Protocol for getting pulled over

I have yet to be pulled over on my bike but it's going to happen probably sooner rather than later. What do is the best way to handle the situation? In the car I pull over, roll down the windows, put on the flashers, take the keys out of the ignition and leave my hands on the steering wheel.

On a bike do you take your helmet off? Keys out? What's your routine?

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I've never been pulled on the bike, either (yet?), but I figure kill it, helmet and gloves off and wait...

Taking your helmet off is a good move especially if you have gray hair. Stay on the bike with the kickstand up until instructed otherwise. You don't have to grovel, but OTOH, being a dick isn't a great idea. More good info here...

http://voices.yahoo.com/a-cops-guide-speeding-588099.html?cat=27

Just sit there quietly. Bike in gear, one hand on the clutch, one hand on the throttle, and a big shit eatin' grinn on your face, 'cause the day is about to get interesting.

I take my helmet off, gloves off and put my hands on the saddlebags so he can see them as he walks up. If Tina's with me, I have her put her hands on my shoulders so he can see them. Stay on the bike until instructed to get off, motor off, sidestand down, feet on the ground.

If I have to reach in my pocket for my license, I tell him that I"m going to reach in my pocket for my license and tell him which pocket it's in. If I need to produce my registration, I say "It's in the glove compartment over here (pointing), so I'm going to get it out"

I want him to feel safe, which gets things off to a far better start.

When they ask me how I'm doing, I always reply with a laugh, "I was doing a whole lot better a few minutes ago."

Don't ask me no questions and I won't tell you no lies


(don't do things that would get one pulled over, then you don't have to worry about it)

Some Officers will want you off the bike, other will ask you to stay on, some will want you to remove your helmet, others not. I use a trick I heard about a while back. I usually remove my helmet, and as he's walking up to me (I make it a point to wait for this moment) I bend down and place the helmet on the ground near my back tire. Without being obvious, this places me in a subservient position. I don't know if the psychology works but I feel it does.


Universal rules: DO NOT ADMIT TO ANYTHING. If asked "How fast were you going?" I usually reply "that depends on where you clocked me" or something else similarly non-committal.

Attitude goes a long way. The comment about "doing better a few minutes ago" with a laugh is a good start. Remember, most of 'em are just doing their job.

Telling the officer where stuff is before reaching for it is good. After all, they're nervous too. Many officers have been hurt/killed during routine traffic stops.

And no, you cannot search my vehicle. Period. 4th amendment and all that. Get a warrant. I never carry anything I need to worry about, but that doesn't change the law.

Good advice!

Jim

It's just a power trip and safety issue for the officer.

Don't admit to speeding, but say sorry & I was having fun and hang your head down like you screwed up. You got caught so you did. Show respect and you'll get it back. He/she is in the drivers seat.

Helmet off, paperwork out, hands in sight. Cops don't want to get shot.

1st ease the officer's mind you are not a criminal with intent.
2nd play the psychology that they are in charge.
3rd accept what comes from that.

I would say bending down to put your helmet is not a good idea.
It's all about where your hands are and where a potential weapon could be.
You doing this could be a move to pull a weapon out. Your hands and eyes disappear to the officer and that is their biggest fear.

I'm not sure you understand what I said.

How are my hands not visible? He's walking toward me, my hands are both full of helmet (as I'm holding said helmet with a hand on either side). I bend down and place the helmet on the ground. I then stand back up, with my hands empty.

And, I quote you: "play the psychology that they are in charge". What the fuck do you think bowing down in front of someone does?

Do you get off the bike? You must if you are able to put your helmet on the ground with Both hands. (ankle holsters anyone?)

I think it is best to just sit there with the motorcycle shut off until they walk up to you. Then they will let you know about taking off your helmet, or getting off the bike, or whatever else.

They are suspicious and are watching what you do. By not doing anything without them telling you first, well what better way to show that they are in charge?

I have been pulled over before and it works for me. YMMV

It must be so nice to live in your perfect world!

You forget about the profiling all us bada$$ bikers suffer.

I have yet to get a ticket on the bike...one of those stops, was for twice the legal limit...in a 55...when I pulled my helmet off as the cop was screaming at me..he kinda calmed down, then started laughing...told us where the next speed zone was and left..

Gray hair works..

"Well, that all depends on the next 5 minutes"

SCOTUS says differently. Vehicle searches need PC but not a warrant in many cases.

I keep my license, registration and ins. card all together in my wallet.....along with my concealed weapon permit. I would give all of that to the officer when asked. Cops like organization. The concealed weapon permit tells them that I'm not a criminal/badass, which tends to put them at ease. If I'm carrying a weapon, they might ask me to surrender it, which I'd gladly do. I have gray hair and am usually ATGATT, which tells them I'm a responsible rider on a well maintained bike. All of this makes a subliminal impression. If I wasn't pulled over for doing something really stupid and/or endangering others, chances are I'll get a warning, if that. If I was just speeding, even close to twice the posted limit, depending on the conditions, I might still get off; which is unlikely because my bike won't go twice the posted limit on most highways. However, this approach has worked well for a good friend of mine who is my age, an iron butt rider and who speeds a lot sometimes close to twice the posted limit. He often rides in Utah, Colorado, AZ, and seeks out twisty, curvy stretches of beautiful, lightly traveled highways. My friend often gets stopped, but very rarely get a citation. Of course, there was this one time when he got two warnings in the same state; when he got pulled over the third time, the officer cited him, after checking and finding that he'd received two warnings previously the same day

Yeah, well, Ted Bundy acted like The Perfect Gentleman and was Every Mother's Favorite Son. :eek1

I've been pulled over twice in recent years. Both times riding a MZ 660 Supermoto. The first time I was drag racing a chevy in Front Royal VA. About the time I hit 3rd gear I saw the blue flashing lights. I immediately pulled over, got off the bike and removed my helmet. He rolled up, got out and walked up to me. He asked if I was racing and I said;" This is a freakin' dirtbike, man..."

He looked it over walked away without a word. I have grey hair too, but I think the dirtbike look of a supermoto helped. I had that chevy smoked, though.

The second time I was on the twisties in New Hampshire. I had just passed a group of Harleys and was hooking along working the top two gears. I crested a hill that dropped down a long straight to a little berg. I rolled off and enjoyed the sweet sound of my M4 exhaust belching great music as the bike came down from speed with the throttle closed.

About half way down that hill the blue lights came on and I pulled over at the bottom entering the town. I gave him the "dirtbike" routine too. He bought it but then ran my plate, which was expired Washington DC. I tried to explain about a mixup, but he called his tow truck buddy...

The tow truck shows up and loaded me. The cop tells me to pay him and tells him to drop me at the Mass border. 45 minutes and $100 cash later I was back on a MA road on my way home.

I loved that big thumper. It had a piston the size of a coffee can and was good for a 12 second quarter mile.

I just turn the bike off....put the side stand down and wait...have never been told to remove my helmet or get off the bike. I'm polite admit to nothing but play dumb....I don't make excuses for whatever it is I allegedly did..Act like your in a good mood even if you're not....

This method has gotten me out of many tickets....out of the last 5 times I've been pulled over the worst thing I got was a written warning....And the last one I did something monumentally stupid and should have gotten a whopper of a ticket....just a got a lecture....