LT blown over, performance award revoked!

[RonKMiller]

File this one under "event cascade"...

So here we are, tooling down a desolate highway near the Utah/Arizona border at 75 mph, (in a 55 zone, but more on that in a minute) with a fully loaded trailer in tow, the missus and our 12 pound poodle. Not a care in the world... life is good.

Until I meet Arizona State Patrol Officer Beck.

As I approach an intersection near Mexican Water I slow it down from warp speed to about 45 when I spot Officer Beck sitting on the side of the road.
Too late - he nailed me from at least a quarter mile out. :eek: As I pass him the lights go on and he does a U-turn. I park CAREFULLY on the side of the road with the kickstand down firmly, the bike nicely tilted to the left, and tranny in first gear. Everybody off.

After exchanging paperwork Officer Beck informs me that I qualify for a "finite resources ticket" - a mail in fine of $50.00 and no points which I am well aware of. Usually you need to ask for it. Works for me.
Then he says since it is my birthday the next day he'll knock it down to $36.00. Happy birthday. I accept my "present" but won't sign for it.

I am NOT happy. I swear to him there is NO 55 mph speed limit sign on the road, and he says "OK, if it's not there I'll void the ticket - jump in the car." So with Amy, the bike and the poodle sitting by the side of the road we drive 10 miles (at 55 mph) BACK to the the border. Sitting there plain as day about 150 feet behind a no passing sign is the 55 mph sign. The no passing sign clearly is blocking the 55 mph sign, it is a very narrow two lane road. I start into him right in the car saying how this is a major speed trap and how it is totally unfair. Of course I am getting no where fast (literally and figuratively) as we drive back to Amy (at 55 mph). Oh well.

Right when we pull up to Amy a major dust devil hits - with wind speed estimated at about 70 mph - and the LT gets blown over hard opposite the lean. We both yell out "HOLY SHIT!" at the same time and run over to the bike - it is now on it's side on a downhill slope in gravel with our helmets, jackets, gloves, etc. blown 50 yards away. Amy had been sitting UNDER the bike with the dog just before we arrived to stay out of the sun and wind and popped up to take a picture of me exiting the car with Officer Beck. If she had stayed there she probably would have been seriously injured or maybe even killed. WHEW.... and we are an hour by helicopter from an ER.

With BOTH of us struggling for about 30 seconds (he was about 6'5" and 270 and I am 6' and 220) we BARELY get it upright and almost drop it again. I am expecting the end of our trip in the middle of no where with major damage. The right mirror popped off, the tip over wing is scratched and bent, fairing chrome trim cracked and the chrome trim on the rear saddle bag is scuffed. Amazing. Oh yeah, the draw bar on the trailer is torqued and it popped off. After some tinkering around I finally re-adjust the hitch so it will stay on.

Officer Beck comments about how I am having a bad day.

I told him I was having a GREAT day until I met up with him. Yes, I was being rather sarcastic. :p

He looks at me, laughs, and says "give me the ticket back."

I am still absolutely stunned. :D The big lug actually felt sorry for us. ;)

I figure about $400 in trim parts and she'll be new again - just hope the frame tab is not cracked...

For more pictures of our trip go here:

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c393/RonKMiller/

The pictures are somehow loaded in reverse....:confused:

[messenger13]

Seems to me you traded a $36 'no points' ticket for $400 in trim parts.

[RonKMiller]

Seems to me you traded a $36 'no points' ticket for $400 in trim parts.

Yeah, but I got a free 20 mile ride in a cop car as a bonus. :p

Think I'll start a "blow overs anonymous" club. In five years I STILL have not had a "tip" over!

[eljeffe]

Yeah, but the story is priceless. $400 or not. ;)

[sbrooten]

"Old Blue" blew over in my driveway. Parked on center stand, it went over hard, breaking my new CeeBee windshield in half. Funny part is, it has scratches on the other side of the bike. Something must have been doing a "fly-by" and hit it. Of course we did have 4x8 sheets of plywood and 2x4s flying around the yard, but not close to the bike. I am thinking my smoker may have glanced off the bike as it went by. Ain't life fun?

