Arguing with the police.......(long, like I usually do)

[myswtghst]

I've been pulled over many times. I'm not exaggerating. I drive a bright red, turbo VW Jetta, which seems to just attract the cops, and I have been known to speed, from time to time.

Of all the times I've been pulled over for speeding and various other minor infractions (this happens a lot late at night, as they are looking for drunk drivers), I've noticed that as long as I'm polite and don't freak out, I seem to do just fine. I've only had two tickets(one of which was actually written for the amount over I was going and one for 5mph over instead of the actual speed) and one written warning. I've never cried or purposely used cleavage, or any other "female" tricks, I'm just polite and say "sir" when necessary.

[GyroKat]

I never understood why people even try to argue with the police. Even if you feel they're being unfair, you CAN'T win.

I've only ever had direct contact with the police once, when me and my fiancé was being pulled over in a random check. He was driving.

It was a Saturday night, we were on our way home from dinner with my mother, and the cop asked if my fiancé had had any alcohol. Since neither of us ever drink, he could reply no in good conscience. The cop asked who owned the car. Not thinking, my fiancé said that it was his car. The cop then looked at his license, and asked who (fiancé's father) was, since the car's license plates were registered in his name. My fiancé calmly replied that it was his father, and that he was taking over his dad's car, but they hadn't gotten around to changing the registration yet. (ie the car wasn't LEGALLY his yet)

The cop was satisfied, especially since my fiancé and his father has the same last name, so it seemed plausible, and wished us a good evening and left. No drama at all, as long as you keep your cool, and stick to the truth.


Imagine that scenario if my fiancé had told the cop it was none of his business, or had ranted about being asked if he was drunk or some other aggressive behaviour? I'm sure the cop would have decided that it wasn't OK for my boyfriend to call it HIS car when the car hadn't legally changed ownership yet, or busted us for some minor flaw with the car or maybe just ticketed him for badmouthing an officer.

[Banrion]

I don't know if they were breaking any laws (if they were in NJ they would be, at least for helmets) but on my way home from Rhode Island I was on I95 in (Connecticut or New York, I think) ...

There is no helmet law in CT, when I lived there I would see people all the time with no helmets, they were bound to be dead within a year, seeing as how CT drivers are entitled snobs and don't look where they are going at 90 MPH.

[ditchdj]

gyrokat police there can simply stop people in Denmark whenever they feel like it, just to "make sure" they're not breaking the law???? That doesnt sound right. Here you have the right not to say anything without a lawyer present and an officer MUST have a reason to be suspicious when stopping you. There are "drunk driving checkpoints" that cops use over here but a few places police departments have been taken to court about it and one area was ruled they were unconstitutional.

[MadRocketScientist]

One to tell your friends who don't like safety gear (I might have posted this before).

Back in my youth, I was riding my motorcycle one night, going down a single lane highway near Sheboygan, WI. As I drove, a car crossed the center line in front of me and while it was traveling back to it's lane, it hit me (I never saw it, it was kinda foggy).

My bike met the front right corner of the car. My crash bar punched into the metal of the front fender and started peeling the metal back. My right knee, being right behind the crash bar, was shredded.

I also did a head dive into the right corner post of the windhield, shattering the windshield and caving in that corner of the roof. My right arm failed to release the handle bar and my right elbow over extended and shattered into 5 pieces.

I then flipped onto the roof of the car, bounced off of the roof, and landed on my left arm, shattering the humerus into 7 pieces.

I woke up on the road, before the EMTs arrived. I was alive, hurt, but very much alive. The surgeons spent 6 hours putting me back together (mostly the arms). I have enough metal in my arms to make air travel an absolute hoot, and my right petalla tendon is three inches shorter than my left.

But I can still walk without a limp, both of my arms work pretty well, and I don't have horrible road rash. I was wearing a Shoei helmet, which saved my life, and riding leathers, which significantly reduced a lot of additional injuries.

Now I ride with a riding suit (kevlar is tougher than leather) and I still use a good full face helmet.

[Jadedcarguy]

.......My right knee, being right behind the crash bar, was shredded.

I also did a head dive into the right corner post of the windhield, shattering the windshield and caving in that corner of the roof. My right arm failed to release the handle bar and my right elbow over extended and shattered into 5 pieces.

I then flipped onto the roof of the car, bounced off of the roof, and landed on my left arm, shattering the humerus into 7 pieces.

I woke up on the road, before the EMTs arrived. I was alive, hurt, but very much alive. The surgeons spent 6 hours putting me back together (mostly the arms). I have enough metal in my arms to make air travel an absolute hoot, and my right petalla tendon is three inches shorter than my left.

I'm surprised you still ride after that. I'm selling my bike because I'm tired of all the "close calls" with assholes on phones, not paying attention, etc. You, sir have major intestinal fortitude.

[Tria]

I also did a head dive into the right corner post of the windhield, shattering the windshield and caving in that corner of the roof. My right arm failed to release the handle bar and my right elbow over extended and shattered into 5 pieces.

I have to ask.... How was the driver of the car?

[Jadedcarguy]

I have to ask.... How was the driver of the car?

Probably fine, as is usually the case with bike-car accidents.

[Lace Neil Singer]

And, seriously, there are some EXTREMELY cool helmets out there

FACT. Tho I need to spring for a new lid soon, my current one is very cool. It's black and white zebra stripes with a Celtic style pattern on the back. I've been complimented on it many, many times. My last lid was cool too; black with silver edging and 2 chameleons on it. It split down the middle when I was knocked off my bike, landing on my head. I also sustained major scraping to my leather jacket and trousers when I slid up the road with the bike on me. However, apart from 2 broken ribs and several broken bones in my right hand, from the handlebar of the bike whacking it against the road, I was fine... and I'd say it was down to the lid and leathers. I'd never ride without either due to wanting to live.

Regarding arguing with the police, a mate of mine was pulled over for speeding. The following altercation took place.

Mate: Shouldn't you be out catching burglars?
Cop: Less of that or I'll take you down the station.

My mate then shut up. He asked me when he was telling me about the incident if the cop could have done that; my answer was that it's best not to smartmouth a cop in any case. XD I do know tho that you can be held 24 hours in a cell without arrest.

[Captain Trips]

As to helmets, goggles, leathers, etc. -- c'mon. When on a bike you don't have seat belts, air bags, crumple zones, steel frames around you, or roll bars in the roof. The ONLY thing that protects you from serious injury should something bad happen is what you're wearing! My wife has a name for bikers we see wearing shorts, tee shirts, and tennis shoes when riding: "Organ Donors."

As to talking back to cops, well, I have been able to talk my way out of a few tickets. The secret is to NOT be rude to the cop. When pulled over, I would have my license, registration, and proof of insurance in hand and the window open before he would even get to my door, and I would say something like, "You got me, officer. I was doing 70 in a 55 zone." In cases like that, I would usually get no worse than a warning. (Heck, I was even once told by a local cop that the reason he pulled me over was to tell me to slow down as the CHP would surely be giving me a ticket otherwise. He then wished me a safe journey and sent me on my way. Not even a written warning!)

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

My wife has a name for bikers we see wearing shorts, tee shirts, and tennis shoes when riding: "Organ Donors."

I have my own name for those kinds of people: Hamburger

[JustADude]

My wife has a name for bikers we see wearing shorts, tee shirts, and tennis shoes when riding: "Organ Donors."

So, is your wife an EMT or staff in an ER ward? Those are the people I've heard use that most often.

[MadRocketScientist]

I'm surprised you still ride after that. I'm selling my bike because I'm tired of all the "close calls" with assholes on phones, not paying attention, etc. You, sir have major intestinal fortitude.

I didn't for a long time, but recently started again (I missed it).

I have to ask.... How was the driver of the car?

The driver, her husband, and little girl were all fine. Some minor bumps and cuts, but nothing major.

[Flood]

About 10 years back, I was temping at a Biotech research company. I scanned all their documents into pdf form while they upgraded their records system. Did this all from a small room with just me and one other guy, so we ended up doing a lot of talking. Let's call him Superbiker.

Superbiker was a tall guy, about 6'6" or so and real wiry. He rode a Honda somethingorother to work every day decked out in kevlar pants, helmet, and a leather jacket that would put chainmail to shame.

He came to work one monday with a cast on his hand. I asked what happened. He got in an accident. (Oh, man, what happened?) A road raging yuppie was tailgating him. Followed him off the freeway into Oakland when Superbiker got off to get away. Yuppie got too close and clipped his rear, sending Superbiker flying. Yuppie got out of his car and started to walk towards Supperbiker, yelling all the while. Superbiker got up, completely unharmed aside from some minor bruising. (Wait, then how'd he break his hand?) On the yuppie's face.

[myswtghst]

(Wait, then how'd he break his hand?) On the yuppie's face.

Rock.

I'm super careful and aware when bikers are around, and even just other cars. The worse accident I ever witnessed involved two cars assuming the other would check their blind spot at a merge point on the highway, and merging into each other at 80 some mph.

And everytime I hear a biker give the "but I won't get in an accident" speech, I think about the fact that everyone I know who has been in a bike accident had it happen because of something out of their control--either road conditions or another driver doing something stupid. My car has been hit 4 times--I know that accidents happen all the time that aren't my fault.