MOPED ARMY

Listen,Wayne! Don't ever let them run over you like that! Even a cheap lawyer would have busted their chops for that one! If that's still on your license you should get exonerated of it. Unless we speak up for our selves he'll just keep bullying people around.And if you couldn't afford a lawyer right then you should call the ACLU. They'd have had him waking a beat or publicly apologizing. Most police are o.k., but this one needed a good legal whoopin' ! BYE!

Hey, Wayne! All due respect to Michael,but I disagree that you should submit to any test when all he did was pull you over for a so- called helmet violation. I do know a little about this,and believe me,he has NO RIGHT to test you in this case unless you were weaving or driving recklessly. As I said before,even a barely competent lawyer would have had you eating that cop's lunch for him! Just suppose they do the test and they muff it,or you've got some medicine in you.Then you're looking at a drug charge and you've made it hard to prove your innocence. I would not have taken the extra test,but I'd have made him think twice about harassment of innocent people! BYE!

Hello again ,Wayne,Michael and Miguel!The police don't give a hoot about your reputation,so you've got to aggressively protect it. Like Miguel says: MOST police are o.k.....But like i'm trying to convey here for everybody's good,when someone tries to ruin your reputation or good name,in my opinion,it's a reflection that casts a long shadow.It can shame your Father,Mother ,your kids especially, and your wife.This is why the United States has so many citizen's rights and,I'm sorry to say,needs defense attorneys to protect those rights from being stolen from you. `INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY', in this country,but you may need a lawyer to see to it that you receive the benefit of the above decree.If your reputation doesn't mean that much to you,then what I just said has no meaning for you.I have respect for authority,but I will fight for my good name.Sorry if I seem to be preaching! BYE!

I agree totally with daveb. And as for submitting to tests--DON'T DO IT--whether you're in a car or a moped---if you submit to testing and you are found to have any sort of drug in you (alcohol included)--then the police have evidence. If you refuse to take the test, then they can (at least in IL) suspend your license--but if you go to court, there is NO physical evidence for the cops to show the Court. At least then you have a very good chance of getting out of a conviction!

yes, check your laws state by state or province/country, whatever. but i agree w/ daveb. it's best just to be polite to them and then be on your way.

we have to keep in mind that cops to literarly put their lives on the line for us. just before pulling you over, that cop may had to deal w/ some pretty nasty situations and is in a bad mood. that may not excuse their being rude to you. but keep that in mind. usually just being polite to them is enough.

after all, if you aren't following the law, you have little to complain about. and if you want to fight the system (w/ is a good idea), then you have to be willing to take the consequences. that means not complaining. that's what civil disobedience is all about.

now, i've never refused a breathelizer or any other kind of test. i've never been in a position where i had anything "incriminating" in my posession. so just take the test and move along. if you are legally drunk, then i have no sympathy. the cop should take your wheels (at least for the night).

of course, one beer may not do any harm. and the cop would probably have just let you go. if you had no other drugs in your system, you should've passed the test. then you could've avoided the drinking and driving seminars and the suspended license.

but that's just my two cents worth. i'm more than willing to jump to the barricades, believe me. but sometimes you have to pick your battles.

I was taken to the station before I was tested. The intital charge was "DWI". When I was tested at the station, and I blew a ".02" he started saying I was on 'other drugs' and we needed to do more tests.

I think he was upset, because I wasn't drunk, but had already been taken into custody--at that point he had to prove something.

I refused any other tests and kept telling him that I'd see him in court, before a jury, watching him try to prove ".02 on a moped". I told him that the DA would laugh it out of court and would also laugh at him.

I told him he was a brainless rookie, who made less than 22k (all police salary records are at City Hall-I look 'em up just for reference). I was taunting this guy bad, for a long time at the station--

I kept asking for water, for like 2 hours while he kept telling me I'd have to take more tests. Finally, he said I could go home if I peed in the cup. I started laughing again and told him to go and get the detectives so we can figure out why Thirsty Guy doesn't have to go whiz!!