[hschisler]

Seems to me you traded a $36 'no points' ticket for $400 in trim parts.and still no points on your license for "littering", "failure to control" or what have you! :D

[RonKMiller]

"Old Blue" blew over in my driveway. Parked on center stand, it went over hard, breaking my new CeeBee windshield in half. Funny part is, it has scratches on the other side of the bike. Something must have been doing a "fly-by" and hit it. Of course we did have 4x8 sheets of plywood and 2x4s flying around the yard, but not close to the bike. I am thinking my smoker may have glanced off the bike as it went by. Ain't life fun?

I think that makes you a charter member of the "blow over" club! ...and - on the centerstand! WOW. :eek: I have a feeling it is pretty exclusive...
Anyone else care to join? NOT for sissies or the faint of heart! ;)

The only good thing about this is that I know we would have been literallly blown off the road if we were riding. No way to counteract that much force.

I am still amazed that mine went over since it was heavily leaned INTO the wind. Next time it will be parked straight into it. All I could think of was Toto in the Wizard of Oz. Our poodle's name is Koko. Could have been his very first solo flight! :D

If I wasn't married he would be the best "chick magnet" a guy could have.

[RonKMiller]

and still no points on your license for "littering", "failure to control" or what have you! :D

ROTFLMAO!

I SHOULD have had the presence of mind to take some pictures - I KNOW he has it on video on his "cop cam"...

I had the trunk unlatched and my traveling bag wide open - my wallet, sunglasses, camera, hat, flashlight, etc. - everything in there was strewn over a 50 X 50 yard debris field in the desert along with all the usual road side s*** in Indian country... :(

[amarider]

Ron,
Looks like we covered much of the same ground. Did you happen to see a couple of LT's and 2 RT's?

Good to hear that everyone and the LT were OK.

[ELKHNTR]

I have to be honest with you here….I’m absolutely stunned that he took back the ticket. I can’t imagine that happening here in Oregon. Out here, there’s a reason why cops used to be called “Revenuers”? Hmmmm, maybe there are some good ones out there eh.
Sorry for hearing about the damages my friend. Theses things get real spendy when trying to make them new again.

[RonKMiller]

Ron,
Looks like we covered much of the same ground. Did you happen to see a couple of LT's and 2 RT's?

Good to hear that everyone and the LT were OK.

Can you say DUGWAY?! :D It was REALLY fun with a 400 lb. trailer.

Saw tons of Beemers on the trip and ran into Todd Johnson (a customer) and Roger Blakely(sp?) and wife (future customer) on their LT's in Hanksville, Utah during a pit stop. Hanksville is literally in the middle of nowhere.... small world after all. ;)

Must have been all you guys going to Torrey. If I would have known I would have made it part of my itinerary - but opted for a power boat on Lake Powell for a couple of days instead.

AWESOME!

[Daman858]

I think this is probably the most unusual ticket "take back" story I have ever heard! And I was a cop for 30 years! Maybe he took it back because, after all, according to your photo, you are Sgt. Joe Friday! I just might order a seat from you to help defray your repair expenses!

[RonKMiller]

I think this is probably the most unusual ticket "take back" story I have ever heard! And I was a cop for 30 years! Maybe he took it back because, after all, according to your photo, you are Sgt. Joe Friday!

Just the seats, Ma'am! :D

(just the son of an FBI agent... he was one of Hoover's fair haired boys...)

[TandemCyclist]

Hey Ron,

You should explain to these boys back east what a real dust devil is all about.

I have these RV people, in the east, ask me all the time why I bought an RV with no awnings. My answer is, Dust Devils. They normally comeback with, "those little wind swirls".

[RonKMiller]

Hey Ron,

You should explain to these boys back east what a real dust devil is all about.

