• You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will see less advertisements, have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

I got pulled over tonight.....

Buellxb Forum

Help Support Buellxb Forum:

R

ReconLdr

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
470
Even though it was a little chilly this morning, I took my bike to work. I was on my way home and saw a NJ State trooper coming towards me from the other direction. I checked my speed, according to my speedo I was about 3 mph over. He whipped around and lit me up.....

Him - License and Registration please....

Me - It's under my seat so I have to get off the bike to get it....

Him - Go ahead...

Me - [handing him my papers] here you go

Him - Do you know why I stopped you?

Me - I'm guessing because you wanted a closer look at my bike because I wasn't doing anything besides riding..... (attempted humor)

Him - Not quite.... You have a head light out. Your left head light to be specific

Me - The left light isn't supposed to be on.... the right bulb is my low beam and the left one is my Hi beam....

Him - What????

Me - Yes.... go around the front and I'll show you.

Him - Is that factory???

Me - Every other Buell XB I've seen is exactly like that so yeah, I believe it is....

Him - [handing me back my papers] You have a nice day and ride safe.

Me - Thanks

Anyone else ever have a LEO pull you over for a "head light out?"
 
Always been worried it could happen..tons of people tell me mines out. Glad he was so chill about it tho!
 
I ride with both on by switching the wires in the plug because i got sick of the comments.
 
you showed him:D ...haven't been pulled over for that, yet...but did get pulled over to be told my tail light was out, he let me go since I was headed to work and said get that taken care of asap, thumbs up to him for not giving me a ticket
 
I just put the switch in the middle and both lights turn on. Seems to be a lot easier than taking my headlight assembly apart.
 
a while after I first got my bike I was leaving the house and I passed my dad on the road. He called me later and said i had a headlight out. I laughed knowing what a silly mistake he made, but wouldn't accept my answer, so i had to prove it to him when i got home. The worst part was is that i really did have a headlight out :(
 
Well... The worst thing I've ever been pulled over for as far as nonsense goes was for an illegally "tinted" windscreen on my 954rr... As in it was "tinted" too dark... I thought it was a joke until I was signing my name on the dotted line... =/

I even went as far as to try and sit on the bike to show him it's not meant to be looked through while you're riding... It's only real purpose is to deflect wind.. But he was dead set on writing me a ticket and even threatened to tow my bike when I tried to explain it's purpose and function... The ticket was dismissed in court and the judge and prosecutor got a small laugh from it when I explained it in court... But talk about an asshole cop...

I've also been pulled over for having a "headlight out" before.... But it went about the same way as your conversation did Recon...
 
recon: being a retired PA. state police detective i can assure you of 2 things: one is that the policeman that stopped you is not a "motorcycle guy". and two is that he had best intentions. meaning that he has probably personally seen some of the carnage in NJ caused by the maniac cagers they have in that state. i suspect he just wanted to give you a heads-up that you could be more visible with both headlights functional, not knowing alot of modern bikes only run 1 headlight at a time. and i'm betting he didn't even look at the rest of your bike during this brief encounter. his intentions were your safety and THAT is highly commendable.
 
recon: being a retired PA. state police detective i can assure you of 2 things: one is that the policeman that stopped you is not a "motorcycle guy". and two is that he had best intentions. meaning that he has probably personally seen some of the carnage in NJ caused by the maniac cagers they have in that state. i suspect he just wanted to give you a heads-up that you could be more visible with both headlights functional, not knowing alot of modern bikes only run 1 headlight at a time. and i'm betting he didn't even look at the rest of your bike during this brief encounter. his intentions were your safety and THAT is highly commendable.
Click to expand...

I hope my post didn't come off as "cop bashing", as that wasn't my intent. My actual intent was to show off my awesome sense of humor ie:

Him - Do you know why I stopped you?

Me - I'm guessing because you wanted a closer look at my bike because I wasn't doing anything besides riding..... (attempted humor)
Click to expand...

I'm quick to praise and admonish all persons of authority when situations warrant.... this situation was neither worthy of praise nor admonishment.
 
I try my best not to judge cops as a whole because of only one's actions in any situation... I've had cool cops that wrote me tickets and even gave advice on what to say to get out of it and I've had Douchebag cops pull me over, lecture me like a kid for having a taillight out, and write me a ticket for something stupid... Cops are people too, they're all different...
 
