rsbob 

A few years back, my wife, who loves to blast down hills at insane speeds, got pulled over after being radared by a motorcycle cop. There was a golf tournament going on a few blocks away with lots of police providing security and traffic management, when she got popped for doing 42 in a 35. She pulled over next to two other cops while the first one started writing her up. The other two started laughing at the first cop so loudly, he turned red, ripped up the ticket and gave her a warning. She could hear them still laughing as she rode away.

I was also radared going downhill during RAMROD by park police for doing 39 in a 35. I saw them when doing 45 and managed to slow down by the time they clocked me. They took my info, let me off with a warning, and told the next one will cost.

ridethecliche

I'm no cippolini, but I got pulled over once for riding my bike on the highway in CT.

I wasn't trying to get extra good training in ala cipo, but my car broke down after a race and that was the only way I knew how to get home.

He wasn't pleased with my reasoning... Oh to be 18 again.

indyfabz

When I was a teenager I was pulled over, handcuffed, pulled off my bike and arrested for allegedly riding on a city street that was closed to vehicles and for allegedly cursing at the cop. Thing was, the street was temporarily open to vehicles for a special event in town, and I didn’t curse at the cop but rather my friend who stopped short in front of me.

Dad was a noted criminal defense attorney in the city. We fought the ticket in court. Case dismissed.

jpescatore

Several times as a kid, riding on the highway to Jones Beach and coming back from Montauk on Long Island - bikes not allowed on either.

As an adult, once in DC I was stopped for not fully stopping at a stop sign! I didn't run it but I didn't put my feet down, either. When he asked for ID I truthfully replied that I didn't carry my wallet and there wasn't much he could do but give me a stern warning.

Another time, I was driving somewhere with the bike on the back of my car and it has hanging in front of a license plate. There was a long line of cars in the right turn lane, including a police car, and I was going to go straight but an opening appeared so I moved (annoyingly, but perfectly legally) into the right lane. A few blocks after the turn, lights and siren behind me - the police officer pulled me over and I prepared my defense for the turn. Instead he told me my bike was blocking visibility of my license plate and he was going to write me a ticket. Luckily, the local bike advocacy group had recently put out an article on that - Maryland has no such law. I pointed that out and he said "Well, I could also get you for that illegal turn" - aha, that's what it was really about! But, just another warning.

Final one wasn't a pullover: in my younger days I would really fly downhill and I was doing so on a nice smooth shoulder next to a major road. A police car pulled up next to me, honked and he flashed five fingers, then two fingers, then thumbs up! I guess he clocked me at 52 mph which had to be an exaggeration but I still claim that speed today!

Phil_gretz

I was pulled over and ticketed for failing to observe/obey a traffic signal. I had jumped a green by ~1 second to cross a busy highway. The motorcycle policeman would not discuss it with me. Hefty ticket. Thanks, Sgt Nugent...

Lemond1985

"Having a dad that was a lawyer, was better than being President of the United States!"


Only once for me. I was making a left turn and there were a bunch of cars coming on my right, so I made a mad dash to make my turn before they got there. Turn was successful, but a block later i hear a police siren whelp. Cop says, "The reason I stopped you, was because when you made that left turn, you went directly into the #2 lane instead of the #1 lane." If that was the case, he should have been pulling over about 50% of the cars making that same turn the same way. Damned small town cops. I hated them then and still do.

I will never know the real reason he pulled me over, but it's a moot point since i just got a warning. I was "holding" a Penthouse magazine in my backpack at the time, but fortunately I wasn't searched.

Koyote

If I got a speeding ticket while riding my bike, I would frame it and hang it on the wall.

sovende

I have yet to be "pulled over" while riding a bike :-). I have, on occasion, committed infractions (moving violations) that would clearly have resulted in a "ticket" if witnessed by a law enforcement officer. Lucky so far I guess! If I ever do get stopped, I won't be using my Driver's License for identification. I may get the ticket and may have to pay a fine but I'm of the opinion that since I'm not operating a motor vehicle, it won't go against my DL and result in increased insurance rates. Don't know if it's "fact or fiction" but that's my plan .

pdlamb

I got pulled over once for riding on a military base with a "camera" on my helmet. I showed him how the headlight worked, dazzling the MP, who let me go after reminding me about the camera policy.

