1).When in pursuit of a bike can you use any means nessecary to pullover/stop a bike? 2). Is there an "unwritten" rule left to your own discretion?
Not that I plan on running but every so often I hear horror stories of cops "taking out" bikes. Pushing dumpsters in the road, attempting pit manuvers, and pulling out in front of bikes. So on....

 

Depends on the department, their policies, and applicable laws. It also depends on the reason for the traffic stop. Some agencies won't engage in a pursuit based solely on a traffic offense. Others, like AZ DPS, follow the motto: "Chase 'em till their dead."

The real question is not what the cops can do, but why run? It is worth the chance of wrecking and/or getting knocked off you bike, just to avoid a traffic citation?

 

Why run? , Most of the time at least around here your getting stopped just to get harrased. There seems to be a new steriotype around that sport bike riders are all criminals. Just last week i got stopped the pig had another suspect stopped forgot about him and got in his car and followed me for about a mile. This was the one time i was not speeding making un safe lane changes or anything. So he fianlly decides to hit his lights. Before i am even told what i was stopped for the two cops attempt to tackle me and cuff me. I am 6 4 230 so that did not go so well for them. Anyways they draw their wepons after that and cuff me and i still dont know why i was stopped. They fianlly told me there is a warrant on the bike. They do all their bull#### and find out i have no criminal record, warrants, speeding tickets, or parking tickets for that matter. So they un cuff me and try to leave so i get both their badge numbers and names and filed a complaint. Here is the kicker i called dmv, chp, and lapd. there is no warrant on the bike at all it was all made up bull they just decided to mess with me for no reason what so ever. So now i run a paper plate like when you buy a car or bike brand new and as for stopping F##k that the only way i am stopping for them is if they get the bird out. A unnamed person that i know who is a cop told me there is a 20 min responce time on it so in 20 mins i am 4 or 5 citys gone and there is no way that slow *** 4.6 cng burning crown vic is going to do to get close enoughf to give a bird any good description to stop me

 

If you truly believe that you are only being stopped so that they can "harass" you, then there really isn't the possibility for a dialog. I am far more judgemental on the actions of police officers, as I am intimately familiar with their standards for recruitment, training, and certification. I have zero tolerance to officers who act outside their boundaries of justification, or who break the law under the color of authority. However, I am extremely dubious as to the validity of traffic stops in an effor to "harass".

The Supreme Court has heard several cases regarding the elements necessary to institute a traffic stop. Currently, per case law, the only requirement is that the officer have a reasonable suspicion that a violation of traffic/criminal law has occured. If I lived in a location where cops were stopping vehicles simply to "harass" drivers/riders, and not based on the elements of an offense being present, then I would be a very rich person indeed. Initiating a traffic stop is a type of detention, in that the person being stopped is not free to leave. Arbritarily stopping people without due cause, and in accordance with law, violates several rights available to all individuals. It would certainly lead to civil lawsuits against the department, and municipality/county/state, and possibly end up with class action lawsuit.

 

This is not meant as a post to **** on cops. It is directed to our "fellow riders" whose day or night jobs are law enforcement. No disrespect; good, bad, or indifferent I would like just for our badge carring peeps to post here. I'm not asking about running but for the most part I ride about 95% of the time tucked and when I look back over my shoulder it might apear that I will run. So please no fighting just looking for some straight answers. If you can't answer this question then I'm not asking you.
Thanks.

 

the rule of thumb in ALL police districts WITHOUT air support is... when/if you lose sight break off the chase, its that simple. because its not worth risking life or property over a traffic infraction.

 

every experience i have had with police has been bad, easy for me to say i hate all cops. i just don't like them. i wish one of them would pick on me when they're not hiding behind the badge and see what happens.

 

I am not in law enforcment, but, i will say that, the department may have rules and regs, but, if they have some young punk cop that wants to get his jollies, he'll chase you for the heck of it. And, if you do try to run, suddenly you'll be slapped with alot of charges, and, if you take it to court, it's your word against thiers, and, hate to tell you, but, the badges almost always win

Tylor

 

Cops in all these small towns in my area make it a point to harass the hell out of all of us riders. Just this weekend I was almost hit by a cop making a quick u-turn to follow some bikes in front of me, even though they did nothing wrong. Cop didn't even see me, then followed them to his "town limits" and u-turned back.
I'm not even going into all the other stories about ******* cops. There are a few good ones, but most are power hungry and looking for some action because let's face it, what else do they really have to do. I've had my car broken into. I've had my tools stolen, my car totaled by someone without insurance etc etc etc. They never do anything about that.
It's not about protection, it's about taking your money. Period.

 

About 2 weeks ago, I'm riding to work one cold morning and my visor starts fogging up. I flip it up about 1/3 just to let it clear up while sitting in traffic at a stop light. A cop is coming the opposite direction through the intersection and slams on his brakes as soon as he sees me almost causing an accident. He yells "pull into that gas station!". I pull in and he literally runs up to me yelling at me about my visor having to be "completely closed at all times!" I explained my situation, and he advised me that he could take me in if I argued with him.