Got Pulled Over on my Bicyle...

This isn't exactly a rant...
I actually found the situation pretty hilarious.
I also want it clear that most of the cops I've met or dealt with in my area are pretty good folks.

That said, the other night, I was heading home from work at around midnight.
It had been a beautiful day, so I'd decided to ride my bike to work.

As I'm heading home, I'm more than halfway there when a cop car slows down and starts to follow me.
The lights flash and I just kind of... well. I'm already on the side of the road.
So, I couldn't exactly pull over,but I do stop.

The lady gets out of her car and starts asking me what I'm doing out so late, where am I going, where am I coming form, ect.

I explain I'm heading home from work. And, that home is about half a mile straight ahead.

Just so y'all can get a decent idea of the situation, I was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, unbuttoned, with a Twisted undershirt. I had on a short brim fedora, and had my karate backpack on.
My average cruising speed is around 20 mph, and I was traveling on a sidewalk.

I figured she'd pulled me over 'cause the bike didn't have a back light, since I was borrowing it, or I wasn't wearing a helmet (hat hair doesn't count, as I've found out.)
Or even my pace on the sidewalk.

But no. According to her, it's always been policy to stop people on bikes at midnight.

I've been riding my bike home for about two, three years at that time of night. Most interaction I ever got was a wave or a nod.

Gave her my license, waited for her to run it, then went home from there.
Next day, spoke with Mr. Bill, an officer I know, about the policy, he hadn't heard of it.
I wouldn't have been ticked off about it if she'd pulled me for not having a helmet, or a back light, or even the speed I was traveling.
Even something clever would have been fine.
But something that stupid? Yeesh.

I've been pulled over walking before, so I can relate to how retarded it can be when an officer does something like this, hard not to laugh directly at them really considering the circumstances.

either she liked wielding her power of authority,or she liked the way your butt looked on that seat..who knows?
my son gets the same bs treatment here coming home from work at 2am.

Well, that's really strange! I mean, I understand why you were riding on the sidewalk, and also understand that the officer mightn't have liked that, but just as a matter of course because of the time?? Were there a rash of burglaries in your area thought to be using a bike for a getaway vehicle?

We have a tandem trike; we got stopped one night because of our back light. It's a battery light, but has three patterns you can set -- steady, blinkng, or an ambulance pattern, where it flashes on the outside, then flashes in. Apparently that was thought to be bad form to use that particular pattern. Couldn't write a ticket for it, but was advised to use another pattern. Thought for a second I was going to get a ticket for ........... wait for it........ excessive flashing

I would not have complied with any of her orders. She would not have received my license or anything. I would have made her call a superior to the scene to explain the cause for the stop.

Originally posted by AccessDenied
either she liked wielding her power of authority,or she liked the way your butt looked on that seat..who knows?

I'ld say it was the butt. She slowed down to check it out, stopped you, then did a license check to verify your age.

I got that once from a Larimer County Sheriff coming home from work about 3AM.

he asked for my ID and I handed him my passport which had my social security card in it.

He asked me repeatedly for a state ID and kept asking me what my social was.

I responded "If you have an issue with a passport, please take it up with the State Department, if it is good enough of an ID for the world it should be good enough for you."

And then the next time he asked what my social security number was I replied "I have already told you what it is, if you cannot remember it even while you are looking at my card, I would suggest that you please make an appointment with a doctor, there may be an underlying medical issue."

At that point he started getting huffy with me, which I replied.

"Officer, please return my effects immediately this conversation is over."

The officer told me that he had been informed that there were a lot of break ins around the area I was in.

I replied "Perhaps then you should be looking for a person breaking into these places and not someone coming home from work. Good day officer." and left.

reply to post by RuneSpider


I think you were pulled over because many burglars use bikes to get away after a "job". Let's face it, someone riding a bicycle after midnight is suspicious looking, so the police officer had a valid reason to pull you over. It may seem silly, but you would be surprised at how many burglars they catch that way.

reply to post by whatukno


Being rude to a police officer is not a wise idea, especially at night. I am surprised he did not haul you in on a charge of resisting arrest (or any other made up charge). Always be courteous to them as you do not know what kind of day they had and the type of idiots they deal with all day.

Originally posted by kidflash2008
reply to post by RuneSpider

 

I think you were pulled over because many burglars use bikes to get away after a "job". Let's face it, someone riding a bicycle after midnight is suspicious looking, so the police officer had a valid reason to pull you over. It may seem silly, but you would be surprised at how many burglars they catch that way.

