My First (Mis)adventure

[alexj]

Well, this being spring break, and having practiced riding at least a half hour and usually 1-2hrs every day this week I felt finally ready to embark on my first ever bike journey traveling to an actual destination at 50+ mph

So I set boldly forth to the Sam Rayburn Dam about 13 miles distant, the coolest local tourist attraction I can think of

I successfully make it to the dam, but get stopped by a cop, who informs me my plates don't show up when he ran them (they should!  I spent $150+ on tax title and plates!), and who checks my ID and runs VIN number and such, and decides I am okay and lets me go, all very pleasant

I then am an idiot and ask him if he'd mind taking a photo of me and bike at the dam.  I thus learn taking pictures of dams is illegal

I am very happy I am not in jail

[Yokel]

+1

Welcome to the ranks of the "ruffed up".  

Hope you had a good time regardless, glad your confidence is coming up!  Keep at it.

[sfalexi]

Rotfl!!! The plates thing, well not your fault.  But then unlucky you to find out THAT way that pictures of it are illegal! Reminds me of the joke of, "my license? Sure. Hold on to this beer for me while i find it..."


But you live to ride another day! Congrats on your first ride, and may you enjoy many other mishaps on your motorcycle adventuress in the future!

Alexi

[coho]

Doing anything other than what the LEO says is probably a bad choice in any circumstance, but photographing the dam is not illegal.

As Bert Krages, an attorney who specializes in photography-related legal problems and wrote Legal Handbook for Photographers, says, "The general rule is that if something is in a public place, you're entitled to photograph it." What's more, though national-security laws are often invoked when quashing photographers, Krages explains that "the Patriot Act does not restrict photography; neither does the Homeland Security Act."

Read more: Public Photography Laws - Photographing Police and Public Places - Popular Mechanics

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/computer-security/taking-photos-in-public-places-is-not-a-crime?click=pm_latest

[bomber]

^ This.

But good for you for not arguing with the man with the gun.

[Cablebandit]

Yup, wait for him to leave then snap away.  Contrary to popular belief, cops don't know all the laws.  

[caddydaddy]

Yup, wait for him to leave then snap away.  Contrary to popular belief, cops don't know all the laws.  

Like the cop that stopped me and told me that I can't pass cops when going down the highway!  

[Cablebandit]

Like the cop that stopped me and told me that I can't pass cops when going down the highway!  

Well not legally since they are probably already traveling 15-20 over the posted speed limit.  

[caddydaddy]

Well not legally since they are probably already traveling 15-20 over the posted speed limit.  

Usually, that's the case.  But this dude was going UNDER the speed limit!  

[Cablebandit]

Dropped a donut on the floor.    

[scotteroni]

I had a cop chastize me for pulling over in the emergency lane on a bridge to talk on my cellphone. Seems your not supposed to stop on bridges.

[caddydaddy]

I had a cop chastize me for pulling over in the emergency lane on a bridge to talk on my cellphone. Seems your not supposed to stop on bridges.

You terrorist!  

[sfalexi]

I had a cop chastize me for pulling over in the emergency lane on a bridge to talk on my cellphone. Seems your not supposed to stop on bridges.

Yeah.  Stopping on a bridge is bad juju.  I wouldn't do it just cause I know bridges can have crosswinds, and I don't want a gust of wind pushing a big 'ol truck just a LITTLE too far into the shoulder on a bridge...that would suck.

Not to mention, there are enough people (I know a few personally) that for some reason freak out and damn near lock up on the steering wheel when driving over a bridge.  I don't get the fear, but it's there.  And I don't want to add stress to them, especially if I'm standing/sitting on a bridge and they lose control cause they don't want to hit me....cause inevitably, that's when they would hit me.

[Nolan]

Dropped a donut on the floor.