PDA

View Full Version : I got pulled over by a FHP Motor Officer this morning


DaveDragon
Jan 30th, 2008, 7:54 pm
I was on the commute to work and heading South on the Suncoast Parkway / Veterans Expressway.

I was moving at Traffic Speed and had been watching the FHP LEO in the mirrors for several miles.

Approaching the Large Toll Plaza at Hutchison Rd. where the Left Two Lanes are Sun Pass and the Five other lanes are pay as you go.

I was in the 2nd lane from the Left (Sun Pass) when El Bozo the Cager on my Right just started over in my lane on top of me.

I laid on the horn while moving left to evade said Bozo, looked and cleared the Left Sun Pass Lane and jumped over to get away from Bozo before hitting the Barricade that protects the Toll Plaza Island.

The closest car in the Left most lane was a Silver Sedan, and located about two car lengths behind me, so I felt it safe to get in front of him to get out of the way of Bozo.

Proceeded on through the Toll Plaza and worked my way to the Slow Lane after the toll plaza where the seven lanes reduce back to Two!

The FHP Motor Officer flew up on my butt and hit his Lights and Screamer.

I rolled off the throttle and slid to the Emergency Lane and stopped.

Keeping the thread (Shoot or Don't Shoot) in mind, I killed the engine and sat still with my hands on the grips which really pissed the MotorOfficer off.

He then started yelling "Put the bike on the side stand and get off of it."

I complied and while standing next to the bike started removing my helmet.

I told him I could barely hear him with the helmet on, and he continued Yelling to the tune of "You Know Why I stopped You" I said No Sir!

"You Cut off that Silver Car at the toll plaza". I replied "OK".

He continued the Yelling with "Give me your Drivers License". I said it's in the Tank Bag in my wallet. He Yelled "Get it out".

I unzipped the tank bag just enough to get the wallet and retrieved the DL and handed it to the Officer.

I asked him if I could ask a question? He yelled back "What?"

I asked if he saw the Cager cross into my lane directly beside me? "No I did not!"

I told him calmly and quietly that I looked over to the Left lane and cleared it before jumping out of the way of the cager so I wouldn't get hit or rammed into the barricade.

He spent the next 3-4 minutes dressing me down about how much "other drivers hate us Riders" and "cutting them off just makes it worse."

During his 3-4 minutes of venting he relaxed his posture, calmed down and actually started talking to me instead of yelling.

He gave me back my license and cut me loose.

I took a chance and asked him one more question.

"Just for future reference; what did I do that made you so angry with me that you felt you needed to yell instead of just speaking."

He indicated that he told me to "remove my helmet and get off of the bike" while he was standing behind me, and I didn't follow his commands.

I said that I'm sorry about that and that I couldn't hear him due to the traffic and the helmet, and then showed him why it took so long to get the helmet off.

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16345

Timing almost got me hurt.

This HJC Symax is 5 years old and today, this morning, just after I was stopped, and while the MotorOfficer was getting Pissed; Both cables of the Jaw Bar Release broke at the same time.

This whole encounter could have gone very bad.
The LEO was Visibly Mad and ALL of his Body Language Queues as well as the volume and tone of his voice were in Over Drive because he felt I had ignored his Orders to Comply. I understand using Command Authority at a very loud volume to gain Control / Upper Hand in an encounter; did it many times in my Military Career.

During his Yelling Exercise, His right hand was on his Glock and his left hand was on his Taser and his blood pressure was on the roof.

This was not and encounter I ever want to repeat.

Ted Shred
Jan 30th, 2008, 8:02 pm
I'd say the guy needs to chill out and relax. I know what you look like in your gear on your bike. Nothing about that looks "theatening"

Cops that use a small traffic infraction to Yell at a Citizen are way out of line IMO...

Dick
Jan 30th, 2008, 8:06 pm
And Bozo tootles on down the road, oblivious!! :(

Hey, BTW - I thought you and John were buds!!!!!!! :histerica

J/K, you two.

