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yzdirtbikes125

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I know there have to be at least a few cops on here and this question is for you...what is your policy about dirtbikes on the road? I mean 9 out of 10 times I'm always going in about 3rd gear, on the shoulder or in the ditch, and pull over more and stop when a car is behind me...but for some reason the other day I was riding and doing like I always do, and I see a cop...okay, no big deal, I slowed down and stopped when he rolled down his window and cut off my bike and spoke to him respectfully(yes sir, no sir) etc and didnt give him any trouble...and I was in the ditch on the side of the road and he still cussed me out and told me to get off or he'd arrest me and impound the bike and my parents would have to come pick me up at the station....after about 15 minutes of this(when HE'S blocking traffic on a 2 lane road thats ungodly busy at this time of day), he decides to let me go. Who was in the right? Me or him, because I see no harm in riding in the ditches and not holding up traffic or driving recklessly(sp?), or was he just trying to scare me?

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Community Regular

yzdirtbikes125

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im not a cop but why are u riding ur DIRTbike along side the road all the time? ide yell at u too, drunk driver or a even a person who sucks at driving can easily drift a few feet over and hit ya and than lights out for u....go hit the trails

not all the time...and to get to some of our trails we have to get on the road...and I'm willing to bet even you get on the road sometimes too

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John E Davies

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I can't say how things are in Tennessee, but in Washington you are asking for a ride home in a cop car if you try to ride a non-registered bike on the shoulder of the road. I often see unofficial ATV trails about 10 or 15 ft to the side of the shoulder, so they must be ok for riding. But once you get onto the shoulder of a public road you HAVE to be legal or you will get busted.

It's the law - break it at your own peril.

John Davies

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Grand Master

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I ride street A LOT.Just to get to local trails though. I obey all the street laws to.I watch for other cars and stay out of their way. Now when I see a cop..... BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP! have fun catchin me!

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01XR400Mike

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Is your bike street legal? Do you have a license? Does your bike have insurance? I don't know about Tenn. but I imagine that these are three very basic rules for riding on a road or even along side a road in a majority of the 50 states. It is called a dirtbike for a reason, keep it there please. Accidents do happen, and when it involves you on your dirt bike, you will lose. Riding a street legal motorcycle that is huge and loud is dangerous enough (I can't tell you how many times I have had to dodge some idiot that wasn't looking for a motorcycle) let alone a kid on a dirt bike zipping down the side of the road in 3rd gear. Yes, I am a cop, and yes I ride both on and offroad bikes, and yes, I stop and discuss the matter with kids I see riding their bikes down the road. I do the same with adults. Fact of the matter is, I'd rather give a stern talking to some kid and hopefully scare them enough to keep their bikes where they belong, then have to call the fire department to hose down the street where some dumb kid just left a nice big grease spot because he was supposedly "riding responsibly" on his not so street legal dirtbike without a license and no insurance.

As for the cop cursing you out... Was he really cursing at you or is it just your perception and telling your friends how lame it was to have to get off your bike and walk it home so many times that has led you to believe that you were being cursed at? Like Mickeydee stated, they don't normally curse at you unless you are being crappy with them. Im not saying that couldn't happen, there are some out there with some sort of attitude malfunction, but in general, it doesn't happen that way. Remember, he wouldn't have stopped to talk to you if you didn't give him a reason to. Just because you "do it all the time" does automatically make it right then when you do get stopped? Or should he just sit there tomorrow and wait for you to do it again and really impound your bike and give you a ticket for it????

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yzdirtbikes125

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I can't say how things are in Tennessee, but in Washington you are asking for a ride home in a cop car if you try to ride a non-registered bike on the shoulder of the road. I often see unofficial ATV trails about 10 or 15 ft to the side of the shoulder, so they must be ok for riding. But once you get onto the shoulder of a public road you HAVE to be legal or you will get busted.

It's the law - break it at your own peril.

John Davies

thank you, thats the kinda answer I was hoping for....so does that mean riding in the ditches are okay?

xr400mike: he wasnt really cursing...but speaking very disrespectfully, like I was dirt...I know cops get treated like shit when they dont deserve it but I was under the impression if you respect them they'll respect you.

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lvdukerider

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OK, Im a cop in Nevada, now I dont know the laws where your from but I work in a primarily urban enviorment, here the law says that every motor vehicle has to have all the proper equiptment and every driver/rider needs to be licensed, and all motorcycles over 49cc need to be registered and insured, and every driver/rider has to follow the same rules of the road. Now I usualy have bigger things to worry about than kids on dirtbikes, and if I see a dirtbike rider wearing riding gear carfully and safely riding down the sholder going to or from a known/legal riding area im proably not going to give them a second thought. The problem is that with all the growth around here theres really no legal areas to ride in town anymore you have to go north out to APEX or south to Sloan or else some homeowner or motorist is going to call and complain, plus if I drive by and dont at least stop you and tell you that what your doing is illegal and you get creamed by a car five minuits later then I am in trouble for not doing my job in the first place. Bottom line is it sounds like what your doing is illegal even if to you it dosent seem like its going to hurt anyone and if the cop just drives by and says nothing what does that tell everybody else that sees him just drive by and ignore you? However him cussing you out is just plain unprofesional theres no reason for that, if he thinks the bike may be stolen and wants to run it and I.D. you fine, but theres no reason he has to be rude about it unless you were giving him attitude or somthing and even then all hes got to do is just wright you up and say "have a safe day" thats going to ruine your day more than cussing you out.

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ktolan

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regardless if you think its right or wrong or how tiny it is, its still the law. yes its probably gay and ridiculous but hey what are ya gonna do ? my advice is just ride faster from point a to b so you have less of a chance to get pulled over :banghead:

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jake28

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The law doesn't care about what you think is right. You were riding an OHV: OFF Highway vehicle. The cop could have impounded your bike, you should be thankful he didn't. For the record, I have done the something, and luckily I haven't gotten caught, but when you break the law, and that is what you did, you run the risk of paying for it.

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joe346cbmx

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I am a cop in Illinois and generally the ditches and medians are considered the road way. You can't ride there. It's really not a good idea for your safety and those rying to avoid you. Road vehicles have certain equipment for a reason, safety. It may be a little inconvenient but get a truck or trailer, that's what 99% of us do. As for the guy who suggests running. Sooner or later that will catch up to you. Whether it's a high speed crash or getting caught and losing your bike and your license it's not worth it. Do the right thing and don't give the rest of us a bad reputation.

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rekless

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I'm a cop here in Ca. and I'm about the same as LVdukerider. I see people all the time riding down their street (just like I do after I wash my bike, to dry it off :banghead: ) and I will usually just stop them and tell them not to ride on the street. I could give them a fat ticket and impound the bike but why ?? Besides, I might end up seeing them the next weekend at one of our local riding areas. After I tell them to take it home, I then engage them in conversation for several minutes as to what upgrades they have done on their bike and where they like to ride. If neighbors are complaining, thats one thing....I have to do my job, however, I have never given 1 ticket for this in the years I've been doing this. As far as the cussing thing goes....around here if we cuss at the public and they complain, we could end up in some hot water !! It just seems unprofessional to cuss at somebody for something like that. I'm by no means saying that there is not a time and place to speak the "common" language in law enforcement, but thats not it. :banghead:

rekless

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