A Question About Police Procedure ...

 Rode to the local bar a couple miles away, had one beer, rode back.
(Marshall, Michigan)

Wasn't concerned about a DUI or anything, as at my body mass one beer
wouldn't do it.

Helmet, white dress shirt, dress pants, figured I was visible enough with
the white shirt.  Also the speeds were low enough and the distance short
enough ... figured a helmet was enough.

Cops saw me outside the bar putting on a helmet.

I went around a couple of blocks on a side street (not to avoid the cops ...
just because I was bored).  Anyway, when I got back on the main street, I
passed the cops, who were stopped in front of the post office.

They followed me all the way home.  They tried to be coy about it and they
were about 1/2 mile behind me, but I could tell.  I turned left into my
apartment complex, and they weren't far behind.  I pulled into my carport
and dismounted the bike, and I was fully expecting the flashing lights,
license registration, proof of insurance, etc., but they just kept driving.
They went slowly around my apartment complex and exited.

I don't get it.  Why follow me and then do nothing?  I wasn't stumbling or
anything when I left the bar, and my riding was normal (no jokes there,
please), so I think they knew I wasn't intoxicated.

Why follow me and then do nothing?  What goes through their minds?

Any ideas?

The Lizard

 
The cops didn't know how many beers you'd drank, or that you were a
choir boy acting badly.


Maybe they were watching to see if you'd weave across the centerline.
They
probably ran your license plate number through their data base to see
if you
had any wants or warrants or prior DUI's.

They didn't come up with anything, so they kept cruising, looking for
overt litterers...

 
I'm kind of thinking (like you) that they were watching for probable cause
and they definitely ran the plates.

Now that I think about it, because motorcycle plates are kind of small and
they had such a huge following distance, they probably couldn't read the
plate until they passed me stopped in the carport.  Maybe they didn't have
the computer data back until they were a few tens of yards past me in the
apartment complex.  I'm sure if anything interesting had come up they would
have come back for an extended chat and taser session.

When I was pretty sure I was being followed, I considered picking up the
pace to see what they would do.  Michigan Ave. leading out of town gets
rapidly up to a 50 MPH speed limit and the entrance to I-94 is there.  But I
ain't got the stones to have that kind of fun, and I didn't have proper
protective gear on.

The Lizard

 On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:05:35 -0400, "Jujitsu Lizard"


Mo bettuh is to pull over and watch them drive by. If they stop, ask
them what they want. Take the initiative. Why be a sitting duck for
them? As long as you keep riding in front of them, it increases the
possibility you'll screw up and give them the opportunity to ticket
you.

--
Turby the Turbosurfer

 

Next time, bungee cord a large pink box to your seat, and you'll know
that they are actually interested in your donuts, not you.