I Might As Well Have A Big Target On My Ass

[BobFV1]

http://o.wao.com/policecaronline/home/Photos/Arizona/DPS/azdps3n.jpg

Got up this morning for a 0830 appointment with my doctor in downtown Phoenix. I rarely travel West of Sky Harbor airport but when I go to the doctor's office I have to head over there on I-10.

Most of my highway riding around here is on I-10 South to Tucson or on US 60 East, where the speed limit is 65, and I ride about 75. So today, riding the RT, I jump back on the I-10 in Phoenix heading East and am cruising along at or a little below 75 when a Highway Patrol cruiser pulls in behind me - follows me for about 4 miles, all the way over the transition on to US-60, and he tags me just a few miles from my house. Nice kid - told me I was 20 over at 75 in a 55. I was square with him, told him I though it was a 65 zone and that I knew I was going 75. He told me I passed four signs with the speed limit (55) but he just wrote me a warning, which doesn't go on my record at all.

I know it doesn't go on my record because I had to pull my record yesterday to renew my state Professional Driving Instructor license (I have to have one to teach the MSF course here) and it is completely clean, despite the fact that I get these little warnings from time to time.

In fact, in the three years I have lived here in Arizona, I have been pulled over by the Arizona Highway Patrol 4 times and the Maricopa County Sherrif's Office (ZEIG HAIL!) once. The Highway Patrol got me once at night in my new Mercedes Benz E-Class (nice car by the way - they probably thought I stole it!) and gave me a verbal warning for 68 in a 55, once a few months ago on my RT near Globe, Arizona at 68 in a 45, and once today. Result - one verbal and two written warnings. The Sheriff's Office got me on my R1 a few months ago near Tortilla Flat, a well -known sportbiker road, going 54 in a 25 (I had actually been going much faster) - he really cut me a giant break - I used the "former law enforcement" approach with him.

I guess the moral is manifold here - be courteous and polite, admit what you were doing, have all your paperwork ready, and hope for the best. I never go faster than I feel it is safe and I usually pretty much respect the speed limits. I have got to believe that the Highway Patrol around here really, really targets motorcyclists - probably rightfully so, since there are so many squids around, but it sure sucks to see the lights in your mirror.

[fganger]

Bob,

I think this may be a case of “first liar doesn’t have a chance.” My two “best” records were 125 mph, caught on radar by a Mountie in the Yukon Territory. To make a long story short, she let me go – GASP!

The other was when I was just a bit over 130 mph. My Valentine went off and I hit the brakes – hard. About ½ mile up the road was an Illinois State Trooper. He was parked along the side of the road, he turned on the lights and I just pulled over in front of him.

Knowing a bit of how radar works, I knew that if I was able to hit the binders fast enough, his unit would keep going back and fourth until it came up with a constant speed. When it finally locked on me, I was just about at the speed limit. The trooper walked all around my bike a few times, looking for the detector I imagine. He never found one. I asked if there was a problem? He asked how fast my bike would go? I gave him my standard answer, “Well officer, I really have no idea, the speed limit here is only 65.”

He asked how fast I thought I was going. I told him that I couldn’t imagine going faster than the posted 65. He just told me to go on, but be careful. Funny, on the way home I passed radar traps almost every five miles or so.

Strange how that happens.

Frank

[Promethean]

Frank,
I would be interested to know how the Trooper never found the Valentine

[Tripton]

I would be VERY interested in getting a valentine on my bike!!....I guess I do not know how that would work.

Could you maybe fill me in?

[BobFV1]

I don't use one because I don't need one - it's obvious I can just talk my way out of any ticket :) .

I know some of the guys on the board run detectors and maybe they can share their experience. You just need a little shelf to mount it on and you need to draw power from somewhere and you should be good to go :023:

[GPM]

I've used one on various bikes over the years. Currently have mine mounted on a Ram mount. I was using an Avant Guard mount from the Pirate, but with the Parabellum currently on my KRS the fit isn't quite right. The audio unit plugs into my earplugs. I'm drawing power from the accessory outlet, although hardwiring is probably a cleaner approach.

It has saved me many times. As long as you're running in a bit of traffic, your chances are excellent. The V1 range is over a mile in good conditions. If however, you're the only one on the road, and you get hit with instant on, you're toast.

[fganger]

Abhijeet,

I kept the unit on my tank bag, the instant it went off I clamped on the brakes. Just as soon as my speed was down, I calmly pulled the power wire and slid the unit in my tank bag.

My experience tells me that one has a better chance of walking away from the ticket without a detector than with one. That would be my experience on both sides of the ticket.

By the way, if I lent my Valentine to a moderator on another site, actually from what I hear, a former moderator. I would certainly lend it to you to play with for a while. While I don't want to sell it, I hardy use it anymore.

Frank
:)

[Arby]

A few years back, Miz Judy and I were on a cross country ride on the Buell. We were on Route 412 in the Oklahoma panhandle. This is about as far from anywhere as you can get.
At this point, 412 is a well maintained two lane highway. We hadn't even seen a cow in the fields for quite a while, much less another car.
We're clipping along at about 80 mph(very conservative, all things considered), when a car pops over the rise about 2 miles ahead.
As it gets closer, the lights come on, I know I'm busted.
The Okla Highway Patrolman and I get stopped at about the same spot, he does a uturn and pulls in behind me.

Now, I'm not too worried, even though I know the posted limit is 55mph. Judy and I have a secret weapon that has worked for us before. Both of us have almost snow white hair. Even the look on a cops face usually will change when we take off our helmets.
It's like they just pulled over their grandparents or something.

Uh oh, this guys look doesn't change. We take off the helmets, pull out the ear plugs(lucky that wasn't another ticket.)

He tells me to get in the car, leaves my wife standing outside with his riding buddy. She says to him, do you think he'll give him a break?. The guy says it's almost quitting time and he hasn't written a ticket all day. No, I don't think he'll get a break.

He was right. 118. oo dollar fine. He was nice enough to let me mail it in. He even left my speed up on the display on his dash.
He wrote me for the full amount.

A couple months later, we're back on the east coast. I'm heading north thru Georgia on I75. The Buell riders club is doing a 4 day ride up near Deal's Gap. Again I'm clipping along at 80 plus.
but now there are cars galore. Most of them going faster than me.

Suddenly, an unmarked cop car with blinking lights in the grille pulls in behind me. We pull off the interstate.

He gets out, a big ol Georgia boy, plainclothes with his badge clipped to one side of his belt and his gun on the other.

I'm thinking"Oh shoot", or something to that effect.

He says,I guess you know why I stopped you? Of course, I say no officer. He says I've got a Buell ,too. but my wife won't ride with me on mine. I'm thinking of getting one like yours so she can ride with me.

We stood there talking Buells for 20 minutes, he got a call on his portable and away he went.

I guess theres no point here, except sometimes you're lucky and sometimes you're not.

Arby
(Bob)

[RiceBurner]

To my mind using a detector is the equivalent to saying that you don't have the observational ability to see the trap in time to slow for it. Should you be riding?




:)

[RiceBurner]

A few years back, Miz Judy and I were on a cross country ride on the Buell. We were on Route 412 in the Oklahoma panhandle. This is about as far from anywhere as you can get.
At this point, 412 is a well maintained two lane highway. We hadn't even seen a cow in the fields for quite a while, much less another car.
We're clipping along at about 80 mph(very conservative, all things considered), when a car pops over the rise about 2 miles ahead.
As it gets closer, the lights come on, I know I'm busted.
The Okla Highway Patrolman and I get stopped at about the same spot, he does a uturn and pulls in behind me.

Now, I'm not too worried, even though I know the posted limit is 55mph. Judy and I have a secret weapon that has worked for us before. Both of us have almost snow white hair. Even the look on a cops face usually will change when we take off our helmets.
It's like they just pulled over their grandparents or something.

Uh oh, this guys look doesn't change. We take off the helmets, pull out the ear plugs(lucky that wasn't another ticket.)

He tells me to get in the car, leaves my wife standing outside with his riding buddy. She says to him, do you think he'll give him a break?. The guy says it's almost quitting time and he hasn't written a ticket all day. No, I don't think he'll get a break.

He was right. 118. oo dollar fine. He was nice enough to let me mail it in. He even left my speed up on the display on his dash.
He wrote me for the full amount.

A couple months later, we're back on the east coast. I'm heading north thru Georgia on I75. The Buell riders club is doing a 4 day ride up near Deal's Gap. Again I'm clipping along at 80 plus.
but now there are cars galore. Most of them going faster than me.

Suddenly, an unmarked cop car with blinking lights in the grille pulls in behind me. We pull off the interstate.

He gets out, a big ol Georgia boy, plainclothes with his badge clipped to one side of his belt and his gun on the other.

I'm thinking"Oh shoot", or something to that effect.

He says,I guess you know why I stopped you? Of course, I say no officer. He says I've got a Buell ,too. but my wife won't ride with me on mine. I'm thinking of getting one like yours so she can ride with me.

We stood there talking Buells for 20 minutes, he got a call on his portable and away he went.

I guess theres no point here, except sometimes you're lucky and sometimes you're not.

Arby
(Bob)

I've always wondered: on those radars that they use for oncoming tickets : is the radar machine tied in with a VERY accurate speedo on the car?? Because obviously the radar will be measureing a combined speed of the cop car + oncoming offender. Presumably the cop-cars speedo is checked to be very accurate regularly if this is the case?

[NoRRmad]

Yup. If the case goes to trial, the police have to submit a calibration certificate for the system used to determine your speed.

[GPM]

To my mind using a detector is the equivalent to saying that you don't have the observational ability to see the trap in time to slow for it. Should you be riding?:)

I tend to feel just the opposite. Using a radar detector allows you to spread your attention to the myriad of threats that exist out there.

Is the dog in that yard going to turn and chase you? Is there any threat of traffic entering from side roads? Is the road ahead clear of debris? etc etc

Having a radar detector warn you a mile or so before encountering the speed trap, is as much a safety factor as it is a money saver.

Obviously, they don't work in all situations. Instant on coming over a hill or around a bend, they've got you. To be safe from those encounters, all you can do is recognize the situation, and slow down.

But every time the radar detector does work, and its worked many times for me, its like money in the bank.

[Arby]

I've been to traffic court in Howard County Maryland where the judge stipulated at the outset that the radar was calibrated.
In other words, don't even bring it up.

Arby

[DarthRider]

A good radar detector will really help in the rider's eternal quest to "Learn to see around corners."
This is one of Reg Pridmore's tenets in his CLASS riding school. He's really talking about anticipating the tractor over the hill in the country, the diesel spill on the freeway on-ramp, the blue hair in the Buick who will likely left-turn just as you enter the intersection, etc.
There are many situations where you can not observe the cop with radar until well after your detector warns you.
And who doesn't like to speed? And who wouldn't like to avoid a ticket?
Or at least some of them.

Dave

[Gord]

Having a radar detector warn you a mile or so before encountering the speed trap, is as much a safety factor as it is a money saver.

The authorities here in Canada - or at least Ontario - would not agree with you. Speed kills. Radar Detectors encourage speed. Radar Detectors kill. They are therefore illegal. That is the logic.

Speed detectors are not a problem or an issue. What is a problem and what is an issue is lack of lane etiquette on our roads. You should do a minimum speed. If not, get off the road you are on and take a slower route. Unless you are passing someone, you should keep right. And if you are in the "fast" lane, holding up traffic, you are a problem.

What happens in Ontario, is "slow" traffic grabs the centre lane of our highways. THis way they avoid the "maniacs" speeding to their left. And they don't have to worry about merging traffic. The result? A running blockade of traffic that prevents traffic in the left from merging right to exit or traffic in the right from merging left to run. And what does that lead to? Weaving in and out at excessive speed to get your lane.

I was SO happy in Germany last summer. You could run at speed if you had etiquette and politeness and were aware of your surroundings. North America could learn a ton from Europe in that regard. And then, who needs radar detectors?

[GPM]

Gord-O,

Beautiful country Canada, well in the summer anyway. I don't get out of bed if the temps drop below 30, so I couldn't speak for the winter.

Can't say as I agree with the radar detector law. Until they restrict our radar happy Highway Patrol to the interstates, I'll use any legal means possible to save the fines and points.

Funny thing is, having slowed considerably in the last couple of years, I find I still grab the brakes the minute the V1 chirps. That now results in me passing the LEO at around 10 mph below the speed limit most of the time.

[fganger]

Gord,

Actually I like the fact that radar detectors are illegal in most of Canada, unless that has changed in the past couple of years. The traffic officers don't have to be very sneaky to catch their victims.

My Valentine can be packed away quicker than the officer can come up upon me. I'm quite practiced at the art.

Frank

[JCsman]

Why Gord!

I think you may have to add "scofflaw" to your signature line.