Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: Clarify some laws for me...

  1. #1
    Senior Member Ricky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    DenCO
    Posts
    2,150

    Clarify some laws for me...

    If this should be moved, pls feel free

    I have to start this out with a story. I just got back from tooling around downtown after work, and had a little incident I need some answers on.

    So, I'm headed into downtown, I'm on broadway and about 22nd ave when I get behind this dude that is on his cell phone. As we inch along, it's obvious he's more interested in talking on his phone, as he's weaving inside his lane, looking down for long periods of time, etc. So, we're stopped at this light, there's 3 cars in front of me including this dude, there's at least 100 yards of open space past the intersection we're about to cross. Light turns green, first two cars GO and head up to the traffic. This ass in front of me is obviously still paying more attention to his phone. Suddenly, THAT QUICKLY, the light turns yellow, and this dude, realizes and stops, right in the middle of the crosswalk. SO of course I'm pissed cause this dude isn't paying attention, and he let two god damn cars go through the light when there's a fuckload of traffic. So, instead of honking my horn, I race the engine to get him to snap the fuck out of it and pay attention.

    Suddenly, this dude takes off his seat belt, and starts to get out of his car. Once he got out of the car, I see he's packing some heat (plain clothes officer). Here's how the conversation goes:

    Cop: Are you trying to get my attention by racing your engine like that?

    Me: Actually, yes, it's becau....

    Cop: What's the point of all that? DO you understand it's illegal and dangerous to do stuff like that?

    Me: Well, actually officer, it seemed as if you weren't paying enough attention to the road, therefore putting my safety at risk. You had ample opportunity go to through that light, but were too busy talking on your...

    Cop: Listen, if you want to argue about this, I'd be happy to pull to the side of the road and run your license.

    (As if he's trying to scare me or something. Note, I have a completely clean record. Nothing to be afraid of if he does check up on me. Keep in mind, I have not raised my voice to this guy, meanwhile he's screaming at me at the top of his lungs)

    Me: That's fine officer, but I was simply....

    Cop: That's right, keep arguing with me.

    Me: ...

    Cop: What you're doing is stupid and dangerous, and if I see you do it again I'll throw you in jail.

    The cop walks off and gets back in his car just as the next light turns green.

    So, I want to know what exactly was illegal about what I did? Keep in mind that my bike is 100% stock. No aftermarket pipe or anything so there is no noise violation. What statute exactly, says that revving an engine is illegal (except for noise pollution laws)? What says that revving an engine in the middle of traffic is "dangerous" and what says it's "illegal"?

    This cop stepped out of his car acting like such a badass, threatens to run my license, then when I give him the opportunity to, he passes it up. Obviously he knew I didn't give a fuck if he ran it. Refused to acknowledge that the cell phone call he was on, was a distraction to his driving, and a safety risk to me, and everyone else around me. All I did was shake my head as he got back in his car. So disappointed in LEOs these days.

    I do want to know though, was I in the wrong? Is racing my engine in place of my horn (aside from noise pollution) illegal?
    2008 Honda CBR600RR - Graffiti
    2002 Yamaha WR250F

  2. #2
    Member XJ600s's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Northglenn, CO
    Posts
    442

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    As far as I know, revving your engine is not illegal. Actually, honking your horn is illegal unless you are warning someone that you are about to run into them (a friend used to work at a city hall and told me the crazy traffic violations people were brought up on).

    He probably was having a bad phone call and just got really aggravated that someone did something to alert him. If it were me, I would have gotten HIS info and taken it to his respective station to make it known what he was doing (talking on a cell and not paying attention to the road at all, verbally assaulting another driver, etc). But, it's all in the past and it's best to just let it go at this point.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Ricky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    DenCO
    Posts
    2,150

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    I agree with getting his info. Thinking back, I really wish I would have had him pull over so we could TRADE info on each other. But, just like other officers I've had the joy of dealing with, he was on a power trip and kept screaming and helling at me, telling me I'm arguing with him, and didn't give me time to "think" about how to properly handle the situation. And now if I call the DPD, it does me no good cause I have no fucking clue who the guy was. Didn't even think to get his lic plate.
    Last edited by Ricky; Mon Apr 20th, 2009 at 07:03 PM.
    2008 Honda CBR600RR - Graffiti
    2002 Yamaha WR250F