It may be suspicious, but to those without a car and getting home after midnight, using a bike is the best way when buses, public travel are not running right?

reply to post by kidflash2008


The advantage of growing up in a small town where you know most of the police force on a first name basis.

It gives you a little leeway when dealing with new officers that don't know who you are. I would have never been stopped by any local officer unless they were offering me a ride home.

[edit on 5/21/2009 by whatukno]

It is still pretty funny being pulled over for riding on a bike. If that ever happened to me the first thing I would have to ask the officer if I was going too fast, lol. But I do see cops pulling over people on bicycles when they are riding their bike basically in the middle of the street and refuse to move to the right or on the side walk.

I remember someone who not only got pulled over but was also given a speeding ticket for exceeding the speed limit on a bicycle.

As far as stopping to identify someone riding a bicycle around at midnight, in many places I believe that would be suspicious activity and the police would want to check it out. I've seen (just by chance) a group of kids roaming a neighborhood I once lived in at about midnight. They didn't live there. I would have forgotten about it but it was so suspicious I was watching and waiting for them to leave. Suddenly I heard the sound of someone trying to break some glass. They had stopped at my sisters car parked on the street and were trying to break the window. I'm not sure with what. I turned on the outside light and they took off. I called the police and they asked if I could identify who did it but there were many and they were too far away and it was too dark. There was a streetlight. The police stopped them on another street and took their names.

In many places, people riding bicycles around during the middle of the night are suspicious. However I know some people need different forms of transportation. If I was stopped, I would just be happy the police didn't harass me any more than that. I have been harassed a bit. She could have said something like one officer said to me. For example "I smell alcohol on your bicycle!" "Have you been drinking?"

On the other hand I have been stopped a couple of times by females when I used to go bicycling. They were not the police though.

Yeah that happens here too .

They check helmets and stuff and i know a few people that have copped tickets for DUI on a bicycle .





[edit on 22/5/2009 by Omega85]

Being rude to a police officer is not a wise idea, especially at night. I am surprised he did not haul you in on a charge of resisting arrest (or any other made up charge). Always be courteous to them as you do not know what kind of day they had and the type of idiots they deal with all day.

Sound advice...and there are ways to discuss a difference of opinion without ticking off the officer...

Funny thing, I don't think their computer systems are set up to run passports, so if you provide it as your id, they kind of have to accept it, but really can't do much but note it...

Back when I was 12yrs. old, my parents evidently lost their minds and gave me a racing go-kart.

Needless to say, i wasted no time in exploring the full range of performance characteristics that this "speed merchant's chariot" possessed and there soon came a day I was making a lap around my improvised "neighborhood grand prix track" and found myself face to face with "The MAN" :shk:

After he whipped around in pursuit, I quickly capitulated and found myself being pulled over by a MS Highway Patrolman. He had clocked me rippin' along at 73mph. in a 35mph zone!

He was quite upset and made me drive to my home while he followed closely behind(his blue lights continuously raging for all neighbors to behold) and verbally lashed my parents for a while, even threatening to arrest one of them if they did not confine me to a proper "track" with my wicked toy!

reply to post by Gazrok


I work tech support, I'm of the mind that they do much the same job in terms of customer care, only instead of being on the phone, they interact with them directly.
And thy can't just push mute and insult an idiot.

@Snisha -
Can't say i blame the officer, that would definitely fall under child endangerment... though it's a pretty sweet story to, what happened to the Go Kart?

reply to post by RuneSpider


Yeah, I don't blame the officer in the least bit!

As far as the fate of the kart, a few months after that incident I blew the engine on a high speed run after removing the governor. Needless to say, my parents did not have it repaired!

Seriously, file a complaint with the PD!

If they don't have an official policy on it, then she lied to you.


And it WOULD be a great idea to get a light. I have two lights on my saddle bag, one on the back of my helmet, two handle bar-end tail lights...and a HID head light and an LED headlight as backup. Also have reflecting tape on the heels of my shoes, and always wear a neon green, reflective vest.

Riding at night is dangerous (I love it, it's so peaceful) but you really gotta make yourself be seen, so you don't get hit by any of the crazies out there!

reply to post by please_takemyrights


My bike does have a back light, and I make sure to wear light shirts when I'm out at night.

However, my bike had a flat, so I borrowed my dad's.

Not knowing who the lady was, I can't place a complaint. I described her to Mr. Bill, but he wasn't familiar with her.

I'm planning on getting on my bike much more this summer, so I'm going to keep an eye out for her.