Names changed to protect the guilty

[Witch_Doctor]

I was on a midnight ride the other evening as I often do. I made a little 90 mile ride up and back on the interstate. Well, I got a bit mischievious, a few miles from my home exit. The interstate was unusually desolate, or so I thought, and I was coming into a stretch of interstate that had a heavily wooded center section. Since I bought my new to me 2000 R1100R a few months ago I hadn't really romped on the throttle. Admittedly I know what they are capable of since this is my second R1100R, so I am cruising at 80mph, and started to play, 90, 100, 110, and the bike was running like a sewing machine. Well I come out of the stretch, roll off the throttle back to 80mph, and make my exit, quite impresed with the bike, and a big grin on my face.

 

Well as I am traveling up the state highway to my house, doing a couple miles over the speed limit, not far from the turn to my city, and about 10 miles from the Interstate; I notice a car coming up behind me. I wasn't suprised, as it wasn't flying, but a few minutes later it happened. A pretty light show and a siren blip. Well I pull over over and its a LEO. He was very casual, we spoke for a few minutes, talking shop as I am a retired cop, and he is really eyeing my bike up and down. Then the conversation turns to BMW's, and we are having a great little chat. Needless to say, I am waiting for the gotcha. Well as we are talking he says, "So how did it handle at 104mph?" There's the Gotcha. I just grinned and said like a sewing machine. He laughed, then told me he was sitting back in the woods off the interstate with his lights out when I passed.

 

Well, needless to say I got a ticket, but only for 9 miles over the limit. We chatted a bit more, then parted ways. My first ticket in over 20 years, and well deserved at that. I have purposely left out his agency and the location out of respect for the courtesy he showed me.

[Glenn Reed]

Your signature line seems particularly prophetic in this case...

 

Just for my edification, in your role as a LEO, what sort of behavior on the part of the rider would help in minimizing the pain of the performance award?

 

I know in my case, I got a case of hard throttle romp leaving a light last summer, and only when I got up to third gear did I notice a marked cruiser coming towards me out about 3/4 of a mile. I rolled off immediately, and when I saw him swing into the U-turn, I pulled over and had the bike parked on my shoulder before he even stopped behind me. I removed my helmet and gloves, but did not go for wallet and/or registration until asked, and I had cleared it with him because they were in the tank bag.

 

I left with a warning, but I had not had the time to get up to your speed, so there was a big difference in our particular situations. I also hadn't had a conviction in 26 years, so I'm thinking that probably helped as well.

 

Anyway, glad you had fun, nobody got hurt, and you got to meet a very reasonable local LEO.

[upflying]

A cop sitting in the woods on a desolate highway at midnight?

Things are sure different in FL. Cops in Ca are very busy, working short handed with budget cuts and running from call to call. No LEO in Ca has time to sit blacked out on a deserted highway at midnight.

If there is, big waste of resources.

[MT Wallet]

Well, if it's got to happen that's the way I respond best to a ticket. I hate the self important LEO who acts like he's got the theme to "Cops" playing in his head:) (Like newly minted ones or small town guys.) He was courteous, casual, respectful and didn't act like he'd just nabbed public enemy No.1, and it was a fair and square gotcha. Any other lessons from this?

[Witch_Doctor]

UPflying, don't mistake "Unusually desolate" stretch of Interstate for a desolate highway. I am pretty sure sections of Interstate in California can get pretty dead late at night there too. I have been on the I-5 heading to Pendleton late at night and seen similar, difference here is we have trees. Besides, everyone gets stuck working the night watch at least a few times in their career.

 

Glenn, an experianced LEO knows when someone is running and when someone hasn't seeen them. As I stated earlier, he was backed into the wooded section off the interstate with all his lights off. If I had seen headlights or parking lights, I would most definitely would not have romped on the throttle suspecting someone running radar. In return, he knew I hadn't seen him, and was catching up with me without running any emeergency lights. In the course of our roadside conversation, he even told me that he assumed I hadn't seen him as he watched me slow down to my original speed and used my blinkers when I exited off the Interstate and then from the off ramp to the state highway. Regarding the pain of the performace award question, in my career I have given many a warning or a lesser citation to people for doing silly things. Officer descretion is a great tool.

 

MT Wallet, unfortunately you are very right on your assessment. I always saw those officers as insecure, and there are alot out there. Usually if you asked them what they did before becoming an officer, they most likely would tell you they worked as a mall security guard before getting hired. Appropriateness in all things when dealing with the public is always a good rule of thumb. Regarding a lesson learned, I am to old to get mischievious!

 

Just sharing a fun story.

[Robus]

Paranoia about deer would keep me from trying that.

[KDeline]

I wonder if his discretion would have been different with me passing at 104 MPH.

[tallman]

There are plenty of isolated roads in N Fla.

I would never think of going that fast on an Interstate Hwy because there are many designed trap areas where a hidden FHP vehicle can shoot monkey's in a barrel.

Interstates, small towns, churches, schools, and the like see me going speed limitish.

YMMV