DELETE-PLEASE
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2008
- Messages
- 415
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About a week and a half ago I got pulled over for having "flashing lights". The cop was coming the other way, saw my headlight modulators, and flipped on his lights, turned around, and had me pull over.
He started out with a bit of a "tough guy" attitude (understandable since the area I was in seems to have a lot of hotheads, and a fair number of the "sportier" looking bikes have idiots riding them). But I talked and explained that it was for safety. He said that flashing lights were illegal in TX except on emergency vehicles. I counter-explained that it was a federal law that motorcycles are allowed flashing headlights, provided that they strobed with a certain rate of (I guessed) around 240 times a second, and that it specifically said that it supercedes any local laws that would prevent it.
Of course, stupid me didn't have a copy of the law on me or with the bike :headbonk: . Well, he just asked for my phone number since the address on my license was no longer current and asked what unit I was in (I'm in the military and it was right outside the military base) and that if he didn't find the law, I'd get a phone call with a court date. I asked him that if he didn't find it, could he somehow make sure the court date was as soon as possible so I could appear and bring a copy with me and fight it before I left TX.
He didn't call (I'm sure he just asked his motorcycle cop buddies who helped him learn something new). I don't blame him for not knowing. You can't know EVERY law. But he at least was respectful (I'm sure it helped that I was respectful in return).
So if you have modulators....BRING A COPY OF THE LAW WITH YOU!
I learned and now have TWO copies (so they can keep one if they want). Should've had it before, but oh well.
Just a successful pull-over story. It's nice to win when you're right instead of having to PROVE that you were right (another thread made me think about that so I put this up.
If you have a "win", let us know. Might be nice to read some just for fun.
Alexi
He started out with a bit of a "tough guy" attitude (understandable since the area I was in seems to have a lot of hotheads, and a fair number of the "sportier" looking bikes have idiots riding them). But I talked and explained that it was for safety. He said that flashing lights were illegal in TX except on emergency vehicles. I counter-explained that it was a federal law that motorcycles are allowed flashing headlights, provided that they strobed with a certain rate of (I guessed) around 240 times a second, and that it specifically said that it supercedes any local laws that would prevent it.
Of course, stupid me didn't have a copy of the law on me or with the bike :headbonk: . Well, he just asked for my phone number since the address on my license was no longer current and asked what unit I was in (I'm in the military and it was right outside the military base) and that if he didn't find the law, I'd get a phone call with a court date. I asked him that if he didn't find it, could he somehow make sure the court date was as soon as possible so I could appear and bring a copy with me and fight it before I left TX.
He didn't call (I'm sure he just asked his motorcycle cop buddies who helped him learn something new). I don't blame him for not knowing. You can't know EVERY law. But he at least was respectful (I'm sure it helped that I was respectful in return).
So if you have modulators....BRING A COPY OF THE LAW WITH YOU!
I learned and now have TWO copies (so they can keep one if they want). Should've had it before, but oh well.
Just a successful pull-over story. It's nice to win when you're right instead of having to PROVE that you were right (another thread made me think about that so I put this up.
If you have a "win", let us know. Might be nice to read some just for fun.
Alexi