BIG BLUE_ZX14

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Posts: 374
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posted August 28, 2009 02:07 PM
Edited By: BIG BLUE_ZX14 on 29 Aug 2009 00:10
State Trooper Ramming Motorcycle...WTF
A guy I ride with (he has a 08 ZX6) was riding early Sunday evening on the highway just outside of town and was rammed off the road by a state trooper. The cops of course say he was running. He is young at 20 years old but does not strike me as having the personality to try and run from the cops, especially with a passenger.
The state trooper was attempting to pull him over for no tail lights (no he does not have a cut off switch) so something else was amiss. He says he was trying to get over to the shoulder when another trooper who was ahead of him suddenly turned on his overhead lights, swerved into his lane and ran into his motorcycle causing it to crash on the shoulder. The bike is totaled. He suffered bumps and bruises, unfortunately she (his passenger) was not wearing gloves and suffered a rather seriously injury to her hand. The doctors are waiting for it to heal further so they can apply a skin graphs. Now the troopers say he was trying to run from them but then say he was only doing 30mph at the time of the “collision”.
The biker community here made lots of noise to the state police and the news stations to get the dash camera footage released and they did today (6 days after the fact). While it’s not on the web yet they did show it on the local evening news. Now my friend says he was not trying to run. After seeing the dash video I can’t determine if he was or not as its rather short and only shows the crash and the few moments preceding the crash. What I can determine is that the lead trooper with out a doubt did not have his flashers on then turned them on at the same time he intentionally swerved into the motorcycle causing it to crash. At the time of the crash my friend was not arrested and he and his passenger were allowed to go to the hospital. Today however they have charged him with two counts of fleeing and eluding and additional charges. He is lawyered up and I believe his passenger is getting ready for a lawsuit against the state police. When and if the dash video is put on the web I will post a link.
Now my point to posting this is what was the trooper thinking ramming into a motorcycle? Is it really so important to stop a motorcycle for a traffic offense, fleeing or not? If he doesn’t give a damn for the life of the rider then he better be concerned for the life of the passenger who has no control over what is going on. This incident has evaporated the little bit of respect I had remaining for law enforcement. Now it is definitely "Us vs. Them". And I say fuck them.
The following link is how the local new (force fed by the MSP) initially reported the incident:
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/grand_rapids/Speeding_biker_collides_with_police_car
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2007 Blue ZX14 Gone...
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Red1

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posted August 28, 2009 02:11 PM
Edited By: Red1 on 28 Aug 2009 22:12
Big Blue,
What state did this happen in?
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BIG BLUE_ZX14

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posted August 28, 2009 02:12 PM
Just added the local news article...Grand Rapids, Michigan
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Obba

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posted August 28, 2009 02:36 PM
I'll wait for the cam before i comment.
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Zedexdragon

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posted August 28, 2009 02:41 PM
Edited By: Zedexdragon on 28 Aug 2009 22:41
ROFL!!! That is an awesome article. Completely skewed. (sarcasm)
Hope your friends get better soon and come out of this for the positive.
Cheers
Kinley
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BIG BLUE_ZX14

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posted August 28, 2009 02:50 PM
I guess maybe this really belongs in the smackhouse...feel free to move it.
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2007 Blue ZX14 Gone...
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iflyems

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Posts: 233
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posted August 28, 2009 03:42 PM
I'd get an attorney. There is a "reasonableness" clause in all states pursuit rules. If, he was running, and endangering the lives of others(his passenger doesn't count), or, was running as a result of committing a felony, and would have likely caused great bodily injury, or death, if allowed to escape, then yea, he gets to bite the dirt.
I don't see anything like that. Sounds to me like payday for both of them. See the crap out of them.
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gilberjj

Needs a job
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posted August 28, 2009 04:49 PM
If it took place in cali.... payday.... michigan, hard to say. Keep us informed.
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swiftnet

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posted August 28, 2009 07:55 PM
The majority of cops are jerks, imo. Sue them so they think twice before over-reacting or assuming you'll run just because you are on a bike.
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Keeping the rubber side down since 1984
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sj1400
Novice Class
Posts: 96
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posted August 28, 2009 08:01 PM
Been going on for years in Michigan.. It's attempted murder as far as I'm concerned.
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Flame On

