Motorman587 facts

[motorman587]

I was thinking what I have done in the motor unit in the last 16 years.

1 KZ1000, 1 Harley and 3 BMWs. Rode the KZ for 2 years. The Harley for 5 years, BMW 1100 for a 1, 1150 for 5, and the 1200 for 3.

 

2 crashes, both the car failed my right of way. Likely I walked away on both. Both on BMWs

 

I averaged about between 10k a year, so 160k totally in the city streets.

 

 

Was towed once, on a BMW. The alternator belt broke, which I believe was due to heat in Florida. I use to let that motor idle while I wrote the ticket.

[johnlt]

Two crashes with autos and you walked away on both. Yes sir, you're a lucky man. I'd say that's a pretty outstanding record John. Congrats on a great moto career.

[BFish]

hell, i wouldn't want to run into you

[upflying]

Hmm, about 6 bikes over the trice interrupted span of 20 years. KZ100P, FXRTP, FLHP, FLHPi. No BMW's. Like you, maybe 100,000 mi all on congested suburban roads. No impacts with cars but one drop to avoid a red lighter.

A couple of tows, all on the HD's. The base gasket on the Evo motor blows when riding above 100 mph and the primary chain tensioner/guide broke on another occasion. The Twin Cam motors are bullet proof.

Best bike? The 1991 HD FXRTP!!! Fast, handled and braked. Best fairing in the business.

One fact you forgot to mention and perhaps more ominous. How many stubs have you issued?

I surmise I issued "10 a day, keeps the sergeant away".

10 years, 52 weeks a year, 4 days a week...2080 tickets a year or 20,800 tickets, total career.

[TampaJim]

John, were your crashes during pursuits (with lights flashing, etc.) or general patrol ? Hard to believe anybody would be stupid enough to pull out in front of a cop.

 

 

[CopsRT]

I have been driving squad cars (Black and White) for 31 years. Just about every week I have at least one person pull out in front of me or have some form of Fail to Yeild/DWHUA (Driving With Head Up Ass) incident. It does not seem to matter if I have been just patrolling or responding with lights and siren. I think that all of us who drive some form of emergency vehicle have over the years found how aware of our surroundings we have become. You almost have to assume that you are completely invisible and that some one is going to do something stupid because they are not paying attention or distracted.

[OoPEZoO]

John, were your crashes during pursuits (with lights flashing, etc.) or general patrol ? Hard to believe anybody would be stupid enough to pull out in front of a cop.

 

 

I have pics at home from last year when some local idiot turned left in front of a full size bright yellow/green fire truck without seeing it. It was responding to a call with all of its lights and sirens going full blast, including one of those crazy spinning strobe thingies on the front. I have no faith in ANYONE behind the wheel......doesn't matter if I'm riding or driving, some people are just oblivious

[OoPEZoO]

You almost have to assume that you are completely invisible

 

+1

 

Best riding/driving advise my old man ever gave me. "Pretend everyone is a blind idiot." So far I've been lucky, the only accident I've been in was when I was rear ended by a police car.......while I was driving a bright red Isuzu Rodeo. Guess it rings true for everyone

[Dick Rothermel]

I was thinking what I have done in the motor unit in the last 16 years.

1 KZ1000, 1 Harley and 3 BMWs. Rode the KZ for 2 years. The Harley for 5 years, BMW 1100 for a 1, 1150 for 5, and the 1200 for 3.

 

2 crashes, both the car failed my right of way. Likely I walked away on both. Both on BMWs

 

I averaged about between 10k a year, so 160k totally in the city streets.

 

 

Was towed once, on a BMW. The alternator belt broke, which I believe was due to heat in Florida. I use to let that motor idle while I wrote the ticket.

 

 

A stellar record John! I've done 310,000 documented BMW miles since 99 and with the exception of an eight point buck at 75 MPH, I would be incident free......knocking on wood! Dick

[tallman]

John, were your crashes during pursuits (with lights flashing, etc.) or general patrol ? Hard to believe anybody would be stupid enough to pull out in front of a cop.

 

 

He can answer that, but I know that when test riding them after a service, there were plenty of folks who didn't "see" the bike, let alone fact that it was a LEO vehicle.

But, when they did, open a can of stupid driver tricks.

[T__]

John, now the important question!—How many tickets given in that time period?

 

 

Twisty

 

[Mister Tee]

>10 years, 52 weeks a year, 4 days a week...2080 tickets a year or 20,800 tickets, total career.

 

Mental note to self - do not ride in front of Upflying

 

[upflying]

John, were your crashes during pursuits (with lights flashing, etc.) or general patrol ? Hard to believe anybody would be stupid enough to pull out in front of a cop.

 

IIRC, John actually posted one of his crashes here..photos included.

Was about a year ago if someone knows how to search better than I do.

I forgot to mention, someone intentionally ran me down on my motor. I was dragged under the car for a bit but the HD sacrified itself to save me.

The driver went to prison.

