Have You Ever Been Mistaken for L.E.O.?

JamesGang

I'm Rick James
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
236
Location
Cape Breton Island
My son acquired an '20 Super Tenere a while back and we've been enjoying riding together all over Cape Breton Island. We're both very safety conscious with approved helmets, armoured gear, gloves and excellent foot wear. My motto has always been 'Dress for the slide, not for the ride' and my son has taken that to heart.

We both wear white, full face helmets, hi-viz green jackets and black riding pants with reflective piping. Also, even though our bikes are different colours, from dead ahead they look identical and all black. You could describe the look as menacing, especially so when viewed as a pair.

It is entertaining to witness the reactions of drivers as we come into view. Most often it is the dip of the front end of the car as they quickly reduce their speed. Then there are those who are stopped at a light and accessing their cell phone until they spot us. Some drivers are very animated, almost dancing in their seats, until they see us.

Yesterday was a completely new interaction between my son and I and an out off province vehicle. This car had pulled out onto the road in front of us at quite a distance but we quickly closed the gap and noticed that their roof top luggage carrier was wide open and it's contents were in danger of spilling out. I began flashing my high beams in a rhythmic pattern and the car immediately slowed, indicated a right turn and pulled into the Marion Bridge Fire Department parking lot. I pulled up beside the drivers door and was greeted by a pair of attractive, 'twenty-ish' French Canadian women. When I explained that their carrier was open there was an immediate look of relief in both of their faces, big smiles and many thank you's.

My son and I chuckled all the way home.
 

~TABASCO~

RIDE ON ADV is what I do !
Founding Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Vendor
Joined
Apr 4, 2011
Messages
7,328
Location
TEXAS
YES- I had an FJR, and in the past I had some large Baja Designs HID racing "flame throwers" lights on the front. (in the cases below I never turned them on or flashed them in any way. Only uses them in the dark traveling the back highways of the country, NEVER city use) They look dumb, but worked fantastic. Just wearing normal gear I have noticed many times that in the big city highway, there will be a very large gap behind me. Its as if there is a wall blocking all traffic about 50-100 yards behind me. The folks in front of me have moved on and gone ahead. But its happened many times where no one is next to me or around me and they are all 100 yards behind. Most of the time this is on a 4 or 5 lane high way........ Its a VERY strange feeling.... They must think I'm the Po-Po.
Also, on the same bike I have zoomed up ahead just like all riders occasionally do. There are been a few times the person I have zoomed up behind basically will slow way down and start acting super strange and starting to pull over... I cautiously try and go around them and just move on. They must have thought it was 'the man'
 
Last edited:

Cycledude

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
3,998
Location
Rib lake wi
Know a Goldwing rider that has modulating high beam headlights, I have witnessed many times when he turns them on both traffic he is following and oncoming traffic pulling over.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
I often see people puting on their seatbelt when they see me. Neither my bike or I look LE at all. Of course this is the same town I worked in for 28 years. :D Ya' really want to freak them out? Do a single lane u-turn behind a car. :D
 

tntmo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2017
Messages
649
Location
San Diego, CA
My 2013 Tenere is the only white bike I have ever owned. I have ridden in Southern California for almost 30 years, never have I had so many people get out of the way for a bike before. I imagine with the wide PIAA lights and the white bike it looks a bit like a LEO? I don't know, but I do like the room I have been given. One of my buddies said it does look sort of like a cop when I'm followig him.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
Riding through northern Utah, heading west out of Vernal, on my ST1300 with a headlight modulator, I noticed quite a few cars coming from the other direction taking to the shoulder until I'd passed.
Well, that's cheating. The ST is a cop bike, and, throwing in the wig-wags; no surprise. I'm not a 100%, but I think they're illegal in Texas. As a matter of fact, 2-3 years ago they passed a new law. If a city sells a cop car, there can be absolutely no equipment left on the car. No push bar, spot light, or black & white paint job. Too many impersonators.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
Well, that's cheating. The ST is a cop bike, and, throwing in the wig-wags. I'm not a 100%, but I think they're illegal in Texas. Too many impersonators.
Not wig wags, modulator, as both headlights modulate together, not alternately. Legal in all 50 states. Wig Wags are I believe indeed illegal in all 50 states.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
That's kind of a tom-A-to, tom-AH-to thing. The average person will fail to see the difference.
 

AVGeek

Well-Known Member
Founding Member
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Messages
2,780
Location
Boulder City, NV 89005
It may have happened once or twice for me on the FJR while I lived in California, since the average layperson could not distinguish between a BMW (common CHP bike at the time) and my Yamaha. I don't recall it ever happening on the ST.

It does also remind me of my favorite lane splitting story...I was on southbound I-5 through Norwalk in the middle of rush hour. It was only 3 lanes and packed. There was a Goldwing and another bike moving through at a decent clip, while I was poking along at my safe speed. I could see another bike coming up on me fast, so I moved fully into the #2 lane as an LA County Sheriff motor officer on the old KZ1000 passed. I jumped out behind him and it was like following Moses through the Red Sea! And no, he was not rolling Code 3, just looked like he was heading home after shift.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
That's kind of a tom-A-to, tom-AH-to thing. The average person will fail to see the difference.
I've seen both, the patterns (modulating vs. wig-wag) are quite distinctive to one another to my eye. I'm perhaps considerably below the average person though.... ;)
 

yen_powell

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2018
Messages
257
Location
UK
I learnt early on that when doing speed surveys with a radar gun (long time ago now) don't wear any hi-viz or even let yourself be seen, or you won't get an accurate record of normal driving speeds. Just a lot of skid marks followed by swearing at you when they realise you are not the old bill.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
I've never seen a cop that didn't. The last three bikes I've seen this week, have all refuse to wave. The one & only bike I saw last week waved. I don't understand the ones that don't. Guess I'm not cool enough.
 

JamesGang

I'm Rick James
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
236
Location
Cape Breton Island
I've never seen a cop that didn't. The last three bikes I've seen this week, have all refuse to wave. The one & only bike I saw last week waved. I don't understand the ones that don't. Guess I'm not cool enough.
I can think of many reasons why a fellow rider would not return a greeting while riding and most of them have nothing to do with being 'snotty'. I will often return a hand gesture with a deep nod of my helmet simply because at that moment I am uncomfortable with releasing my grip on the bars. However, it has been my experience that H.D. riders are generally the least likely to acknowledge a greeting from anyone but another H.D. rider. Our local H.D. club used to hold 'church' at Tim Hortons on Thursday nights and I attempted to join in one evening. I pulled into the lot on an '81 Goldwing Interstate which was lit up like a Christmas tree as all eye's stared at me. That is until I lowered my kickstand when all I could see was the backs of H.D. jackets. I was completely ignored as I quickly consumed a small coffee and got the hell out of there.
 
Top