Question about speeding bikes...and cops

OneCleanCL · 08-12-04, 02:43

whats the deal with cops giving chase to a bike thats speeding? I've seen quite a few instances where a bike has basically flew past a cop, and the cop didnt do anything. However, i have heard that State Troopers will give chase. Anybody know what the 'protocol' is? What about if theres a pack of bikes, and all of them are speeding? It just seems to me that chasing down a sportbike might seem fruitless, they get up and go so fast, maybe thats why some dont even bother. Anybody wanna shed some light on the subject?

MongooseGA · 08-12-04, 02:50

maybe i read it wrong, but did you kind of contradict yourself a few times?

cops chse people if they need to, regardless of what they're driving.

if they are speeding in a group, then they police normally go for the one whos winning, because he's the leader.

thats why my dad always got pulled over...

gnahc79 · 08-12-04, 03:06

cops sure as heck shouldn't chase dirt bikes:

http://home.comcast.net/~vidclips8883/Cops-train.WMV

Out here in California cops are beyond eager to pull over motorcycles. I've never been pulled over, though

.
Also, people usually cannot accurately judge the speed of a motorcyle since it's much smaller than what most people are used to seeing on the roads, i.e. cars, trucks, and SUVs.

satyr64 · 08-12-04, 03:29

gnahc79 nice find

medic · 08-12-04, 04:24

hey, that cops episode was on this weekend. I saw the last part of that when the cop was worried what was going to happen when the chief came down.

funny stuff...bet he wishes he didn't have a camera crew with him

albailey · 08-13-04, 04:55

Quote:

It just seems to me that chasing down a sportbike might seem fruitless, they get up and go so fast, maybe thats why some dont even bother. Anybody wanna shed some light on the subject?

- r a d i o -

Scottwax · 08-14-04, 04:36

Maybe the speed is a factor. If a crotch rocket blows by at 145 mph and the cop has a Crown Vic that takes all day to reach 100, he'll never catch the bike. In a minute, the bike will have more than a 2 mile lead. About all the cops can do is radio ahead and hope another officer can intercept the bike.

scottabir · 09-04-04, 04:15

There was something on the news last week about bikes being clocked at 170 mph on a road near Kzoo. couldnt even tell what color the bikes were let alone think about giving chase.

BoxsterCharlie · 09-04-04, 11:26

Quote:

Originally posted by scottabir
There was something on the news last week about bikes being clocked at 170 mph on a road near Kzoo. couldnt even tell what color the bikes were let alone think about giving chase.

Man, that's cool. I read a similar post once on an NSX board. These two NSX's were going 170+ on a divided highway and saw a cop on the other side. They saw him cross the median and give chase; I think they calculated that he was several miles away before he even got up a decent speed. They never saw him again.

Obviously, this is instant death and dumb to do on most public roads, but you just have to love the delta between a supercar and the speed of Joe Public.

NavindraLR · 09-04-04, 11:42

interesting BoxsterCharlie... i always thought of that... (if u saw a cop and were going relatively fast.. say 80mph, and instead of slowing down u speed up so you're around 130mph when u pass him... by time he pulls up and reaches that speed, let alone a higher speed than you, to catch up, you'll be gone, unless your dumb enough to stay on the highway and get caught by one of his notified buddies up ahead) not that i would run from a cop... because thats dangerous and stupid... but what made them choose crown victorias of all cars??? if i was a cop, thats the last thing i would want... a big goofy, heavy, american, family sedan...

pwr4all3 · 09-05-04, 12:15

They choose the crown victoria beacuse they have lots of room for when they need to arrest suspects and a trunk big enough to carry lots of guns. If they really want to get someone, out here they have highway patrols in white camaro z28's. They only have a small lightbar which is clear on the roof, You can't see them unless you're within a few feet of the car.

Mosca · 09-05-04, 09:55

I have some friends who are state troopers. They don't like to chase bikes not because they can't catch them, but because a higher % of those chases end with ambulances and hearses being called in. A fast car usually pulls over regardless of the speed it is going, a fast bike tries to run. They joke about how it's too much paperwork if someone dies, but they don't want to cause death over a chase.

Every time I hear a sport bike accellerating or speeding past in traffic, I think "BAM"! They are great machines, and a serious pleasure, but the roads of this country are a dangerous place to use them as they were intended to be used.

I have a car that is set up for decent speed and track use, but I can't use it that way day to day. For that type of use I have autocrossing and Driver Instruction track days. It would be awesome if sport bike riders had that same outlet; pure speed and accelleration is exhilarating.

Tom