Cops and sidecars

[trikebldr]

Date- sometime in the spring of 1985.
Motorcycle- 1983 Voyager 1300 with a Motorvation Spyder sidecar.
Scene- headed south on Myrtle Ave. in Arcadia, CA., turned right onto Live Oak.
Situation- decided to "float' the sidecar over the curb in the turn for fun, then kept it flying for a couple of blocks. A local Sheriff's deputy was parked under a tree eating his lunch and saw me flying the hack. He stopped me a couple of blocks down the street. He wouldn't talk to me at all except to ask for my license, etc. After sitting in his car for about 45 minutes he came back and handed me a ticket with the usual secret codes for the infraction. He still wouldn't talk to me until I told him he was wrong in reporting that I was northbound making a left turn. All he said was that I could challenge it in court.

Sheriff's deputies don't often get involved in minor traffic stops when there is a local police department.

So, the day of court comes and I had done my homework. The code he used pertained to pulling out into traffic from being parallel parked. The judge caught that immediately but asked him for his explanation. Then she asked me to speak, but cut me off when she recognized where I was going in explaining the false accusation. DAMN! I was all prepared to show her my diagrams and all the United Sidecar Association descriptions of how a sidecar affects a motorcycle's balance and handling.

She dismissed the ticket but then laid into him like the Tasmanian devil about going off half-cocked and writing bogus citations to waste everybody's time! it made it all worthwhile missing that day of work, and several people in the courtroom were enjoying it, too!

After we walked out, the officer asked me to explain how I could make the sidecar lift if I was making a RIGHT turn! He said "It just doesn't look safe!". Sheesh! It just goes to show that ignorance, and lack of common sense, can sure cause problems.

For those not familiar with driving a sidecar rig, it's no big deal to lift and fly the 'car once you get that "feel". Think of it this way, it's very much the same as if you loaded three or four bowling balls into just the right saddlebag. It will cause you to lean to the left to regain your balance. After a few minutes of practice you can fly the hack indefinitely. I once won a $100 bet that I could ride 20 miles without the sidecar's tire, or my feet, touching the ground. Stoplights were the hardest part of the bet.

Anybody else had a bogus citation on your bike, and beat it in court? An attorney once told me to at least verify the traffic code that they write down to be sure it matches the written description. Often they will intentionally give you an invisible "out" if you will simply verify the code (intentionally wrong!) and take the time to go to court. Better than racking up points and upping your insurance rates!

[n0nab]

"Sheesh! It just goes to show that ignorance, and lack of common sense, can sure cause problems."

Are you referring to the Deputy's ignorance/lack of common sense for using the wrong ordinance number or your ignorance/lack of common sense for reckless driving?

Just wondering.

[trikebldr]

Me-yow!

Deputy's!

If you've got no sidecar experience you can't understand how it's not reckless driving anymore than simply riding your two-wheeled bike with one saddlebag loaded more than the other!

[n0nab]

For those not familiar with driving a sidecar rig, it's no big deal to lift and fly the 'car once you get that "feel".

f you've got no sidecar experience you can't understand how it's not reckless driving.......

If you have no Law Enforcement experience, you can't understand that it is a very big deal to roll up on a fatality motorcycle accident because the driver "got the feel' and tried to do something with the bike that it was not designed to do, resulting in brains being splattered all over the road.

If my comments offended you, I opologize. But please understand that when you take a broad negative swipe at a particular profession you should expect a negative response. You may not realize that there are numerous AVA members that are current or retired LEO's.

Ride Safely.

[trikebldr]

when you take a broad negative swipe at a particular profession you should expect a negative response. You may not realize that there are numerous AVA members that are current or retired LEO's.

"...broad negative swipe..."? Where did I take a "..broad negative swipe..."? All I did was state the facts of the incident. Now, if you are a bit sensitive about other members of your profession that take their authority a bit too far on ignorant assumptions, casting a negative light on the rest, then that's your burden to deal with. But, when you try to shift that back on me, then it gets personal.

Maybe you should go have a talk with that fellow LEO about jumping the gun on a situation he was totally unprepared for. Even the judge felt he was in the wrong.

As for there being many retired, or even currently active, LEO's on this forum, so what? Am I supposed to guard my every word so as not to offend? Not going to happen.

I am sorry my comments offended you (but, not for making them!), sir, but that's just part of what comes with the job (every job). Everybody has something that will offend them, but most of us don't take it personal and then try to turn it back on the commentator.

I thought this was a nice, peaceful little forum for sharing experiences and knowledge with other cruisers, but if I have to watch what I share because it sheds a dark light on another's past profession, then you can keep it!

[n0nab]

Enough said. Sorry.

[Me Again]

I agree with nOnab
Being experienced enough to do that is a great thing ,but the street is not the place for it.
Doing wheelies down the interstate or riding on your front wheel takes practice and experience but it's still reckless to do it on the street.
Maybe you can bounce off a curb and drive your car down the street on 2 wheels .
You should have just got a ticket for reckless driving.

[debron]

Yes 'nough said. Don't make me lock this topic! The original post was an entertaining story about one motorcyclist's experience with one off-the-mark peace officer, both rare birds.