I was pulled over a couple years back while riding my father's 1125CR and the (motorcycle) cop talked about how badass the new buells were the entire time he was writing my ticket. I thought he was gonna let me go because after he pulled me over, we talked a lot about the (then new) bike. Turns out he was just filling the silence while writing me up. Luckily he didn't hit me with the actual speed. Just wrote me up for following too closely.
 
Haha, I have been pulled over for some ridiculous things before but not that (yet). 

Not sure how citizen's rights & the law work in the USA, but in Canada usually the cop who pulls you over for some silly reason like your headlight is actually interested in checking for impairment, warrants, concealed weapons, or other things that they would otherwise require some probable cause to check.

In my younger days, I found I got hassled by cops on my bike a lot more. In retrospect, it was probably 1/3 my perception, 1/3 my attitude, & 1/3 the cop trying to save a young guy from himself! Not saying you did anything wrong Recon (not even assuming you are young for that matter), but I have found now, especially since turning 40 that my interactions with most cops is much more positive. I have also come to know several cops personally and would tend to agree with lunatic that they usually have the very best intentions.

A few tips I have learned to make life easier for yourself when pulled over:
- shut the bike off and put down sidestand
- remove helmet & sunglasses
- stay on the bike unless requested to get off by the cop
- ask for permission to access your papers (nice work doing this Recon)
- don't cook-up silly excuses for your alleged infraction (cops have heard it all before)
- give simple, concise, straight-forward answers, and don't give more information than asked for
- save it for the judge! once it's clear you are getting a ticket, don't give away your defense to the cop! shut your mouth, be anonymous as possible, and don't give the cop any cues to remember you or the situation in court.
 
i alway ride with both light on. i belive the firebolt is factory that way. that what the manual says any way. i only turn my bright off is when im meeting a car at night.
 
Not sure how citizen's rights & the law work in the USA, but in Canada usually the cop who pulls you over for some silly reason like your headlight is actually interested in checking for impairment, warrants, concealed weapons, or other things that they would otherwise require some probable cause to check.
Click to expand...

If this would've happenend in my home state (Pa) I probably would've had a concealed weapon (not illegal) on me...but I get what you're saying. As to your above statement, I call that "fishing" for a violation and that I have issue with. I'm not saying I think people should ride around drunk or with open warrants.... only that using any bullshit excuse he/she can think of to pull over a motorist just to look for other things is an abuse of power.



In my younger days, I found I got hassled by cops on my bike a lot more. In retrospect, it was probably 1/3 my perception, 1/3 my attitude, & 1/3 the cop trying to save a young guy from himself! Not saying you did anything wrong Recon (not even assuming you are young for that matter), but I have found now, especially since turning 40 that my interactions with most cops is much more positive. I have also come to know several cops personally and would tend to agree with lunatic that they usually have the very best intentions.
Click to expand...

I think the cop was surprised to find out I'm an older guy (42) riding a sport bike. He seemed to be more than a little shocked when I flipped up my chin bar (modular helmet) and he saw the grey in my beard.....

I will disagree that cops "Usually have the very best intentions." Especially when it comes to motorcycles and guns.... god forbid you are carrying and riding a motorcycle at the same time. (I could elaborate but that would detract from this thread.)

For the record, I don't have an issue with how this encounter turned out or the fact that I was pulled over because the cop thought there was a problem with my bike. I shared the story because:

1) The officer who pulled me over was professional and as soon as he figured out he was wrong, the encounter ended.... exactly as it should have.

2) I thought it would be the "Right thing to do." by informing the Buell community that LEOs could mistakenly think there was an issue with our bikes and pull them over.
 

Similar threads

D
Hello. Been riding Buell for years. Figured I’d join the Forum.
Replies
2
Views
6K
Cooter
Cooter
N
Newbie Electrical Problem
Replies
7
Views
15K
Cooter
Cooter
K
XB12S Lightening - 'Hiding Gremliin!'
Replies
11
Views
11K
xeeta
X
M
I love these bikes!
Replies
1
Views
3K
Bueller-Bueller?
B
M
Side stand
Replies
6
Views
9K
Pushr0d
P

Latest posts

Back
Top