I have these RV people, in the east, ask me all the time why I bought an RV with no awnings. My answer is, Dust Devils. They normally comeback with, "those little wind swirls".

I think what hit us was more along the lines of a micro burst (cold air downdraft) since there was an approaching very strong cold front, but whatever it was got my attention. It was pretty cool that day for the high desert - only in the low 80's... I have stopped many times even in a car when I see one approaching, they can literally ruin a glass windshield or paint job in a few seconds - kind of like a sandblaster. :cool: I had a 528i car trashed from one in the late 80's.

"dust devil or whirlwind is a rotating updraft, ranging from small (half a meter wide and a few meters tall) to large (over 10 meters wide and over 1000 meters tall). In Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia), they are commonly known as willy willies, from an Aboriginal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Aborigine) word. Dust devils can be dangerous or harmless depending on their size.
A dangerous dust devil was created in Trenton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenton), North Dakota (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota) on May 7 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_7), 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006) that lifted a 4-year old girl and the trampoline (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trampoline) she was jumping on 25 feet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feet) (approximately 8 metres (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metres)) into the air. The girl seriously injured her arm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arm) and pelvis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelvis). She is expected to make a complete recovery."

[cfell]

Ron, so, maybe you send him some coupons for Dunkin' Donuts.. probably not one in his town so he won't be able to spend them until he takes that huge cop car in for service somewhere.

Anyway, sorry for your BO...yes, she makes a great "sailing ship... arrrgggHHH!"

[jkersh1]

Glad to hear you're all OK. I dropped mine just on the other side of the border on Route 261 a couple of years ago when I mistook a gravel pit for a road side pull out =;(

[usmctpdog]

Oh Man I feel your pain..... Nothing scares me more than wind problems on the bike !!!

One time I was on my Newly minted 1977 Goldwing in the Hi Desert of So California and found myself out of control in one of their famous "Santa Ana" gusts .

Had to pull over park on the side of the freeway and a pickup pulled over a few mintues later and we loaded it into his truck bed from the down side of the shoulder and he took me into town.....A much more protected area.

[UncleRock]

major dust devil hits - with wind speed estimated at about 70 mph - and the LT gets blown over hard opposite the lean. We both yell out [b]"HOLY SHIT!"
If an LT falls in the Desert and nobody hears it, did it really fall. :confused:
Hey your all okay, thats what really matters.
Rock

[WPNorton]

WOW Ron, I appreciate that the cop took back the ticket. Most cops are good people and they will use descretion as in your situation. I'm just shocked that he drove you ten miles back to the speed limit sign! I would have never done that. I wouldn't even show people the radar screen...It just leads to arguments since they usualy don't understand how police use radar. Maybe you didn't look like a threat while traveling with your poodle??? Whatever the reason, it's sure not standard practice. He must have been really bored :cool: He obviously has a cool head if you were accusing him of running a speed trap (insulting him) and he still pulled the ticket and helped heave the bike back upright. Sounds like a good guy to me. He might have saved your life. Had you riden through that ...who knows what would have happened. I hope you said Thank you?

[midwilshire]

I swear to him there is NO 55 mph speed limit sign on the road, and he says "OK, if it's not there I'll void the ticket - jump in the car."

Not much for a cop to do out on that lonely road, eh?

[RonKMiller]

WOW Ron, I appreciate that the cop took back the ticket. Most cops are good people and they will use descretion as in your situation. I'm just shocked that he drove you ten miles back to the speed limit sign! I would have never done that. I wouldn't even show people the radar screen...It just leads to arguments since they usualy don't understand how police use radar. Maybe you didn't look like a threat while traveling with your poodle??? Whatever the reason, it's sure not standard practice. He must have been really bored :cool: He obviously has a cool head if you were accusing him of running a speed trap (insulting him) and he still pulled the ticket and helped heave the bike back upright. Sounds like a good guy to me. He might have saved your life. Had you riden through that ...who knows what would have happened. I hope you said Thank you?

