 

[zigzagg321]

State-by-state motorcycle laws

 

[gpd211]

I don't know how you could enforce this? I mean that is the way the headlight comes from the factory. It's wired so that the motorcycle has at least one headlight and it's no different than a bike that has a single headlight. It's not technically burned out.

sorry the law refers to a car. the motorcycle law is there must be a headlight on at all times on any bike built after 1956 ( not 100% sure of the year). reason is some older harleys and indians of this age aren't wired to run the light all the time. similar to a seatbelt law. anything pre 1964 isn't required to wear them because they were optional til 64

 

[deeptekkie]

You know, I've always wondered when this would happen to me? Thanks for your story!
(Some days it just doesn't pay to gnaw through the restraints!)

 

[buccs40oz]

i go to In a lot thanks for the heads up

being a cop myself I thought my light was burned out to before I realized Yamaha designed it that was.

In Indiana it is a ticketable offense to have a head light out. I have never written one for that, but have stopped a lot just to let them know before someone does write them for it.

 

[dean2287]

I was impressed that this guy took the time to follow me and ask about it. Then again...I saw another driver make an illegal u-turn that the cop didn't notice, and at least one other driver on the same road was going well above the speed limit - but I guess my "burned out" (not) headlight was more important. :shakehead:

 

[kpaul]

I was impressed that this guy took the time to follow me and ask about it. Then again...I saw another driver make an illegal u-turn that the cop didn't notice, and at least one other driver on the same road was going well above the speed limit - but I guess my "burned out" (not) headlight was more important. :shakehead:

In this instance he wasn't exactly out to ticket anyone, that he ignored (or was too focused on you) those infractions demonstrates that he was more concerned with safety than ticketing someone.

And he had probably already called in your plate.

On Monday an old woman was yelling out her window to me about my blown headlight, took her a few tries for me to be able to hear her over the engine/traffic. I always feel bad. I say thank you and wave. It's difficult to briefly explain how it's actually a feature without seeming ungracious for their help. Oh well! Some day I'll give that bd43 mod a shot, but seems pretty complex to me, having little electrical or mechanical experience.

 

[Bates121]

In this instance he wasn't exactly out to ticket anyone, that he ignored (or was too focused on you) those infractions demonstrates that he was more concerned with safety than ticketing someone.

And he had probably already called in your plate.

On Monday an old woman was yelling out her window to me about my blown headlight, took her a few tries for me to be able to hear her over the engine/traffic. I always feel bad. I say thank you and wave. It's difficult to briefly explain how it's actually a feature without seeming ungracious for their help. Oh well! Some day I'll give that bd43 mod a shot, but seems pretty complex to me, having little electrical or mechanical experience.

The BD43 mod is the easiest mod to do even with no electrical experience. I highly recommend it

 

[Woe257]

I've thought about doing the duel light conversion because so many people hadve told me I had a headlight out. Many were other MC riders LOL. Heck, at one time, I didn't know any better either. I still wonder why they make'em that way since there's many reasons not to.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

. I still wonder why they make'em that way since there's many reasons not to.

Does anyone know why? I have no clue.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Does anyone know why? I have no clue.

Its probably that way due to the small amount of extra amperage put out by the charging system. (one light out saves 55 watts)..

I suspect thats partially why they have the idle set so high, to keep the charging system above 12 volts when idleing in traffic.