Needs a life
Fuel Air & Spark
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posted August 28, 2009 08:31 PM
There has to be prior footage of a persuite if all the have is that it would look as the just hit the lights and hit the motorcyclist . Seems like some of there mentality would be to run riders down to injure or kill a rider than risk him getting away from a speeding ticket.
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busa

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posted August 28, 2009 08:32 PM
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BobC

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posted August 28, 2009 10:58 PM
Edited By: BobC on 29 Aug 2009 07:30
If they don't release the WHOLE of the video then surely they are guilty of witholding evidence and perverting the course of justice.
Get a decent attourney.
Firstly, was his tail light really out? Does the video actually show this? It's an old excuse by Police who use it as a reason to stop a vehicle, "Sir your tail lights out"
Secondly the whole of the footage is neccessary to give the time-scale of the incident, so that the rider can show they used unreasonable and disproportionate force.
This was just a defective light on a vehicle after all, hardly the crime of the century. I assume that in American law you are still presumed to be innocent until proven otherwise.
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INTIMIDA2OR

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posted August 28, 2009 11:48 PM
This was just a defective light on a vehicle after all, hardly the crime of the century. I assume that in American law you are still presumed to be innocent until proven otherwise.
That's only what they say ,we motorcyclists are guilty until proven innocent .We are some of the worst criminals around that seem to look rich for some reason ...
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Flame On

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Fuel Air & Spark
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posted August 29, 2009 12:40 AM
Innocent female passenger on back . I really have to call stupid on that dumb cop for jeopardizing a passengers life. He should loose his badge for that vehicular assault .
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Bluebyyou

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posted August 29, 2009 04:04 AM
Edited By: Bluebyyou on 29 Aug 2009 12:06
The practice of patrolmen ramming motorcycles should be banned nationwide and enforced by strong disciplinary action including their immediate dismissal without pay or benefits. It equates after all to attempted murder. Pit manuvers and spike strips were designed to disable cages not motorcycles where their use could very possibly cause a fatality. I think the practice of ramming motorcycles stems from profiling "biker types" stereotypes, indifference to any injury just to make the arrest, ignorance to the possible outcome, or frustrastion at their inability to keep up with or stop a motorcyclist thats a good rider skills. Make no mistake this is a dispicable crime and should not be tolerated ever, even against a known fleeing felon.
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makenna

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posted August 29, 2009 06:42 AM
I love how people prejudge based upon the one sided article and make comments below.
It will be nice to see how these same people have to eat their words if/when the state has to pay out into the millions because of these biased piglets actions.
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1badvespa1400cc

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posted August 29, 2009 08:06 AM
What is that crappy picture that keeps popping up?(lol)
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bigdtd