I would never think of insulting him, just questioning the state's tactics. I did it in a way that had him pretty much laughing all the way the back - lots of respect, just making sure I kept it "light". ;) I did get a VERY thorough lecture on speeding and how he hated picking up corpses on the side of the road by himself. He told me they he has several serious accidents/fatalities a month on that stretch, half due to drunk driving, half due to inattention and rollovers. I think the fact that we were wearing full safety gear impressed him as well. He WAS a great guy.

[pjessen]

Great story. Great pictures. I hadn't seen your trailer project; its great!

War story: Denver International Airport opened in winter 1995, and as the first hot summer days approached, a traffic helo (the crew of which obviously hadn't spent much time on the prairie) reported about 3 p.m. there were THREE TORNADOS near DIA! The tower crew was a bit more knowledgeable and clued them in. They do get pretty big and dangerous, but all while the sky is robin's egg blue. The "News" crew are probably still catching crap over that one.

[REWDOC]

Ron, was that US 191 going south from Utah, 10 miles into Arizona, just north of Mexican Water? I need to know exactly where this place (trap) is, as I'm leaving next Wednesday for northern Arizona, southern Utah and southwestern Colorado. I'll be heading south from Moab to Monument Valley, but plan on making the US 163 - US 160 loop back to Mexican Water, then on to Four Corners. Did you see any other speed traps in Utah?

Nice pictures, I can't wait! :)

Thanks,

[WPNorton]

I would never think of insulting him, just questioning the state's tactics. I did it in a way that had him pretty much laughing all the way the back - lots of respect, just making sure I kept it "light". ;)

That explains it...You probably made his day with the conversation. I'm sure after talking to you for a few minutes he could tell that you were no Yahoo but a responsible rider with full protective gear and a quick wit. Speeding is kinda like jay walking when your in the middle of the desert.

[robasay]

Hey Ron,

Great story. As a retired LEO from AZ, I was glad to see that AZDPS was doing their full duties and he seemed to be following what I call good common sense when dealing with the public. To bad about that AZ DD. Reminds me of the Wind from Tucson and Phoenix last April that I wrote about. I very much enjoyed your pics of the trip and of your trailer build. I have been over that road a few times, but on 4 wheels. You really have to watch out for the locals along the side of the roads. Usually in an intoxicated state around their little settlements.

[tmgs]

File this one under "event cascade"...

So here we are, tooling down a desolate highway

Until I meet Arizona State Patrol Officer Beck.
After exchanging paperwork Officer Beck informs me that I qualify for a "finite resources ticket" - a mail in fine of $50.00 and no points which I am well aware of. Usually you need to ask for it. Works for me.
Then he says since it is my birthday the next day he'll knock it down to $36.00. Happy birthday. I accept my "present" but won't sign for it.

I am NOT happy. I swear to him there is NO 55 mph speed limit sign on the road, and he says "OK, if
I figure about $400 in trim parts and she'll be new again - just hope the frame tab is not cracked...

For more pictures of our trip go here:

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c393/RonKMiller/

The pictures are somehow loaded in reverse....:confused:


Sorry but I really have to laugh! I mean Ron!! 36 bucks and no points wasn't worth your time to go back to find the sign! heck I would have bought he guy lunch just to get back to my great day!

so your get out of speeding with no points and a waste of 36 bucks cost 400 or so........

No wonder you charge so much for your seats

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

now this was funny, glad it wasn't worse and sorry to hear about the bike

but ya know the next time I see ya, i'm going to pick on ya for this one!

Tom (runnin n duckin)

[rattso]

A few years ago we flew out and rented an LT and toured Arizona on up into Vegas with friends that wintered there. Coming from Las Vegas going to Laughlin River Run We passed an area that had 4 of those dust devils working at the same time. All of them were a couple of hundred feet tall. I remember looking at the sight and thinking I wonder if this is normal here, looked like "hell on earth."

