Pulled over for???

[MelodicMetalGod]

Silly or not, you have to remember that laws are black and white, and they need to be. You break it, or you don't break...there is no "I just barely broke it".

Regulations that have gray areas...everyone finds a reason to be exempt.

Gotcha. No discretion then. Sounds like a perfect system. Makes absolutely no sense to consider degree or context in any situation.

A law that is intended to protect an operators ability to see and safely operate a vehicle at speed probably didn't intend to force an operator to keep a fogged window between their eyes and the outside world. The spirit of such a law, might actually be better served by "breaking the law" in the first few seconds of riding, allowing the fog to clear. Thankfully, such discretion need not be exercised due to the clarity, or "black and white" -ness of the laws.

 

[airportcop]

I was in Independence MO two weekends ago for a ship's reunion (crewmembers from the first ship I was stationed on). I noticed that it seemed everyone was wearing helmets, many of them wearing close to nothing else, but they had helmets (I figured there must be a helmet law in MO). My wife and I were riding back to the RV campground, and I didn't have my visor all the way down when I passed a cop, saw him make a left turn to circle around and catch me at the next cross street, but by the time ours paths intersected again my visor was down so we didn't get stopped. We were wearing summer protective gear too, no bare legs and arms either.

Dan, there is no eye protection requirement in Missouri. The helmet law only states that you must wear approved headgear. It also does not specify what approved is either! Crappy law the way it is worded. I always give everyone the benefit of the doubt. In my opinion, a helmet is a helmet. If you don't want a good piece of equipment protecting your head then that is a personal problem for adults and not a law issue. For what it's worth I always wear a full face helmet, but when it's hot I open the shield at stops. That is just the way I ride! Wouldn't expect anyone else to do any different. There has to be some gray areas in most every law as well! (2 pennies worth for me!)

 

[toejams1]

I think any safety law, IE seatbelts, helmets, child seats or whatever shouldnt be a law at all. It should be MY choice, period, and period!

I agree in so far as helmets and seatbelts are concerned (even though I use both). However, I have no problem with eye protection laws. I have only been riding about a year, and always wear a full face helmet. I cannot count how many times I had crap hit my face shield in that short time span. Imagine riding somewhere without eye protection, and a pebble/bug (etc) hits you in the eye. What if you are in heavy traffic, and all of a sudden you cannot see. You are endangering any motorists around you. That is why there should be a law concerning eye protection.

Now concerning the original post, I get the sense this officer was letting a little power get to his head. I know a lot of cops, and 98% are good guys (or gals) for whom I have a great amount of respect. Then there are the other 2%.............. I understand why you would be pi$$ed, however since you just got a warning, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Life is too short.

 

[suzukiguybri]

Tulsa Cops

Tulsa Cops

A very good friend of mine was seriously injured in a atv crash on the 15th of May. Even though he was wearing all the nessacery protection he still broke his L1 vertabrea and tore a hole in his spinal colum. he is now paralyzed from the waist down. While on my way to the hospital for one of his surguries i was pulled over by a Tulsa Police officer and delayed for around 20 minutes so he could look at my bike. I explained to where i was going and what for and told him if he would follow me another block and a half to the hospital i would give him the keys and he could ride it himself instead of just eyeballing it so much. He then explained that he has a GS700 he is working on and my bike just caught his eye. I was kind of flattered of course,but still a little ticked off that I missed the chance to tell my friend i would be there when he came out of the OR. not sure how this ties in to the current thread, just thought i would share my ordeal with the 5-ohs in T-town.

P.S. Lizzy has no mirrors, no turn signals, and a sidewinder with no baffle, so she is not exactly legal, and loud as hell. the cop never mentioned any of those things.

 

[bwringer]

Agreed -- it was just a pretext stop, but you will never know the real reason. Maybe you and your bike matched a poor description, or he was just trolling for uninsured/unlicensed riders.

Around here, at least 40% of riders are uninsured and/or unlicensed (no M endorsement), so it's a pretty easy score.

 

[Guest]

Question: Does the use of a full windshield or fairing satisfy the eye protection requirment?

I'm inclined to use sunglasses/goggles + face shield + windshield. But in some temperature humidity conditions, the goggles/face shield fog over when the windshield doesn't.

Never been stopped on a motorcycle for any reason.

 

[Planecrazy]

Question: Does the use of a full windshield or fairing satisfy the eye protection requirment?

In IL (and I believe everywhere else) it does...

Regards,

 

[ryanm]

Eye protection

Eye protection

Eye protection is required by law here in Kentucky as well, but helmets are not. In Lexington, it's not the cops in cages you have to worry about, it's the ones on the Harleys. Between myself and a some friends I ride with, we have been stopped a few times lately for "safety warnings". You would think if it's about safety they would be concerned about helmets, or not riding in shorts and flops, but no - the big reason they stopped us was to make sure we were wearing gloves. That seems to be the big kick they are on now. Same premise as the eye wear I guess, don't want a bug/rock hitting your hands and causing enough pain or discomfort to cause you to lose control of the bars.