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posted August 29, 2009 10:28 AM
i could see ramming if the guy on the bike was shooting at the cops or somehow endangering others. otherwise it is excessive use of force and negligence by the police.
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Big Ced
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posted August 29, 2009 11:36 AM
Police are above the law, lets not forget that. So there words are taken more serious then ours. I wish good luck to the victim he has a long battle
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fury
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posted August 29, 2009 06:02 PM
I cant wait to see the video!
I hope they (fuzz) did not break the law...
This will only cripple them more.
Making mistakes like this, is the main cause for them wearing bullet proof vests.
I mean they are only human after all.
Judge, Jury, and executioner.
No wait that is only in Ontario Canada.
We are guilty until we prove our selves innocent.
In the USA you are innocent until they can prove you guilty.
Obviously they can clearly see the driver accelerating via the video footage and the radar.
Was it a radar trap? Or was it truly a blown out tail light?
Should be interesting.
Tickets are down over 70% in Ontario apparently.
They have mandated that they start writing more tickets.
They deny that this is a money drive for the detachments.
I guess they dont think this racing law slowed anyone down.
Hell if he was in Ontario, his bike would have been crushed.
Licence suspended and a $10,000.00 fine.
He wouldnt been able to say shit let alone "I am getting a lawyer."
They would have left him on the side of the road. Helmet in hand.
Boy you guys truly live in the land of the free.
Canadians have no rights. We have Priviliges.
I had a Judge state that 1 time when I was in court.
No it was not directed at me.
But my jaw dropped.
If this chap needs a lawyer, tell him to have the lawyer read a paragraph out of a sci fi book.
If the lawyer cannot express himself worth a shit dont hire him.
A big part of a lawyers job is to sell a storey.
You never hire a lawyer. You hire a storey teller.
The court system here in Canada anyway is not interested in justice.
It is just about who tells the best storey.
Sad really.
Good luck.
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1badzx12r
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posted August 30, 2009 02:16 AM
Edited By: 1badzx12r on 30 Aug 2009 10:17
quote: Police are above the law, lets not forget that. So there words are taken more serious then ours. I wish good luck to the victim he has a long battle
and they have the government and lawyers and unions to protect them .. and if they {cops} lose its always the taxpayer that covers their ass with cash ..
i've said it before and say it again ..i've never had ANY USE FOR POLICE ..
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lemosley01
Novice Class
Posts: 31
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posted August 30, 2009 08:27 AM
Edited By: lemosley01 on 30 Aug 2009 16:27
God what a bunch of shit. Running or not, you don't RAM A MOTORCYCLIST unless he's a public threat, and with a passenger on the back? Seriously - do these guys THINK at all?
I generally respect the police, but that shit pisses me off. I hope that cop gets prison time and is gang-raped every day.
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joemugg

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posted August 30, 2009 12:49 PM
Last year a group of 7 of us were riding on a Sunday morning, there's a nice curvy road that ended in a washed out bridge. You turn off a major highway, pass the entrance to a subdivision, then nothing for a mile or more until the bridge. We make the run to the bridge, turn around and come back out. After the last curve, before the subdivision, we slow down and putt to the highway. This particular day a black Tahoe is FLYING out of the subdivision as we're headed out. I was the third bike in our line of 7 and looked the driver in the eyes as he ignored the stop sign and came across the road, I swerved and didn't get hit, but did see he was flashing his brights. My 14 is '06 blue and I wear a silver helmet with "ripped" graphics exposing pink and yellow underneath. I saw his face, I'm sure he saw me. My two buddies and I pulled up to the stop sign and watched to see what went down with the 4 others to see if this pissed off citizen was going to start something. We waited a few minutes at the stop sign, we could clearly see the truck, couldn't tell what the conversation they were having was, but since it seemed civil we decided to ride down the highway to the nearest gas station and wait for them. What do you know, a sheriff's deputy pulls in and asks us if we'd been running from a State Trooper. Turns out the Tahoe was an unmarked and our 4 buddies were being lectured on the dangers of driving too fast. Another State Trooper pulls in behind the deputy and radio's the unmarked for a description. His response? "You know, those fast bikes." Well, Mr. Unmarked comes to the gas station to identify us and possibly charge us with running (a huge monetary penalty and mandatory jail time in our State). He's doing nearly 100MPH up the highway, slides into the station, looks over bikes and says, "Nope, I'm looking for 4 bikers and they were on black motorcycles." WTF?! How do you mistake Candy Blue for black?! Glad he did, but just goes to show how inept these guys are, vigilantes in their own right. And also, how can you not count?! There were THREE of us, not FOUR. We didn't "run" from anyone, literally waited at that stop sign for minutes to be sure our buddies weren't in an altercation, but very well could have gone to jail if this "trained" officer whose word is taken for gospel in a court of law could tell the difference in bright blue and black and remember pink and yellow on a helmet that flashed by his bumper at 35MPH. Turns out the cop was off-duty (he was wearing a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops) and heard us. In fact, one of my buddies stopped with his wheel in the door and wouldn't let the cop out of his truck until he showed his badge. Anyway, I feel for what these guys have to stare down on the job at times (I have friends who are cops) but you're right Big Ced, they are above the law and can get away with damn near anything.
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'06 ZX14 blue, Muzzy M14/M10, flies out, BMC filter, PCIII, SpeedoHealer, Scott's Steering Damper, 16 tooth Vortex
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Sticks_n_Stones

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posted August 31, 2009 01:31 PM
Wow joemugg, that sucks!
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