When I decided not to submit to the urine test, I knew I'd be losing the license for 9 months for a "refusal". But, I asked him: "You really want me to pee in the cup, dont you?"

He said "Yes".

So I said "if that's what you want, that's what I'm not doing."

and so, I got the refusal/ 9mos suspension. I got a "DWI" summons, but like I predicted, the DA didn't push the case and it was dropped.

He was new to the local force, fresh out of the marine corps (not kidding), dealing with a smart-ass who laughed at him from the word go. If I had kissed his dumb marine corps ass, he would have let me go, then I could have gone and filed an official complaint at the station for his illegal stop.

I've learned a lot-- the hardest part is trying to be polite with a poorly educated public servant.

instead of thinking them as "police officers" think of a Qwik-E-Mart worker with a badge and a gun. That's more accurate.

Keep mouth shut, say please and thanks, provide required information and answer all questions in one or two words.

Yes, this sucked-- No criminal charges. Cost like 500$ for that crappy course they made me sleep over at.

has anyone else been charged with Moped DWI? Or at least a "Driving to Endanger" or "Reckless Driving"?

FYI, I got a lawyer (good one too) from Student Legal at USM. He made sure I was aware of all my options.

Yes,Dave,you have some good observations.And like my `ol Grandpa' used to say:"Donny,a good run is better than a bad stand!" He was only about 5'5" and 110 lbs.I always remembered that you can learn from the ones that have `been there,done that!' BYE!

Don-

I was a smart ass at first-- I didn't become a real jerk until I was already at the station. He was mad that I told him I didn't need a helmet. He wanted me to take the field "monkey tests" and I wouldn't. He wasn't breathalyzer certified, so I was brought to the station.

I didn't really go off until I saw the breathalyzer tests at .02 Then I began to taunt him a first, second and third time.

It just goes to show: "I'm not half as smart as I really am"

Yours,

yeah, i've also learned that it pays to just be polite to police officers. after all, they're just people. no one likes to be made a fool of; when that happens, they usually tend to be like: "oh, yeah, i might be a poorly paid public servant, but i can put you in jail".

but i'm glad you can take it w/ a good sense of humor.

keep in mind that in many parts in michigan (at least) cops have quotas. that means they're supposed to give out x number of tickets per shift. if the cop spends too much time dealing w/ you, they will find a reason to give you a ticket so that they won't fall behind on their shift. and they're always a reason for a ticket if they look hard enough.

usually if you follow dylan's advice and just be totally up front, polite, and compliant, they will think of you as a good guy/gal, and quickly leave to find someone they can give a ticket to and not feel bad about it.

my brother was pulled over once for speeding (30 mph over) on prom night. he was trying to make his date's curfew. he apologized, told the cop it was prom, stated that he'd not been drinking but only trying to get home before his date was in trouble, and even offered to show the cop the car to make sure. the cop was nice and just let him go, as long as he promised to drive slower. the whole event took less than 10 minutes. and that was a township cop in saginaw (they're notorious for ticketing city kids; and my family doesn't know any township cops, only city cops).

Charged with "Improper Operation" for givin a pair of cops the finger.

Oh it's legal to give a cop the bird, thing is...best not to take one hand off the handlebars while yer 'peds in motion to do it, see...

Flying by at 40 and doing so is not a particularly bright idea.

But then, you'd have to understand just how much I despise to Baltimore City Police Dept in order to figure out why I thought it was worth it to do so.

-Ree

Man cops in charlotte suck.Thay wrote me up for a helmet infraction when i had my visor up.He trid to get me for my hedlite being off ((BUT ITS ALLWAS ON))He tickited me 50 god dam dollers and it was funny becouse you dont requier any eye pertetion if you are going under 35 and if i was it isnot a moped.I foght i won becouse the dick of a cop never showd up but some cops are cool i use to ride my maxi no lisinse no regerstration and a she cop just stoped and said it was cool and not to get cought.scoot-ped DESTROY its not bullshit.