Of course once they check and see we are all geared up, all they want to talk about is the old Zuke...

I've met quite a few motorcycle cops this way and they are really pretty good guys as long as your not flying or popping wheelies - kind of hard to do on a 650gl anyway...

 

[Maddog209]

So after my 250mile little jaunt today I am less than 1 mile from home..stopped and got coffee and a 12 pack of pop strapped on the seat..put my helmet on and gloves and my jacket as I ALWAYS do..I pull out of the lot and whammo...get pulled over..for get this..my face shield on my helmet was "up"..are you frickin kidding me???? I have all the gear on and i get pulled over for my face shield not being down...I cant count how many idiots I saw today with no helmet or gear on shorts and a t-shirt and no glasses...sorry for the rant but that just really really burns me...rant over.


DDM

Most States have laws regarding eye protection BUT not about what clothing a rider wears. I'm glad you ALWAYS wear all of your gear but many don't and I don't believe that makes them 'idiots'.

We avoid dangers in life only to arrive safely at death!!

 

[850 Combat]

But I want to die peacefully in my sleep. Not screaming and crying like the people riding in his car with him.

 

[Smokinapankake]

many years ago my brother was a member of the California Dept. of Corrections, i.e., a medic in a prison. He was required to carry his CDC badge when on duty. Naturally he kept it in his wallet, arranged so that his drivers license and the badge would be displayed opposite each other when the wallet was opened. It looked much like a sherriffs star.

On our way to my cousin's wedding in Cody, Wyo, we got pulled over for doing something like 30 mph over the speed limit. When the Police officer saw his CDC badge, he pretty much just said " have a nice day, sir".

Get out of jail free card there. For the entire 11 years my brother worked there, and carried that CDC badge, he never got a ticket, regardless of what he got pinched for.

 

[Guest]

...but no - the big reason they stopped us was to make sure we were wearing gloves....

I've wiped out many times on bicycles. And, while I habitually wear bicycle helmets, I've never hit my head. But many times, gloves have saved my hands when I put them out to break a fall. I went down at 5 mph in a lumpy gravel parking lot on my 650, and the gloves saved my hands.

I've ridden around town a few times wearing shorts. I never ride without helmet and gloves.

 

[raistian77]

Technically in TN being on a running motorcycle with the visor up even at a stop is illegal. I find in the summer I have to raise the visor at stops then lower is AFTER I am moving. If I close it first then take off it fogs something fierce.

I have had cops tailgate me when I am riding at the speed limit, than roar past me as soon as the road opens or a passing lane is present. DO they expect me to speed with them right behind me?

 

[COGS]

I heard that the "game" at Sturgis last year was for police to wait until someone came out of the bar...watch them get on their bike...put the key in the ignition without putting their glasses (sunglasses, probably) down in front of their eyes...and write them a ticket for "no eye protection".

This year...or, this week, I should say...I hear the WSP is writing tickets for 3mph over any posted limit...

I wonder if it's all about the money...?

 

[gs1150streetracer]

Driving my old Kz900 rat box down Rt 70 after an emergency clutch change going from Cumberland MD to Baltimore with no clutch cover gasket had some RTV blue....wanna talk about a cloud of smoke,it had the 4 into 2 stock trumpet 76 pipes.Id pull over to addmore oil at about every 30 miles,until MSP pulled me over n made me park it...lol..

 

[Detroit Diesel Man]

No ticket for it but it was just the fact I got pulled over...I realize eye protection is required in MN (no helmet law tho!) and as Allie said,,he was looking for an excuse.


DDM

 

[Guest]

I got an HJC IS-Max with the built-in retractable sun-shield... why do I get the feeling that someday I'm going to be part of a Leo's intelligence test?

The county seat here has a police force that has said on the record that they can pull you over for no reason needed, just "suspicion", to what they don't say and if they sobriety check you with a "0.000" they can still write you up for OVI (under the influence of an unknown substance) and impound your vehicle. You are out a few hundred dollars once you get through the kangaroo court (no offense to any members from down-under). Are they doing this because they're broke? Nope. Always been corrupt, used to be called little Chicago here as the gangsters would come hide out here with the help of the city fathers and police when the feds got too close to them in Chicago, same family names still in a lot of the positions.

In all my dealings with the police and contrary to what you may think I'm about as square law-abiding a person as you can meet, I have only met two that were worth salt, could be the area but it leaves me wondering... I would like to meet some more decent ones as it is a bad thing to feel this way.

 

[Force10]

Yeah, Cincy's finest aren't always so fine. No personal run-ins so far, but I'm always careful about what I do here.