King, Pierce and Snohomish LEO motorcycle stops Jul 31 - Aug 16

Well seems to me, already inspecting, old news: https://pnwriders.com/posts/3230493/

 

I did not file a complaint because apparent to my rear view mirror view they were stopping 4-wheel type vehicles also.

Interesting how WA Traffic Safety will focus on the mechanical MC vehicle stuff as the accident causation but it would be more interesting statistical presentation; for example, how many crashes are just a result of vehicle drivers or MC riders control of their vehicles creating the crash by how they control of their mechanically reliable vehicles? How is the police powers going to test for the real cause of vehicle crashes---MC and 4-wheel people controlled?

What we need is, we can do it with the power of computers today, in-real-time all vehicle accident public available reporting; as a result, we all see the documented cause of every accident that occurs within the State of Washington investigation result reports; therefore the proper emphasis enforcement can be focused where it really should be focused---drivers or mechanical stuff of driven vehicles.

 

Let's take a look at what the data says about accidents and causations:

http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx

 

Damn, what happened Washington?! You are being profiled, singled out, and stopped without cause. Time to laminate your bill of rights and have it handy to show to the officer when you are stopped.

What's DOT compliant safety gear, aside from the helmet, board-shorts, Cons and a Corona t-shirt?

John did the stop resemble something like this but in color:

 

So I should fix my rear brake and chronic base gasket leak? maybe I'll just stick to the powerlines.

 

Boycott "Hinshaw’s Motorcycle Store" for supporting this BS.

 

On the Road
You don't have much left in the way of rights when you're on the road. In my opinion, the best you can do is to keep things on the level of an average citizen stopped for a minor traffic violation. It's pretty easy to do this, and all it takes is a little fore-thought.

First of all, keep your license, registration, and proof of insurance in an easily accessible place, such as attached to your sun visor. The less time it takes for you to get these, the less time the officer has to look through your windows while waiting. If you get pulled over, stay in the car, turn on the cab light if it's dark, roll down your window, keep your hands relaxed on the wheel (10-2 position) so the officer can see them, sit still, relax and wait for the officer to come to you. (sudden moves, ducking down, looking nervous, or appearing to be searching for something under your seat is just asking for trouble ... so, just sit up naturally, be still, and put the officer at ease). The point of all this is to demonstrate to the officer that you're an average ordinary citizen ready to be admonished for some small infraction, and that you're hoping for a warning rather than a citation, so be a little meek and humble. The idea is to get the cop to like you and to trust you, and maybe you won't even get a ticket! When interacting with the cop, be courteous and listen attentively. Be at ease, and talk to the person behind the badge.

The cop has the right to look in your car from the outside, so it's good practice to keep any questionable items put away while you're driving (ie, don't keep a half-smoked joint sitting in an open ashtray!).

If you're legally carrying a firearm, it's advisable to tell the officer (eg, "Officer, I have an unloaded pistol in my glove compartment. What would you like me to do?"). If this is the case, obey their orders, and make it clear to them that you're just a law-abiding citizen who's aware that San Diego is not as nice as it used to be.

If they ask you to get out of the car, it's strongly advisable to do so. Get out slowly in a calm, deliberate and reasonable manner, and follow the cop to see what it is they want to point out to you.

If all of the above goes well, then you'll at most get a ticket and will be free to drive away. This is what you want. The next part of this section is for those cases that don't turn out this nicely.

Like I said in the first line of this section, you don't have much left in the way of rights when you're on the road. Cops apparently have the right to "pat down" the interior of your car (driver's compartment, glove box, and underneath the seats) if they suspect that you're armed (and you haven't told them so). I know of no searches that have not been held up in the courts. They apparently can legally search closed containers in your car, and don't need a warrant to fully search your car if they have probable cause.

In my opinion, the best strategy is to maintain the role of "average citizen" but to be a little more indignant if they want to do a search, and to keep yourself legally covered. If they ask if they can search your car, tell them "No. I won't consent to a search of my car without a warrant." but as you say this, keep physically relaxed and keep your movements slow. Say it reasonably, as if they're trying to make a big deal out of nothing. When they ask why you're refusing their search, tell them "I've been advised by an attorney never to consent to a search." Give them a chance to back down gracefully, as if this were just a harmless misunderstanding on their part, easily forgiven.

If they proceed anyway with the search, after you've tried all the above, your last resort should be to say "If you search my car, without my consent or without a warrant, I will file Federal criminal charges against you for violating my civil rights under the color of law!" Say it and mean it. Now, you are a pissed off, but still peaceable, citizen who's about to be wronged. Yeah, it's a bluff, so you'd better say it like you mean business ... but remember to refrain from any kind of threatening posture! Be serious in intent, but cool and composed in bearing. It might work. If it doesn't, then remain silent, and watch them without getting in the way.

The more adventurous of you will go through this entire process even though you're not carrying any contraband! Why? To waste their time. We want to help them waste their time, money and resources in wild goose chases, and to lead them into dead ends. The more we can do that, the more worthless the Prohibition will appear.

 

Three rules that I stick to when talking to authority:
1. Don't incriminate yourself.
2. No sir/ma'am.
3. Yes sir/ma'am.

 

Profiling or not it's time to make sure everything on the bike is working and legal. No cameras on the helmet. No mirrored visors after dark. Make sure the foot touches down at stops.

Be straight up legal and don't give anyone probable cause to make a stop in the first place.

 

I should probably get my speedometer working again... Also, does anyone know if it is required to have a front fender in WA?

 

Is there something illegal about having a camera on your head? Or are you just saying it could draw attention? I often have my gopro on my bike or chest mount on the way to work.

 

This won't be just WA guys. This whole "Target Zero" thing is coming to the entire country. It started in Sweden and on the surface sounds great: reduce highway fatalities and injuries to zero. But the implications are widespread. In order to eliminate all deaths and injuries they will have to eliminate anything considered "dangerous", and this means motorcycles as an entirety. It will also mean a push for more public transit, and automated vehicles.

 

Here's a good read on this whole "Target Zero", "Vision Zero", or whatever "Zero" they choose to call it in your area.

http://www.hupy.com/news/safety-vs-freedom.cfm

 

Let's look at how our officer are trained by one NHTSA authority to become motorcycle knowledgeable:
http://www.abatega.org/documents/MC Safety and Enforcement Training Instructor Manual 2010.pdf

Then we have the motorcycle crash statistics current to year 2013:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812148.pdf

But were still missing years 2014 and 2015 FARS published data related to motorcycle accident and deaths.

Now let's wait till we get some actual motorcyclist rider's report about their specific "on and around motorcycles" illegal violations discovered and what happened to specific riders?

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Interested also since my front fender fairing broke off after leaving work the other day