  4. #4
    Senior Member TFOGGuys's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    What am I doing in this handbasket?
    Posts
    3,838

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    He's obligated to give you either a business card or a citation with his PRINTED name and badge number ANY time he contacts a member of the public in his official capacity as a peace officer. If he displayed a weapon, and did not show identification, that's technically felony menacing. If he showed you a badge, then he's in violation of the contact policy, as he didn't give you a business card.
    Thanks, Jim
    TFOG Wheelsports, LLC
    www.tfogracing.com
    303-216-2400

    Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "undocumented pharmacist"



  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Centennial
    Posts
    113

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    I would have asked for his badge number and supervisor. Now mind you, he probably could have given you a ticket for violating the new noise ordinance BS they have in Denver County. Even with a stock exhaust, my gixxer violates the db level with I gun it.

  6. #6
    Senior Member SaShWhO's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Taintburg
    Posts
    3,307

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    just another typical story of a fellow citizen getting reamed by some egotistical small dick fuck with a badge.
    be nice till it's time to no longer be nice

  7. #7
    Member Mizzybeff's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    With Sumo ;)
    Posts
    330

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    I know that anytime an officer speaks to you or has an incident he HAS to give his card or a ticket. They started doing that when girls got abducted by "fake Officers" or molested by officers. So its a safety thing.

    But yeah cause you didn't get his you can't report him, but you didn't break any laws or anything.

  8. #8
    Senior Member sag's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Fort Collins
    Posts
    729

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    exhibition of speed

  9. #9
    Senior Member Ricky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    DenCO
    Posts
    2,150

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by TFOGGuys View Post
    He's obligated to give you either a business card or a citation with his PRINTED name and badge number ANY time he contacts a member of the public in his official capacity as a peace officer. If he displayed a weapon, and did not show identification, that's technically felony menacing. If he showed you a badge, then he's in violation of the contact policy, as he didn't give you a business card.
    WOW... I did not know this... I did not see a metal police officer badge, but I did see that he was wearing a plastic badge around his neck.... maybe like he wasn't a street cop, but a detective or something. Hell, I don't know.

    I should probably include that at some point at the very beginning of our convo he said to me "I am a police officer"
    Last edited by Ricky; Mon Apr 20th, 2009 at 07:03 PM.
    2008 Honda CBR600RR - Graffiti
    2002 Yamaha WR250F

  10. #10
    Senior Member Ricky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    DenCO
    Posts
    2,150

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by sag View Post
    exhibition of speed
    I wasn't moving... Everyone was stopped.
    2008 Honda CBR600RR - Graffiti
    2002 Yamaha WR250F

  11. #11
    Senior Member PsychoMike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Fort Collins
    Posts
    708

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    i know in cali reving your engine is an excibition of speed ticket.
    You've Grown Quite Mangy Cat, But Your Grins' A Comfort.

  12. #12
    Senior Member willb003's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Denver
    Posts
    1,214

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    yeah should have got the lis plate, oh well but good on you for standing up when the cops were wrong!

  13. #13
    Member Jim_Vess's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Lafayette, CO
    Posts
    416

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by Webman View Post
    I wasn't moving... Everyone was stopped.
    That doesn't matter - revving your engine can be interpreted as an exhibition of speed.

    It happened to a friend of mine when I was in high school. He thought revving his engine would impress some girls in the car next to us (it didn't), but the cop behind us was impressed enough to give him a ticket. That happened in 1978 and the laws may be different now.
    2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 (SOLD)
    2013 Yamaha FZ6R
    Stupidity should be painful.

  14. #14
    Member XJ600s's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Northglenn, CO
    Posts
    442

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim_Vess View Post
    That doesn't matter - revving your engine can be interpreted as an exhibition of speed.
    So if that's the case, then I shouldn't rev my engine while stopped at lights/signs on cold mornings when my bike isn't fully warmed up?