AliMar
Jan 30th, 2008, 8:29 pm
I too understand the command authority thing and have seen it abused far too often. Video capture is getting cheap enough that perhaps we all need to consider doing what the police have been doing for a while... record it. And if you get screwed, youtube'em.

tomt
Jan 30th, 2008, 8:57 pm
No ticket? That's a good thing! It can be tense moments for both partes involved. What is proper protocol for the motorcyclist? I would think staying on bike and removing helmet should be sufficiant.

AliMar
Jan 30th, 2008, 9:04 pm
No ticket? That's a good thing! It can be tense moments for both partes involved. What is proper protocol for the motorcyclist? I would think staying on bike and removing helmet should be sufficiant.
In the cage I've always shut down, turned on lights (at night) and did whatever it takes to make the officer more at ease. They've got a tough job, seriously demanding. It's unfortunate that a few are really over the edge at the drop of a hat...

DaveDragon
Jan 30th, 2008, 9:13 pm
No ticket? That's a good thing! It can be tense moments for both partes involved. What is proper protocol for the motorcyclist? I would think staying on bike and removing helmet should be sufficiant.

No Ticket; He could have written me but chose not to, And I thanked him! http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif

AliMar
Jan 30th, 2008, 9:29 pm
All good in the end... that's cool. I guess you could have gone off too further irritating the situation. That you kept it low key helped, no doubt.

alstrickland55
Jan 30th, 2008, 9:40 pm
"Just for future reference; what did I do that made you so angry with me that you felt you needed to yell instead of just speaking."

He indicated that he told me to "remove my helmet and get off of the bike" while he was standing behind me, and I didn't follow his commands.



When I got stopped the other day, I pulled over as soon as I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the lights flashing. The LEO a little upset because he said he hit the siren a couple of times before I pulled over. When he saw I was wearing ear plugs, he calmed down.

When I get stopped I always get my helmet off immediately so the LEO can see I am not a kid. :rolleyes: It may not help, but I've been stopped three times on the LT, and twice I only got warnings. I think it helps when the LEO sees you are a "mature" rider. :cool:

DaveDragon
Jan 30th, 2008, 9:59 pm
When I got stopped the other day, I pulled over as soon as I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the lights flashing. The LEO a little upset because he said he hit the siren a couple of times before I pulled over. When he saw I was wearing ear plugs, he calmed down.

When I get stopped I always get my helmet off immediately so the LEO can see I am not a kid. :rolleyes: It may not help, but I've been stopped three times on the LT, and twice I only got warnings. I think it helps when the LEO sees you are a "mature" rider. :cool:

Man I wuz trying to get that helmet off but with the chin-bar locked down and unreleasable, my big Ole Mellon wuz trappedhttp://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon11.gif

I'm sure the fact I was no puppy helped, along with all the gear, and being a good boy and placating his concerns calmly helped.

NOGILLS2
Jan 31st, 2008, 7:32 am
GOOD JOB Dave! You managed to shut that down well! I would probably be recovering from wounds about now.

ibbones
Jan 31st, 2008, 8:33 am
GOOD JOB Dave! You managed to shut that down well! I would probably be recovering from wounds about now.:rotf::rotf::rotf:

It's hard to know what the LEO wants before they get to you but I also think that sitting on the bike with the hands on the bars is best.

SilverBuffalo
Jan 31st, 2008, 8:00 pm
No Ticket; He could have written me but chose not to, And I thanked him! http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
Just from reading your post I've concluded that this LEO has never ridden a motorcycle
and really doesn't have a clue "what it takes" to survive a daily commute in heavy traffic on a motorcycle.

He saw you move over and cut of the car,
but didn't see the one that was trying to forcibly remove you from your lane?
Why not? ..........Could it be that he just hates motorcycles?

In Maritime law there is a rule that says:
you must do whatever you can to avoid a collision
this includes breaking the rules.
In my opinion we should have this same rule for motorcycles.

Most traffic rules were written with cars in mind,
as a motorcyclist I will do whatever I have to do to stay safe,
that includes lane positioning strategy as well as speeding and/or quick maneuvers that keep me from getting put in a bad situation or position.

SilverBuffalo
Jan 31st, 2008, 8:03 pm
GOOD JOB Dave! You managed to shut that down well! I would probably be recovering from wounds about now.I was just wondering wether on not a taser would go through body armour? :)

DaveDragon
Jan 31st, 2008, 8:13 pm
Just from reading your post I've concluded that this LEO has never ridden a motorcycle
and really doesn't have a clue "what it takes" to survive a daily commute in heavy traffic on a motorcycle.

