first bike-its an XS!

[xs650mike]

Originally posted by SG-Olli

You lucky guys over there .
I once got a ticket for a rear fender that was too short (about $ 50) .

XS650 Specials come stock with a rear fender that's too short, I had to add a mud flap to keep road splatter off of SWMBO's back!

[SG-Olli]

The rear wheel was covered by the license plate. You know, the german plates are at least 8 x 8 inches. But the cop said the plate does not count as fender.

[chevy45412001]

hey Mike

not to sneaky i have aluminum foil cvering the upper light and cut the bottom out off my taillight lens so now the light shines on the plate....can't do things illegaly can i?

[xs650mike]

People like that shouldn't be allowed to be policemen, what a jerk.

I was stopped not too long ago by a cop whose opening line was, "How many drinks have you had today?" (at 1pm!) I said,"I don't drink." He said, "Take off your sunglasses." (I was wearing an open face helmet.) Then he said, "If you don't drink why are your eyes red and watery?" I said, "The wind." He then put me through an entire field sobriety test, checked my registration and frame numbers and ran my license through his computer after pointedly asking me, "When was the last time you were in prison?" When he finally got around to asking if I knew why he'd stopped me I could only say that I hadn't the faintest idea. He said, "I saw you weaving back there." I told him I was avoiding a pothole in the road. He gave me my license back and told me to watch it in the future, he would have his eyes on me. I have never ever been stopped by a cop so rude and confrontational. I've since told this story to other ridere who have told me that this guy is infamous around here.

[John]

A$$hole Cop

Has any one complained to his supervisor?

[xssiveone]

A friend of mine got stopped on his '78XS and as the cop was leaving, after no charges, he asked my buddy which club he rode with. My buddy replied that he had never ridden with any clubs. The cop said "Oh c'mon, all you Harley riders belong to one club or another." My buddy looked at his bike, and back at the cop and said "Excuse me, but I'm SURE that says Yamaha on the side of it" Cop gave him the "Be more careful" speech and left.

[xs650mike]

Unruly Cop

No, I haven't complained. This is really a small county, only about 55,000 pop. and I don't want to aggravate the guy, I see him around a lot and so far he's since laid off me. Maybe his curiosity has been satisfied now that he now knows I'm on the up and up. I know a couple of people who have complained about certain local cops (not this guy) and they get harrassment stops all the time. If I was still in a metropolitan area I'd file a complaint in a minute but not here. I have a friend who is lead prosecutor at the DAs office and I mentioned this incident to him and he asked me if I had complained officially. I told him I didn't need the aggravation and he understood immediately. He did ask if I knew the officer's name just in case he was a witness in a case so he'd know whether he could rely on the guy's testimony. I found out the cop's name by asking around and told the prosecutor who he was. He thanked me and said he'd nose around quietly and see if there were any official complaints on the guy's record. I haven't heard anything further.

This fellow is a CHP officer not a local cop and I know if they had enough on him he would be fired but I'm not sticking my neck out just yet. This young punk is a walking public relations disaster for the Highway Patrol. Funny thing is I've got nothing but respect for the CHP officers I've had contact with in the past, I've been stopped for speeding probably a dozen times over the years and only received two tickets, mostly friendly warnings. I don't recall being stopped before by any officer from any department that wasn't courteous and respectful. Usually the first thing they'll ask is if you know why you're being stopped or else they'll flat out tell you. This guy wasn't like that at all, he was intimidating as hell. I've never had the numbers checked on my bike before in 47 years in the saddle. There are a lot of biker speed dealers around here and maybe he thought I was one of them, I do have a beard and I'm real skinny. He came off as angry and confrontational like he was trying to goad me into doing something rash. I maintained a respectful and polite demeanor throughout even though he had me hopping mad. Maybe he'll stop some big city lawyer or public official sometime who'll just shut up during the stop and nail him officially later. It's gotta be only a matter of time before he goes too far with the wrong person.

[MAXIMAN]

Re: Unruly Cop

Originally posted by xs650mike
Maybe he'll stop some big city lawyer or public official sometime who'll just shut up during the stop and nail him officially later. It's gotta be only a matter of time before he goes too far with the wrong person.

He may not be that lucky. The wrong guy next time maybe armed and meaner than hell.

It happened to a fella named Sammy Long in the little west Texas town I lived near about 30 years ago. Sammy was a total A-wipe. Nobody and I mean nobody liked him. I think his own mother couldn't stand him.

He stopped some worthless car thief in a stolen van one day not realizing what who he'd stopped. The criminal pumped Sammy full of lead...then retrieved officer Long's service revolver and emptied that weapon into him as well.

The really sad thing is none of the people I knew at the time could've cared less. Usually when an LE Officer is killed the event draws sympathy and support from the entire community. I'm sure someone cared...I just didn't know any of them.

On a side note...the maggot that killed Sammy Long got his justice...swiftly and immediately. It was deer season in west Texas. A man and his young son were up the highway at a roadside park just a couple hundred yards away from the crime scene when they heard screaming and numerous shots being fired. The young father retrieved his 6mm deer rifle to peer through the scope and see what was happening.

When he realized a State Trooper was being assaulted he chamber a round shot the perp. This crook had more trouble than queen for a day. One of Sammy Long's only friends was a fellow at the small west Texas town hospital. This fella's name was Dr. Gosset. It seems somewhat befitting that when the human maggot was brought into the ER (behind the dead body Sammy Long)...Gosset looked the perp over and proclaimed "...he's too far gone. I can't do anything for him." And walked out of the room allowing the human debris to expire.

At least that was the story of the ER incident I got 3 decades ago.

Hopefully Mr. Cow CHP won't suffer the same fate. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

[e.z.nightrider]

Here in northern IL the police are in general ok guys.
They police their own pretty well, can you say "broken radio" when a call for backup is placed.

[xs650mike]

I've found that most officers are decent people, never had problems with police. I especially respect the CHP and the San Fran. P.D. who I've had occasion to observe in action many times, these guys can keep their cool when people are screaming insults at them. But this one guy...

[xs650mike]

Great story Maximan, I also had that sort of outcome in the back of my head when I said sometime he'd go too far with the wrong person.

[bandet01]

i have never had any problems with any of the cops around where i live if you ride smart they normly leave you alone