Fear of riding

[jf3000]

Because I keep seeing all this news about cops pulling over people on bikes, it now fears me when I am riding my bike what to do if I am pulled over.

Just finished reading this article
http://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/20723322/qlds-top-cop-apologises-to-motorcyclist/?cmp=fb

The video is here

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/qld-police-commissioner-ian-stewart-apologises-to-lawabiding-bikies/story-e6frg6nf-1226800630728

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=199103033623740

I would like to know when the group goes for a ride has anyone here been pulled over and questioned by the police and interrogated to the point of you feeling humiliated?

I love riding my bike, I have often passed police and given them the nod or even said hello and got a hello back and its been all good, I know many people complain about this sort of thing, but I wanted to know your thoughts on this and have the police pulled you over.

If I wear a leather jacket and grow a mo do I suddenly look like a bikie??

[Streak]

JF dont let this stuff put you off riding.

basically put, none of us have been affected by this (someone correct me if i am wrong).

you wont get pulled over unless you give the police a good reason to do so, while the thoughts on the laws are out there to debate (and we dont need to debate it here), good thing about the Honda ST is that our bike is not one that attracts the "attention" that some of the others do.

and we ride our bikes all over Queensland!

so don't hesitate, fuel the bike and go for a ride.....

[jf3000]

Cheers

[Couch]

I wouldn't worry one little bit mate, we don't wear patches and we certainly don't dress or look like bikies, and it's the bikies that they're after, not nice people like you and me.................well, like me anyway!!

[Gavo]

What about when i put my Ozstoc vest on over my jacket

[Couch]

Ever seen a bikie riding a Japanese bike Gavo?

[Wombat]

 
Gavo you should give up that FIFO work and take up shooting those Rat Bast......rds in redneck country Toodyay 
There should be a law for selfies 

 

[Cerebral Knievel]

JF -  unless your riding like an idiot or your bike is defective,you have nothing to worry about.
As an aside,Gavo is the spitting image of the dearly departed and much missed Mr Smith - former columnist from Two Wheels magazine & long time motorcycle journalist. 

[ruSTyEB]

I for one am sick to death of people who don't even ride whining about these laws.

Too much power....yes if power abused.
Abuse of power..... No,  bad guys are being arrested.
Blame the cops.....  Why,  they don't make the laws.

Do the right thing and nothing to worry about.   

[Wombattle]

If you get stopped, the Police ask you questions. You answer them. They do what they need to do if you've been bad. Then it's over. Where would the fear and/or humiliation come from? It's not scary being pulled over, it's not even humiliating if you got caught doing something wrong. It's just karma.

[bluehonda]

Can't you draw a comparison with Random Breath Testing. 
Drivers/riders don't get as upset when they are checked to see if they have been drinking and driving, and now in NSW it also includes driving whilst having drugs in your system.

[Lionel]

What saddens me about this whole sorry state of affairs is the apparent lack of understanding of the world of motorcycling riding.
I think we all get why these draconian laws were enacted. On a smaller and less serious scale in Canberra in 2005, at the Ulysses AGM, we had a taste of being under the boot of the Rebels motorcycle gang.
To me, what is annoyingly obvious is the lack of preparatory effort that has gone into the implementation of these laws.
I never thought I'd see the day when a police officer would ask a motorcyclist why he was wearing a leather jacket while riding on a hot day.
Perhaps this general ignorance of motorcycling partially explains why the Qld police commissioner made public certain admissions about his riding style. His public comments would be very quickly picked up by the general members of the police force. To me, its an unofficial way of telling his officers to exercise some discretion when dealing with motorcyclists.
And the police do have discretion in most of these matters. In a recent post on this forum I revealed I had set my cruise control on 118 in a 110 zone. A NSW highway patrol car came up beside me and the driver indicated I should slow down a bit. The officer could have just as easily given me a traffic violation. Instead he exercised his discretion and issued a warning (sucks to live in Victoria).
So don't let this legislation affect your motorcycling pleasure. Be polite and friendly if you are unfortunate enough to be pulled over. Use the opportunity to introduce some motorcycling "education" into the conversation.
Rant over

[Wild Rose]

So don't let this legislation affect your motorcycling pleasure. Be polite and friendly if you are unfortunate enough to be pulled over. Use the opportunity to introduce some motorcycling "education" into the conversation.

Well said 

[Streak]

So don't let this legislation affect your motorcycling pleasure. Be polite and friendly if you are unfortunate enough to be pulled over. Use the opportunity to introduce some motorcycling "education" into the conversation.

Well said 

I second that motion 

[Rodd]

...I never thought I'd see the day when a police officer would ask a motorcyclist why he was wearing a leather jacket while riding on a hot day...

Just in reference to the jacket/vest question.

I often notice on the U.S. Police reality shows where the Police keep asking the suspect lot's of questions.. some questions the officer obviously already knows the answer to.. to me.. they are trying to get the suspect to trip up (leading to more direct questioning), or to admit to the offence (or at least parts of the offence) to save the officer some work or possibly make it harder for the offender to lie his way out of court.

When I saw the video of the guy at the service station the officer first asked what meaning the jacket had for him (listen to the video again!).. and he said that he didn't understand the question. She made the mistake of saying that it was a hot day to be wearing a leather vest (or jacket.. but it was a vest).. possibly in the hope that he would explain that the jacket does have meaning to him..  the problem arises when the guy in the video records vision of the Police (in detail, but with no vision of him or his body language/attitude) and it gets promoted over social media and the Police not in a position (or willing) to explain some of the tricks of their trade.

Now, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't wear a vest for protection (unless it was a high viz), leather or not.. I wear a jacket because it also protects the arms (including protection from the sun).. my summer jacket is surprisingly cool while it has even a breeze going through it. You don't NEED to wear a leather jacket for protection but you can choose it if that's what your heart desires.. but a vest?

You don't see his vest, but you can assume that it has patches on it. Again, if your heart desires.. the vest obviously has meaning to him other than for protection..
The guy rides a bike that says 'look at me', and the riding gear that says 'look at me'.. there is more to it.

Again, I could be wrong but that's the way I took it when I saw it.

[Rodd]

With the event of the Townsville Police finding photos of Police Officers in uniform and near their homes, etc.. the state Police Union guy said that he would like it to be an offence for people to have this type of information on officers.. the video of the guy at the servo also shows the faces and names of the officers clearly.. the names and rank, etc..ok.. I'm not sure their faces is necessary.. especially if they haven't broken the law.. but imagine the uproar if it became illegal to film Police officers..

[bluehonda]

Trying to get the suspect to "trip up"

This is simply the Police making further enquiries or gathering evidence.
Somebody who has something to hide would describe the actions  of the Police as trying to get them to "trip up".
 

[Roadrunner]

JF One can debate the recent bikie laws and the powers of thee police ad infinitum. BUT BRO when the man pulls you over, believe me in 99.9 percent of the time, the way you are treated will come down to  ONE THING. Your passing the ATTITUDE TEST. ie your attitude.
Be polite and respectful and you will most times receive the same in return. So just go out there and enjoy the ride.

[ppopeye]

JF One can debate the recent bikie laws and the powers of thee police ad infinitum. BUT BRO when the man pulls you over, believe me in 99.9 percent of the time, the way you are treated will come down to  ONE THING. Your passing the ATTITUDE TEST. ie your attitude.
Be polite and respectful and you will most times receive the same in return. So just go out there and enjoy the ride.

I agree.The attitude test will go a long way unless you have totally overstepped the rules.

ppopeye