Motorcyclists often cry, discrimination! We talk loudly about being pulled over too frequently, and for no apparent reason. And invariably, an annoying automobile operator will respond by saying, "motorcyclists are just more likely to drive like idiots."
How irksome.
But whether it’s merited or not, how do we make the best of a sticky situation with our friends in blue? And no, the good old “What’s the problem, officer?” probably isn't going to cut it.
Later in this article, we offer tips for dealing with a police man or woman. But obviously, the best option is to avoid getting pulled over in the first place. Need a few pointers on this Speedy Gonzales? Here’s 10:
How to Avoid Getting Pulled Over
Pay attention to truckers
If a big rig is driving slowly for no apparent reason, the driver may have heard about an upcoming speed trap over the CB radio.
Pay attention to your guinea pigs
Keep some drivers ahead of you and – if they start slowing down – make sure you do too.
Be the inside man (or woman)
If you’re speeding, try to stay in the middle of a similarly speedy group. The first and last vehicles are always easiest to pull over.
Don’t totally blow the limit
Try to stay within 10km/h of the posted limit. It’s still illegal, but 10-over is the unwritten threshold of acceptance. Anywhere past this, and cops will almost certainly make a traffic stop.
Know your high-risk areas
On the highway, police will normally sit by exit ramps, after blind corners, or near stands of trees. School and construction zones are hot spots for speed traps, although you should really be going slowly there anyway. Any time the speed limit suddenly decreases, be on your guard.
See smoke, fear fire
Cops often set multiple speed traps on the same road. This way, if anyone pulls a runner, there will be another police car around the corner. So if you pass a motorist who has been pulled over, or a squad car in transit, stay alert. There’s probably another trap up ahead.
Don’t be eye-catching
Swerving through lanes, bare-chested with a million-decibel muffler, is going to attract the wrong kind of attention. Same with revving your engine, pulling wheelies, texting… you know what I mean.
Get a GPS and download some POIs
Radar detectors are unreliable and hard to use while riding. But if you have a GPS, downloading some traffic stop Points of Interest (POIs) is a great alternative. These indicate where people have been pulled over in the past. Because like everyone else, police officers are creatures of habit.
Make sure your bike is legal
Improperly mounted licence plates and stupid-loud exhausts will give the police an excuse to pull you over. Plus, it makes a bad first impression.
Get out of town
If you’re itching for a spirited ride, head to the countryside to find some wide open roads. There will be fewer cops, and the speed limits won’t change as often, which makes them easier to keep track of.
Copyright Attribution: peterfactors / Shutterstock.com
How to Avoid Getting a Ticket
Way to go Road Runner, you’ve got yourself pinched anyway. So, now that you’re sitting on your hands with red and blue in your mirrors, how can you cut your losses? Again, 10 tips:
Pull over slowly
When you see the lights flare up, it’s hard not to panic. But try to resist slamming on the brakes and skidding sideways onto the nearest gravel shoulder. Just slow down, flick the turn signal to let the officer know you’re pulling over, and wait for a wide, safe place to do so. If it takes a few minutes to find a good spot, that's totally fine.
Assume the position
Police officers want to know that you’re not going to pull a runner - or worse - a gun. Of course you're an upstanding citizen who walks old ladies across the street and cuddles puppies, but they don't know that!
So, put the officer at ease by assuming the position: turn the motorcycle off, remove your helmet, sit still and keep your hands out of your pockets. I normally put my palms on the tank, where they are visible and non-threatening.
Have your documents
Don’t start rummaging for them until the officer asks you to. But when they do, you’d better have your license and insurance papers with you.
Be honest
The first thing you’re going to hear will probably be “Do you know why I pulled you over?” or “Do you know how fast you were going?”
Pretending that you weren't speeding makes you look like a liar. Likewise, saying you don’t know how fast you were going makes you look stupid. The best thing to say is something like, “I was going around 80km/h, but I’m afraid I didn't notice what the speed limit was on this road. Sorry.”
Of course, if you legitimately don't know why you've been pulled over, I wouldn't admit to anything.
Wear safety gear
Cops like to see riders wearing the appropriate gear. It shows that you take motorcycling – and its risks – seriously. And since you obviously care about your own safety, you probably care about the safety of other motorists too. When police officers realize this, they’ll be less likely to think that your behavior needs correcting.
Don’t suck up
Paying weird compliments, showing some skin, or stuffing a twenty into the proof of insurance will only prove your guilt. And lack of character. And, it’s kind of illegal. So unless you want a ride in the back of a squad car, don’t try it.
Don’t cry
If it happens, it happens. But trying to fake some tears – or desperately and profusely apologizing – only makes you look phony. Say that you’re sorry (once), and remain cool and collected.
Don’t run
They already have your licence plate and – if they don’t – a good description of your motorcycle and location is often enough to track you down. And when they do, it will be handcuffs rather than a small fine.
Besides, remember what we said about speed traps? If you’re caught in one, there’s probably another up ahead. So be a proper man or woman, and accept your punishment.
Don’t argue
If you make the police officer’s job hard, they’re going to make it doubly hard on you. Even if you’re outraged at some injustice, you still want to be as polite and unmemorable as possible.
Then, when you go to challenge the ticket, defer your court date for as long as possible. This way, the cop may not remember enough to warrant upholding the ticket. Plus, there’s always a chance that the officer won’t be able to show up and – hence – you might automatically win.
Drive away slowly
If the last nine tips didn't work, and you got a ticket anyway, there was probably nothing you could do about it. And hey – sometimes we deserve a slap on the wrist! So don’t go peeling off in some foolhardy attempt at defiance. Just turn on your signal, and pull calmly into traffic.
With these steps, you should make life easier for yourself and for our police officers. Of course you want to avoid the ticket, but there's something more important at stake here! That is, you want to be a good ambassador for the motorcycling community as a whole. We could use more of those!
And if you've got all that, check out this hilarious video of a motorcycle getting pulled over by a horse. See if you can tell what the rider did right , and what he did wrong !
If you have any tips or thoughts of your own, please share them below! We'd love to chat with you about any of these issues.