GeorgiaRoller
Exit Stage Left
So me & Streetbetty were enjoying a nice ride yesterday, going out to lunch, enjoying some cappuchino & cheescake on a outdoor patio in the town that films a lot of "The Walking Dead" tv series here in GA in 70 degree temps. After lunch I looped us down south to ride across the spine of the Pine Mountain Range and FDR state park.
We were enjoying some sections of spirited riding on desolate country road sweepers as well as taking in the scenery and the fresh air. the FJR was doing what it always does...cornering, performing & running damn near flawlessly and with great ease.
However we did get pulled over by the Po-Po...but we weren't speeding.
I have MCL hwy pegs and I use those quite a bit on longer rides to stretch my legs out from time to time. However I also, and most of us do, also will at times let my feet hang off the pegs entirely and just dangle from my seat for a maybe 30 seconds or so to just stretch them out that way. As luck would have it the Manchester PD was passing me in the other direction when my feet were completely off the pegs and dangling. I see him do a u-turn, blue lights come on, and I'm over on the side of the road.
He had to be maybe 25yrs old? Nice young kid cop. Said he rides and most on the Manchester force ride in fact (Harley's?...I'll splain in a minute). Said it's illegal to not have your feet on the pegs at all times. Hmmmm, I did know that was my response. Yep, it's a GA Statute to keep them on the pegs, just can't be riding down the road with your feet off them. Well I pulled you over, I at least got to write you up a warning. Ok. 5 min later he comes back with a written warning. He said it took him a minute to look up the statue. GA Statute 40-6-314(a) . Then says "You need to get a cruiser man...then you can stretch your feet out all the time!"
....wow.
Ok here's the thing. If you look up the GA Statue (I looked it up on 4 different websites) it all says the same thing. It is under the Footrests & Handlebars section. However GA Statue 40-6-314(a) simply says and I quote....
a) Any motorcycle carrying a passenger, other than in a sidecar or enclosed cab, shall be equipped with footrests for such passenger.
That's it! Says no more no less. Where exactly does it state YOU MUST HAVE YOUR FEET ON THE FOOTPEGS AT ALL TIMES? In fact it is specifically talking about "passenger" footpegs. Doesn't even mention rider footpegs anywhere!
Am I missing something, or is it possible young Mr. Po-Po has read into the law more than he should? Either way it was just a warning so I don't have to do anything about it. But moving forward I wanted to make sure I fully understand the motorcycle law in my State if I was to get pulled over again.
What is your opinion peanut gallery?
We were enjoying some sections of spirited riding on desolate country road sweepers as well as taking in the scenery and the fresh air. the FJR was doing what it always does...cornering, performing & running damn near flawlessly and with great ease.
However we did get pulled over by the Po-Po...but we weren't speeding.
I have MCL hwy pegs and I use those quite a bit on longer rides to stretch my legs out from time to time. However I also, and most of us do, also will at times let my feet hang off the pegs entirely and just dangle from my seat for a maybe 30 seconds or so to just stretch them out that way. As luck would have it the Manchester PD was passing me in the other direction when my feet were completely off the pegs and dangling. I see him do a u-turn, blue lights come on, and I'm over on the side of the road.
He had to be maybe 25yrs old? Nice young kid cop. Said he rides and most on the Manchester force ride in fact (Harley's?...I'll splain in a minute). Said it's illegal to not have your feet on the pegs at all times. Hmmmm, I did know that was my response. Yep, it's a GA Statute to keep them on the pegs, just can't be riding down the road with your feet off them. Well I pulled you over, I at least got to write you up a warning. Ok. 5 min later he comes back with a written warning. He said it took him a minute to look up the statue. GA Statute 40-6-314(a) . Then says "You need to get a cruiser man...then you can stretch your feet out all the time!"
Ok here's the thing. If you look up the GA Statue (I looked it up on 4 different websites) it all says the same thing. It is under the Footrests & Handlebars section. However GA Statue 40-6-314(a) simply says and I quote....
a) Any motorcycle carrying a passenger, other than in a sidecar or enclosed cab, shall be equipped with footrests for such passenger.
That's it! Says no more no less. Where exactly does it state YOU MUST HAVE YOUR FEET ON THE FOOTPEGS AT ALL TIMES? In fact it is specifically talking about "passenger" footpegs. Doesn't even mention rider footpegs anywhere!
Am I missing something, or is it possible young Mr. Po-Po has read into the law more than he should? Either way it was just a warning so I don't have to do anything about it. But moving forward I wanted to make sure I fully understand the motorcycle law in my State if I was to get pulled over again.
What is your opinion peanut gallery?
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