[RonKMiller]

Ron, was that US 191 going south from Utah, 10 miles into Arizona, just north of Mexican Water? I need to know exactly where this place (trap) is, as I'm leaving next Wednesday for northern Arizona, southern Utah and southwestern Colorado. I'll be heading south from Moab to Monument Valley, but plan on making the US 163 - US 160 loop back to Mexican Water, then on to Four Corners. Did you see any other speed traps in Utah?

Nice pictures, I can't wait! :)

Thanks,

Yep, check out the no passing sign right at the border - and the 55 mph sign right behind it. The pavement changes color there as well and I don't recall any signs welcoming you to AZ.... If you see Office Beck give him my regards and tell him to send me video of the blow over! :D He has my address. ;)

No issues in Utah.

Something you may want to consider since it can be damn hot in that area - long sleeve Under Armour shirt and briefs, evaporative cooling vest and a perfed jacket, textile - not leather. I went with the BMW Venting Machine since it is well armored and has excellent abrasion resistance. I like it a lot, although very pricey. Amy and I also wore evaporative cooling neckbands too. You'll be good for about 1 and 1/2 hours before re-wetting. I kept our gear in a "dry" bag full of water, usually used for protecting gear from getting wet. Works great in "reverse"! Just stuff the gear in at a pit stop, wait a couple of minutes and you are good to go.

We were never hot - except our legs - even when leaving Tucson in 97F temps... :eek:

[byke33]

I'm going to try tipping my bike over next time I get pulled over...might work.

Ron

[Smith]

Hi Ron,
The only picture you might have missed is you and officer Beck lifting up the LT. That would have been as priceless as the story.

Where do you put the dog?

Bob Smith
'05 Drk. Graphite

[RonKMiller]

I'm going to try tipping my bike over next time I get pulled over...might work.

Ron

I think it was the tears and sobbing that really got to him. ;)

[RonKMiller]

Hi Ron,
The only picture you might have missed is you and officer Beck lifting up the LT. That would have been as priceless as the story.

Where do you put the dog?

Bob Smith
'05 Drk. Graphite

Amy actually had to help pick it up as well and we barely got it upright - it was a real "mutha" on a downhill slope on gravel/dirt - not recommended. :rolleyes:

The pooch rides in a soft kennel that I modified to fit on the "tank". It has screen on three sides for airflow, and he can see out the front, one side and rear. Also has a visco foam bed with side and rear bolsters, breathable mesh and our perfed fabric on top that when soaked acts like a swamp cooler. The air coming out is 30F cooler than going in. I actually have to be careful not to get him too chilled during altitude changes. We went from 90 and sunny to 47 and rain one day in about 15 minutes outside Zion Park on the way to Bryce.

For cold or wet weather I swap out that bed for one with foam and synthetic lambs wool, then a custom cut cover zips on that is made from very thick clear convertible window vinyl. Blocks all wind and rain. Oh yeah, he also has a polar guard vest.

This all started since my wife wanted to take him with us and pet sitters get $70.00 a day around these parts... even the kennels are about $50.00 but that would never happen with this spoiled rotten little hound! :D

[RonKMiller]

Sorry but I really have to laugh! I mean Ron!! 36 bucks and no points wasn't worth your time to go back to find the sign! heck I would have bought he guy lunch just to get back to my great day!

so your get out of speeding with no points and a waste of 36 bucks cost 400 or so........

No wonder you charge so much for your seats

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

now this was funny, glad it wasn't worse and sorry to hear about the bike

but ya know the next time I see ya, i'm going to pick on ya for this one!

Tom (runnin n duckin)

Yeah, I thought he was going to drive me about half a mile or so - then realized I was along for the ride since I asked for it. In retrospect I did not want to leave Amy along the road by herself for that long.

But - she's a good shot and knows how to handle her Smith and Wesson stainless J frame 38. :thumb: It's a wild west Tucson kind of thang - she was born and raised here. After 14 years I still NEVER argue with the lady. ;)

She's a poodle and pistol packin' momma.