He saw you move over and cut of the car,
but didn't see the one that was trying to forcibly remove you from your lane?
Why not? ..........Could it be that he just hates motorcycles?

In Maritime law there is a rule that says:
you must do whatever you can to avoid a collision
this includes breaking the rules.
In my opinion we should have this same rule for motorcycles.

Most traffic rules were written with cars in mind,
as a motorcyclist I will do whatever I have to do to stay safe,
that includes lane positioning strategy as well as speeding and/or quick maneuvers that keep me from getting put in a bad situation or position.

This was an FHP MotorMan on his HD.
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt about not seeing the lane incursion, he didn't ticket me for the speed through the Toll Plaza and that ons a whopper.

I completely agree with the Maritime Law on Collision Avoidance, but I never put that together with Motorcycling; what a great concept that truly clarifies the issue.

I'm gonna write some damn politicians and about this; I write em all the time and I actually get responses with personal notes attached to the official answers I get.http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

It's amazing how they respond when you call them an Ass Hat on your bloghttp://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif
But I digress; I don't think he hates Motorcycles, he just hot and vented. No harm no foul.

NOGILLS2
Jan 31st, 2008, 8:27 pm
Hans; That has to be my favorite Law. If you learn how to speak to the Coast Guard it makes all the difference in the outcome. Company I work for has us go to classes on how to speak to them, what to say and not say!!

Several years ago we went to classes for a week learning that just because the phone rings you dont have to answer it! There had been a rash of accidents, hitting lock walls, bridges and other boats, caused when wheelmen would answer the phone on approach and lose concentration on items at hand!

motorman587
Jan 31st, 2008, 8:50 pm
You weren't packing today???

DaveDragon
Jan 31st, 2008, 9:21 pm
You weren't packing today???
Nope, Can't take it on our Corporate Campus at this time, even in a vehicle.

The company I work for is in the throws of a FBI Investigation at this time, Sounds worse than it is.
One of the Guidelines They Gave us was to instruct our staff to not carry on the property until the FBI is gone.

Not a problem, just an inconvenience.

That said, I have my Combat Fillet Blade thats been with me since 1976 and the Long Lost Country of Rhodesia.http://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/duel.gif

I'm pretty good with it and it's in reach on the bike if I need it.

Lonewuff
Jan 31st, 2008, 10:38 pm
Rhodesia???.......Rhodesia???.......Hmmmm.....that rings a bell....and what a shinney high priced / paying damn bell it was too. ;) :cool:

DaveDragon
Jan 31st, 2008, 10:44 pm
Rhodesia???.......Rhodesia???.......Hmmmm.....that rings a bell....and what a shinney high priced / paying damn bell it was too. ;) :cool:

Yup, I made sinful money there covering the exit of the Brits.
Something about all them Cubans & Russians in Angola, Zambia and Botswana approaching the Borders. http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

SilverBuffalo
Feb 1st, 2008, 11:30 am
I'm gonna write some damn politicians and about this; I write em all the time and I actually get responses with personal notes attached to the official answers I get.http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

While you're writing them mention those damn arms at the toll booths, they scare the hell out of me, it's just a matter of time before one malfunctions and "clotheslines" a rider of his bike.

we went to classes for a week learning that just because the phone rings you dont have to answer it!

I know that one, when I take the helm my cell phone goes in my briefcase,
I do that so my boss can't harrass me :)
I'll return calls at my convenience.

DaveDragon
Feb 1st, 2008, 11:36 am
While you're writing them mention those damn arms at the toll booths, they scare the hell out of me, it's just a matter of time before one malfunctions and "clotheslines" a rider of his bike.


Thank goodness the Arm itself is made of Styrofoam reinforced with Clear Tape to make them rigid.

I got whacked by one at SR54 & the SunCoast Toll booth. It snapped but scared the hell out of me when it jumped between the windscreen and my headhttp://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gif.

Almost cost me the $100 fine for breaking it, I told the Toll Company to bill me for it and never heard from them again.