    Seems to me, if that's the case, then I'd see more squids on the sides of the road being given tickets for riding all around town in first gear at 14k rpms...

  15. #15
    Senior Member Cars-R-Coffins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Littleton
    Posts
    916

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by Mizzybeff View Post
    I know that anytime an officer speaks to you or has an incident he HAS to give his card or a ticket. They started doing that when girls got abducted by "fake Officers" or molested by officers. So its a safety thing.

    But yeah cause you didn't get his you can't report him, but you didn't break any laws or anything.
    You're misinformed. It's actually based on Whitfield v. Board of County Commissioners of Eagle County, 837 F. Supp. 338 (D. Colo. 1993).

    As a quick summary... a class action suit filed on behalf of 400 individuals that asked the court to halt racially based stops by the Eagle County Sheriff's Department highway drug interdiction unit. Traffic infractions were cited as the reason for stopping the motorists, but tickets were not issued. The court ruled that investigatory stops based solely on a motorist's match with specified drug courier indicators violated the fourth amendment's prohibition against unreasonable seizures.

    24-31-309. Profiling - officer identification - training.

    (4) (a) A peace officer certified pursuant to this part 3 shall provide, without being asked, his or her business card to any person whom the peace officer has detained in a traffic stop, but has not cited or arrested. The business card shall include identifying information about the peace officer including, but not limited to, the peace officer's name, division, precinct, and badge or other identification number and a telephone number that may be used, if necessary, to report any comments, positive or negative, regarding the traffic stop. The identity of the reporting person and the report of any such comments that constitutes a complaint shall initially be kept confidential by the receiving law enforcement agency, to the extent permitted by law. The receiving law enforcement agency shall be permitted to obtain some identifying information regarding the complaint to allow initial processing of the complaint. If it becomes necessary for the further processing of the complaint for the complainant to disclose his or her identity, the complainant shall do so or, at the option of the receiving law enforcement agency, the complaint may be dismissed.
    Last edited by Cars-R-Coffins; Mon Apr 20th, 2009 at 10:10 PM.
    "That which does not kill you only postpones the inevitable."

  16. #16
    Member Jim_Vess's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Lafayette, CO
    Posts
    416

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by XJ600s View Post
    So if that's the case, then I shouldn't rev my engine while stopped at lights/signs on cold mornings when my bike isn't fully warmed up?

    Seems to me, if that's the case, then I'd see more squids on the sides of the road being given tickets for riding all around town in first gear at 14k rpms...
    I said it can be interpreted that way, not that it always will be.

    Most cops won't care unless you are purposely acting like a dick or they're are having a bad day. My friend had a sweet '68 GTO with glass packs and the cop was right behind us when he revved it. CSPD cops in the '70s didn't like teenaegers with loud cars.
    2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 (SOLD)
    2013 Yamaha FZ6R
    Stupidity should be painful.

  17. #17
    Member XJ600s's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Northglenn, CO
    Posts
    442

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim_Vess View Post
    I said it can be interpreted that way, not that it always will be.

    Most cops won't care unless you are purposely acting like a dick or they're are having a bad day. My friend had a sweet '68 GTO with glass packs and the cop was right behind us when he revved it. CSPD cops in the '70s didn't like teenaegers with loud cars.
    Ahh, stupid qualifiers, I always miss those.

    And I guess I could see a GTO with glasspacks revved in front of an officer pissing him off.

  18. #18
    Member Jim_Vess's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Lafayette, CO
    Posts
    416

    Re: Clarify some laws for me...

    Quote Originally Posted by XJ600s View Post
    And I guess I could see a GTO with glasspacks revved in front of an officer pissing him off.
    Oh boy did it. I think the fact that the cop was about four feet tall with a Napoleon complex and my buddy is 6'1" didn't help either. He was looking for someone to bust and show how much of a man he was.

    That cop has to be close to 70 year old now. Four feet tall and 70 - I could take him.
    2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 (SOLD)
    2013 Yamaha FZ6R
    Stupidity should be painful.

Similar Threads

  1. Crazy Traffic Laws
    By dapper in forum Jokes & Stuff
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: Thu May 24th, 2007, 02:05 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •