I don't have a running LBC at the moment so I ride a fast bike, the latest in a
long line of motorcycles. And I've been stopped on various bikes for speeding
anywhere from 10 over to 100 plus in a 55. And no pay ticket yet. The secret?
Two actually: I was a LEO for 23 years in Colorado, have heard all the lines.
None of them actually had anything to do with whether a speeder (or any other
violator, for that matter) got a ticket, a written warning or an oral warning.
We were taught to decide what we were going to do BEFORE we got out of our car.
If we were going to write a warning, we approached the car with our warning
ticket book, same for a 'pay ticket.' This took the attitude out of the
contact and made it much more objective. So I have learned to always be
respectful, pick a good place to pull over, don't necessarily be submissive but
don't make any quick moves. I also open my helmet immediately. When the LEO
asks "do you know how fast you were going?" chances are he
doesn't either and is looking for an admission. I NEVER admit the violation.
If he/she has you, you are had regardless of what you say. Oh, the other
thing, and what I believe has spared me from paying fines (or going to traffic
school) is age. Yep, I'm an old fart and when the LEO sees a 60 year old on a
fast bike, in full gear (no tshirts and flip flops or doo rags for me) he
realizes that speed is all I have left to live for........and that I probably
am pretty responsible in other ways. A young officer once told me that an old
guy reminds him of his dad and he could never give his dad a ticket!
Also I heard the other day, unconfirmed, that in Texas, a motorcyle rider can
opt to take an Experienced Rider Course in lieu of Traffic School!
Russ Locke
TR4 in progress
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