Long story but should I be worried?

[Messie]

Long story- be patient. There’s a serious question at the end…

Went for a rideout today with some new riding buddies – 10 of us heading down to the Kent coast. The sun was shining and all were happy and keen. It was a mixed bunch of ages, bikes and riding experience and skill but we had all happily agreed a pace and a vague route.

It takes a bit of patience and consideration to keep 10 bikes together on a long ride but we were doing rather well until we somehow got separated somewhere towards Hastings. (yeah I know, not on the Kent coast!). Well 4 of us went one way and the other six went somewhere else.

This group of four included 3 young males who really enjoy the thrill of speed, knees down round the bends and generally being a little bit outside the letter of the Highway Code …. and me. For those that don’t know me I’m 43 years old (shouldn’t that be in another thread?) and, although I have my brain free moments, generally I have my “I don’t want to die” switch set to high (ask Ape, he rides with me so that he has to calm down his antics). But that ‘red mist’ descended and I decided to go for it and keep up. And I did, and it was great. I haven’t ridden like that or had so much fun for a long time.

Anyhow riding into Eastbourne, the back two of us spotted a police bike on a roundabout, then the cop car in the lay-by to the right. To cut a long story short 3 of us stopped and one got away by hiding behind a white van ( they have their uses). Three very different conversations then ensue

1. Male bike cop and young lad on CBR600. Cop says that speed gun on previous bridge had clocked him at 143, but there’s no evidence, so warns against speeding. Also advises about back tyre size and other bike related stuff. Fills in a stop/search form but says there’s nothing more young lad has to do. Lad on a restricted license but nothing is checked.
2. Female police officer and young lad (who looks about 14) on a CBR400. Lad says he doesn’t know the area and was just trying to keep up with his mates. Female cop asks about restricted license and wonders why he hasn’t got L plates on. Lad given a stop/search form and told to produce documents at a later date etc.
3. Middle aged male cop in a car and me on my GSXR750. Cop gives 5 minute lecture about scraping bits of biker of the floor, trauma of informing relatives, license is a privilege etc and asks whether I’ve ever been stopped before. On answering negative (very politely and apologetically, of course) he replied that he is going to give me a formal warning and that if I am caught ‘careless riding again I will have my bike confiscated . Said I would’ve been done for 120 but the gun wasn’t quite set up yet. Got a stop/search form but no producer.

So questions – serious one - all 3 of us have got one of the bits of paper recording the stop/search – could we all lose our bikes if we offend again or was the cop just cow pooing me?

And what have I learned from this?

Originally Posted by Messie

was the cop just cow pooing me?

Yes.



IMHO, of course

[Messie]

Ok

But question 2 ...

What have I learned?

[Spiderman]

I hope youve learnt that speed can be fun and exhilarating but you need to look over your shoulder every now and then.

Maybe you also learnt the correct order of the digits in the wpc's phone number?

[Messie]

Mmmm, not sure about that Spidey

Hindsight suggests I should have burst into tears at the grumpy copper - usually gets them

[Biker Biggles]

I would expect the incident has been logged on the police computer and if you are stopped again or "come to police notice"this will flash up.How it will affect you formally I don't know.
What have you learned?Don't get caught.

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by Messie

Mmmm, not sure about that Spidey

Hindsight suggests I should have burst into tears at the grumpy copper - usually gets them

Ok, maybe that was just me and my fetish for a woman in cops uniform, but i'll save that story for another day.

And look, you didnt turn on the waterworks but still got away relatively easy. So lesson learnt... sometimes a sad puppy look is as good as the waterworks?

[Messie]

Agreed 'shouldn't get caught' but

there's something more profound than that.......

[Messie]

But my eight legged friend, I'm not sure if I have got away with it.

I reported a kid in a car driving dangerously on our school property. The chap I gave the statement to said that he would get a formal warning for it and if he ever did it again they would have his car.

Is this was grumpy cop did to me?

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by Messie

But my eight legged friend, I'm not sure if I have got away with it.

I reported a kid in a car driving dangerously on our school property. The chap I gave the statement to said that he would get a formal warning for it and if he ever did it again they would have his car.

Is this was grumpy cop did to me?

I dont think they have the right to confiscate your car/bike/van just cos you were caught driving it like a tw@ a few times.
If that was the case then london would be half empty cos most people drive like tw@s most of the time.

And they would never have need to bother with a congestion charge in that case. they could have made their money from second hand car sales and scrap metal values.

I think he was trying to frighten you with an empty threat.