[Paul In Australia]

Hi Bob

The anal accountant is coming out in me. if you averaged say $200 per ticket. that makes a little over $4.1 mill in 10 years revenue. or average $410k per year. Considering salary, 401K, bike costs, insurance etc. They haven't made much money out of you mate. Just shows another side to the "revenue hunting only" philosphy. All I can say is, there is no way you could pay me enough to risk my life walking up to a car with a unknown nutter in it with a gun and stupid enough to use it. Thanks mate for looking after all of us for so many years.

best regards

Paul

[Nice n Easy Rider]

Hi Bob

The anal accountant is coming out in me. if you averaged say $200 per ticket. that makes a little over $4.1 mill in 10 years revenue. or average $410k per year. Considering salary, 401K, bike costs, insurance etc. They haven't made much money out of you mate. Just shows another side to the "revenue hunting only" philosphy. All I can say is, there is no way you could pay me enough to risk my life walking up to a car with a unknown nutter in it with a gun and stupid enough to use it. Thanks mate for looking after all of us for so many years.

best regards

Paul

Paul,

If you think that at $410 K per year they aren't making money then they must pay your LEOs a lot more than ours. I think that the most underpaid professions I know in the US are LEOs and firefighters, teachers, and nurses and EMTs.

[motorman587]

John, were your crashes during pursuits (with lights flashing, etc.) or general patrol ? Hard to believe anybody would be stupid enough to pull out in front of a cop.

 

 

Believe it or not, never taken out in a pursuit or an escort. The first one was at a football game and I was lane splitting. Somebody left a gap, stopped traffic for the car to pull out in front of me. The car made a left turn. The other one was a car pulling out of parking lot left turn. Cars making a left turn scare me.

[motorman587]

John, now the important question!—How many tickets given in that time period?

 

 

Twisty

 

I wrote about a 1000 last year. In my unit I was also a traffic homicide investigator. So I worked about 30 traffic fatalities, 100 serious injury crashes and 30 police car crashes, in 16 years. So are unit just not always write tickets, they are investigate serious car crashes. I was also the lead motor instructor, so I had to keep track of 9 motor unit training/training log etc...........

[Skywagon]

OK...Let's start with this is supposed to be funny. You should know from prior post's I have a great deal of respect and admiration for LEO's.... so.....10 years, 52 weeks a year, 4 days a week...2080 tickets a year or 20,800 tickets, total career = 2080 days

 

2080 days = 8320 Donuts, 49920 oz of Coffee,

 

 

[BailyD]

What size cup of coffee are you using? There is a sliding scale that shows the longer you are in police work, the larger the coffee cups. 1-5 years 10-12 oz.....5-10 years 12-16 oz.....10-20+ years 16 to....god knows what size! : )

 

[Boone60]

What size cup of coffee are you using? There is a sliding scale that shows the longer you are in police work, the larger the coffee cups. 1-5 years 10-12 oz.....5-10 years 12-16 oz.....10-20+ years 16 to....god knows what size! : )

 

The Bubba Keg - 52 ounce mug. The Sgt on the unit I work walked past with one of these the other day. Told him he was going to sieze up if he kept that up.

 

[upflying]

Most if not all California cops stay away from donut shops due to the stigma, humor and stereotyping attached to it. Now its upscale coffee houses like Starbucks and Peets. Scones and bagels have replaced donuts.

[BailyD]

no matter what you are eating, it's almost impossible to get away from the stereotypes.

 

someone gave me off handed remark one time while waiting in line to pay (HAD to pick up coffee for senior staff officers before beginning my shift and I wasn't even drinking coffee).

 

asked them if they could run the mile and 1/2 in the 8:29 I recently did it in? "no" was their answer. i then said i could eat or drink what i wanted to!

 

i was MUCH younger then : (

[motorman587]

What size cup of coffee are you using? There is a sliding scale that shows the longer you are in police work, the larger the coffee cups. 1-5 years 10-12 oz.....5-10 years 12-16 oz.....10-20+ years 16 to....god knows what size! : )

I do not see the humor in this...........jk, and I am the motorman of the 2000 and it was begals. Now coffee, and Starbucks...........yes Sir!!!

[upflying]

What size cup of coffee are you using? There is a sliding scale that shows the longer you are in police work, the larger the coffee cups. 1-5 years 10-12 oz.....5-10 years 12-16 oz.....10-20+ years 16 to....god knows what size! : )

Two factors also determine the size of a LEO's coffee cup.

1.The size of the cup grows exponentially when the officer is on the dog-watch or graveyard shift.

2. Consuming a large cup of coffee will be followed by a call of a barricaded suspect requiring hours of perimeter containment. Containment of said officer's bladder will be excruciating.

[ka5ysy]

...I've done 310,000 documented BMW miles since 99 and with the exception of an eight point buck at 75 MPH, I would be incident free......knocking on wood! Dick

 

 

Hmmmm.... a shotgun would be a cheaper way to hunt deer !

 

You did get the rack I hope ?

[ka5ysy]

What size cup of coffee are you using? There is a sliding scale that shows the longer you are in police work, the larger the coffee cups. 1-5 years 10-12 oz.....5-10 years 12-16 oz.....10-20+ years 16 to....god knows what size! : )

Two factors also determine the size of a LEO's coffee cup.

1.The size of the cup grows exponentially when the officer is on the dog-watch or graveyard shift.

2. Consuming a large cup of coffee will be followed by a call of a barricaded suspect requiring hours of perimeter containment. Containment of said officer's bladder will be excruciating.

 

 

My partner and I once sank the patrol boat in Lake Ponchartrain on top of a sunk aircraft we located. (Hell of a way to mark a target!) The first things out of the boat when the Coast Guard guys pulled it in were:

 

1: Coffee Cups and Thermos bottles (coffee still hot after 24 hours)

 

2. The guns aboard.

 

You gotta get the priorities right !

 

 

(No, we were not at fault. The stupid boat had an electrical failure and the scuppers drained into the bilge. No pumps = sunk. Plus it had no required foam flotation which interested the Coast Guard MSO people a lot.) Made for an interesting accident review board meeting !