New York State Police out in full force for Motorcycles

[BigBen]

If you intend to ride to upstate NY make sure all of your papers are in order, motorcycle licences, insurance, inspection, registration and a DOT approved helmet. I ran into one of the checkpoints on Sunday while heading to Marcus Dairy in Danbury CT on i84 east at the Rest Area located near exit 17 (lake Carmel, NY). They had at least three electronic billboards posted instructing all motorcycles to exit at the rest stop. I pulled in the rest stop and found at least 20 other bikes lined and waiting to be inspected by State Trooper and other officials from NYS DOT. In addition to the bikes in line, there were another six bike parked between two police vehicles and their owners seating by the roadside. My guess is that they did not pass the inspections. After waiting in line for about 10 minutes, they finally got to me and checked the bike from front to back, including using a flash light to check the serial number against what's listed on my registration. Needless to say, I passed and continued on to Marcus Dairy to join the festivities. According to one of the troopers this is going to be an ongoing operation for the duration of the summer. So if you are riding through New York State make sure all your documentation are solid or else the man will either fine you or impound your bike.

Ride Often Ride Safe!

Ben

[mygala]

Very cool.

I wish they'd do that around here a little more often.

...and include cars!

[billo]

Wow.  Did you get a sticker or something?  That is a serious inconvenience if you have to pull over every time.  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Wow.  Did you get a sticker or something?  That is a serious inconvenience if you have to pull over every time.  

+1

[Scratch33]

Very cool.

I'm curious why you think this is a good thing.  Appears to me to be blatant, targeted harassment.

[J.R.]

Appears to me to be blatant, targeted harassment.

As a LEO, I agree completely.  I would have ridden right by that exit.  Motorcycles are not under the same laws as commercial vehicles, which are required to stop for inspections.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I'm curious why you think this is a good thing.  Appears to me to be blatant, targeted harassment.

The only reason I'd consider it a good thing is if it took uninsured or unlicensed drivers off the road. But it would have to be for ALL vehicles, not just bikes

[desert_rider]

  Motorcycles are not under the same laws as commercial vehicles, which are required to stop for inspections.

That's what I was thinking.  What would the penalties be if you disregarded the signs and continued on?  

[squeezer]

The only reason I'd consider it a good thing is if it took uninsured or unlicensed drivers off the road. But it would have to be for ALL vehicles, not just bikes

+1 on both sentences.

[mugwump58]

I thought this all got sorted out last year.

[ctbandit]

+1 on huge inconvenience.  

[nnjhawk02]

I'm curious why you think this is a good thing.  Appears to me to be blatant, targeted harassment.

EXACTLY

Same thing happened last year on NY Thruway during Americade - Guess its time to get bike inspected

Oh & I will forward this to AMA

[Smoker]

AMA knows. It's in March's edition of American Motorcyclist. Legislator Jack Eddington is fighting the $25,500 grant for motorcycle checkpoints, on the grounds that it constitutes harassment. I'd recommend forwarding your support to him.

[Bravo12]

As a LEO, I agree completely.  I would have ridden right by that exit.  Motorcycles are not under the same laws as commercial vehicles, which are required to stop for inspections.

LEO here, too.  I agree that it's blatant profiling.  You never see them stopping every minivan, or (more importantly) every blacked-out Econoline van.  But, every time someplace's residents complain about motorcycles, every bike that rolls through town gets stopped.  It happens all summer long in New Hope, PA.  The only practical answer for us, as motorcyclists, is to just avoid those areas and not give them any of our business (by buying gas, food, etc), but unfortunately that's the result the locals want - for us to just go away.

I would suggest that any time anybody sees this kind of discrimination in action, they should take notes (when, where, what police agency, posted premise for the stop, etc) and write your congressman and the American Motorcyclist Association, as well as any other motorcycle advocacy groups in your area (or the area of the incident).  There are plenty of politicians and law-makers that ride, too, that wouldn't be too happy to hear about riders' freedom of movement being taken away by some local podunk police department who thinks their residents' tax dollars and revenue-generation via fines are more important than the U.S. Constitution.

[nnjhawk02]

AMA knows. It's in March's edition of American Motorcyclist. Legislator Jack Eddington is fighting the $25,500 grant for motorcycle checkpoints, on the grounds that it constitutes harassment. I'd recommend forwarding your support to him.

Done & thanks

To all NYers - write your Gov & State PoPo

http://161.11.121.121/govemail

http://www.troopers.state.ny.us/Contact_Us/Compliments_or_Complaints/Pro-ConEmail.cfm

[desert_rider]

So, I'll ask again - specifically to the LEO's on the board. What happens if I don't stop?  I'm not a commericial vechicial, why do I have to stop and be detained?

[Stormcrow]

So, I'll ask again - specifically to the LEO's on the board. What happens if I don't stop?  I'm not a commericial vechicial, why do I have to stop and be detained?

NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law:
1102. Obedience to police officers and flagpersons. No person shall
fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any
police officer or flagperson or other person duly empowered to regulate
traffic.

[thatguy]

Well that kills me going to New England this summer.

[cgsshorty]

NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law:
1102. Obedience to police officers and flagpersons. No person shall
fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any
police officer or flagperson or other person duly empowered to regulate
traffic.

That doesn't apply here.  That refers to a LEO or construction flagperson standing in the road attempting to regulate traffic.  I am a cop 15 years and have never heard of this tactic.  I honestly don't know the answer.  I'd like to say I would ride right by but I think I would stop as a matter of respect for the Troopers manning the checkpoint.  Trust me when I say this is not their idea of law enforcement, they would much rather be out harassing speeders.

[DrD]

NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law:
1102. Obedience to police officers and flagpersons. No person shall
fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any
police officer or flagperson or other person duly empowered to regulate
traffic.

The law says to obey police officers and flagpersons.  Doesn't say anything about electronic bulletin boards.  I would have ignored it.  If pulled over, "Bikes?  I thought it was a typo and it was supposed to say busses."