Last night (saturday) around 11:00 I headed to the local gas station to get a soda for the misses. I tell you she can become down right scary if she does not get her daily dose of caffeine. So, I suited up and headed out to get her a Sunkist. Right before I turned into the gas station parking lot the red and blue lights appeared in my mirrors. No big deal, I made sure I had copies of all the required paperwork with me. So, I pulled into a parking spot, dismounted and took my helmet off. The officer and I talked a bit about the bike not having a clutch.
As some of you may remember, I finally got my bike on the 23rd. After getting the bike, I called the Nevada DMV to ask if I needed a temporary moving permit, as I did on my last bike. I was informed I would not need a moving permit since I bought the bike from a dealer, not a private party. However, I only have 30 days from the date of purchase, not from the day I took possession of the bike. It turns out the girl I talked to on the phone was incorrect. A temporary moving permit is required if a vehicle is purchased from an out of state dealer. The officer was cool about it, but I was still not sure what his plan was, I might get a ticket, or he might impound my bike. So he suggested I head in the store and get my soda while he looked over the paper work I gave him and called in the VIN to make sure the bike was not stolen.
After getting my soda and talking with the clerk about being pulled over. I headed outside and the officer I talked a bit more. He was standing on one side of the bike and I on the other. He simply walked around to the rear of the bike, pulled his gun on me, and started yelling. OH SHIT!!! So there I was standing looking away from him with my hands in the air waiting for other units to show up. It took no time at all for 5 or 6 more to show up. I could see all the cars in the glass reflection.
So, I am cuffed and put on the ground looking at the wall of the store. I am trying to figure this out. I was informed I am being arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle. Oh my goodness, this sucks. I happen to know the dealer is closed on Sunday and there is nothing I can do before Monday. The officer lets me give my S.O.'s phone number to the store clerk for him to call her. So, I gave him the number and told him ask her to call our pre-paid legal service.
Then I was put into the car. I got the pleasure of sitting in the car for 45 minutes waiting on a flat bed tow truck to show up to get my bike. The S.O. showed up more then a bit freaked and told me the pre-paid legal service was getting in touch with a lawyer in our area. While we talked a bit though the window her mobile phone rang, it was the lawyer. She asked the officer where I was being taken.
Off to the sheriff's office to be booked. Apparently, it was a slow night. It took no time at all to get me into a hot pink jump suit. About an hour after booking I was pulled out of the cell to talk with my lawyer. He had all the original paperwork on the bike, which my wife gave him, and a little bit of the paper work from sheriff's office. He did not have the final report since the officer had not completed it yet and would not until the end of his shift. However, the lawyer and I found a problem with one of the set of paperwork. The VIN numbers did not match.
My lawyer left to go talk to who ever he needed to. He returned to tell me they were sending an officer to the tow companies lot where impound vehicles are kept to verify the VIN. About 20 minutes later the officer who originally pulled me over and the watch commander came into the meeting room to apologize. Apparently, when he called in the VIN ether he or dispatch transposed the last 2 digits of the VIN from 45 to 54. I can tell you the bike which ends in 54 is a stolen FJR1300AE. I guess when dispatch confirmed the make, model, and color they did not feel the need to verify the VIN a second time just to be sure.
It took just a few minutes to get my cloths back and meet my S.O. to take me to the tow yard to get my bike. The whole thing took about 3.5 hours. So, I did not take my bike out today. I had hopes of putting another 50 or so miles on it and getting the 600-mile service complete. I guess I will need to fit this in later this week.
By the way, $26 a month for pre-paid legal is well worth it. In the last year, I got help with this problem and they got a speeding ticket thrown out in CA.
As some of you may remember, I finally got my bike on the 23rd. After getting the bike, I called the Nevada DMV to ask if I needed a temporary moving permit, as I did on my last bike. I was informed I would not need a moving permit since I bought the bike from a dealer, not a private party. However, I only have 30 days from the date of purchase, not from the day I took possession of the bike. It turns out the girl I talked to on the phone was incorrect. A temporary moving permit is required if a vehicle is purchased from an out of state dealer. The officer was cool about it, but I was still not sure what his plan was, I might get a ticket, or he might impound my bike. So he suggested I head in the store and get my soda while he looked over the paper work I gave him and called in the VIN to make sure the bike was not stolen.
After getting my soda and talking with the clerk about being pulled over. I headed outside and the officer I talked a bit more. He was standing on one side of the bike and I on the other. He simply walked around to the rear of the bike, pulled his gun on me, and started yelling. OH SHIT!!! So there I was standing looking away from him with my hands in the air waiting for other units to show up. It took no time at all for 5 or 6 more to show up. I could see all the cars in the glass reflection.
So, I am cuffed and put on the ground looking at the wall of the store. I am trying to figure this out. I was informed I am being arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle. Oh my goodness, this sucks. I happen to know the dealer is closed on Sunday and there is nothing I can do before Monday. The officer lets me give my S.O.'s phone number to the store clerk for him to call her. So, I gave him the number and told him ask her to call our pre-paid legal service.
Then I was put into the car. I got the pleasure of sitting in the car for 45 minutes waiting on a flat bed tow truck to show up to get my bike. The S.O. showed up more then a bit freaked and told me the pre-paid legal service was getting in touch with a lawyer in our area. While we talked a bit though the window her mobile phone rang, it was the lawyer. She asked the officer where I was being taken.
Off to the sheriff's office to be booked. Apparently, it was a slow night. It took no time at all to get me into a hot pink jump suit. About an hour after booking I was pulled out of the cell to talk with my lawyer. He had all the original paperwork on the bike, which my wife gave him, and a little bit of the paper work from sheriff's office. He did not have the final report since the officer had not completed it yet and would not until the end of his shift. However, the lawyer and I found a problem with one of the set of paperwork. The VIN numbers did not match.
My lawyer left to go talk to who ever he needed to. He returned to tell me they were sending an officer to the tow companies lot where impound vehicles are kept to verify the VIN. About 20 minutes later the officer who originally pulled me over and the watch commander came into the meeting room to apologize. Apparently, when he called in the VIN ether he or dispatch transposed the last 2 digits of the VIN from 45 to 54. I can tell you the bike which ends in 54 is a stolen FJR1300AE. I guess when dispatch confirmed the make, model, and color they did not feel the need to verify the VIN a second time just to be sure.
It took just a few minutes to get my cloths back and meet my S.O. to take me to the tow yard to get my bike. The whole thing took about 3.5 hours. So, I did not take my bike out today. I had hopes of putting another 50 or so miles on it and getting the 600-mile service complete. I guess I will need to fit this in later this week.
By the way, $26 a month for pre-paid legal is well worth it. In the last year, I got help with this problem and they got a speeding ticket thrown out in CA.
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