CAT7RDR

Once recently by Whittier Police. Turns out another cyclist had called to make a complaint about a driver harassing them. LEO just wanted to check if I was harassed and was looking for vehicle and driver info.

jon c. 

I've run stop signs and red lights in front of cops and never been stopped. Our hills are not steep enough that I could ever manage a speeding ticket.

Steve B.

Rolling a read light in a group. I was the front man and was polite and just responded with "Yes, Sir", "You are completely correct officer", etc..... This was a rich neighborhood on the north shore of Long Island, where the residents hate the Sat & Sun morning cycling clubs riding "their" streets, thus the cops had a hard on for cyclists and would await at certain intersections. We were wrong, but got a warning. I think the cop didn't want to write 10 ticket, too much work.

Milton Keynes

In my state, we have a FRAP law, so I would have argued that I was trying to stay as far right as practical under the law.

John Valuk

What you relate here is just so classic:

1. Authority asserts that you are doing Wrong Thing.
2. Authority learns that you were in fact not doing Wrong Thing.
3. Authority lectures you about the wrongness of Wrong Thing you did not do, warning you not to do Wrong Thing in the future, or it will go hard with you.

Respect mah authoritah!

Flip Flop Rider

one time I was on the interstate, seeing how long I could draft off an 18 wheeler. Made it to the next town

EviLDORK

I was told to get on the sidewalk by police directing traffic around the Wisconsin State Fair on two separate occasions. I wasn't ticketed or even identified. It's illegal to bicycle on sidewalks in this state and that part of 84th St is technically part of the Oak Leaf Trail, but I ended up walking my bike on the sidewalk to avoid both arguing with the cops and breaking the law.

expatbrit

Pullled over growing up in London for not having lights after dark. Was late back from school or something.

Mind you, not like those old 2 D-Cell battery lights cast any ACTUAL light!

GlennR

If its in a national park, you could get a pardon.

Just wait there will be plenty of them handed out int he beginning of January.

Hondo Gravel

Pulled over by DPS years ago just to tell me if I was you don’t ride this road. Too many drunks traveling from the local lake. Took a different route.

Koyote

I hope you thanked that cop. That's useful info.

Notso_fastLane

I got pulled over once. Cited for 'running a red light' because I stood up on the pedals just before the light actually changed. I don't think my front wheel was actually anywhere close to being over the line and I wasn't near being in the intersection, either.

Cops suck. I fought the ticket and got it dismissed.

trailangel

Several times. Ticket for running 4 way stop. Once touring on Hwy 1 in California around Watsonville, it turns into a freeway for 5 miles. I decided to 'go for it.' Car was honking at me and I ignored it... kept honking and I finally turned around and it was a CA Hwy Patrol. Told me to get off and go west to the ocean.... really good camping there. Was really nice to me.

I finally asked a retired cop how do you keep from getting pulled over.. said "if you run a stop sign or something and see the cop sitting off to the side waiting on cars to run the stop, hold up 4 fingers." It's a 10-4 sign, meaning everything is good. The cop will think you are another cop, and cops don't want to pull over other cops. It's worked 4 times for me.... although the last time it was a sheriff and he started up and followed me for a couple miles and gave me a dirty look.

Milton Keynes

If you want to meet them in person, hold up one finger. I bet they might even show you how their taser works.

Eric S.

I've been stopped a couple times in Las Vegas but not because of my own activity. One time the police asked if I'd seen anyone of a description they gave me, the other time they asked if I'd heard any gunshots or screaming.

I was once riding through a 15mph school zone and a motorcycle cop yelled out "18".

bblair

3 times, that I remember:

1-group ride and we turned very slowly, but not a full stop through a stop sign in a small town. A few miles later, we were pulled over by the mayor himself! Since that town had only mayor's court, he couldn't file the charge and also be the judge, so he radioed his deputy and told him to file the charges. He refused, the mayor was pissed and we eventually rode away with a stern warning.

2-Trek Travel Going to the Sun Road in Montana. The side after the downhill was supposed to be closed to bikes after a certain time, but the Trek leaders assured us that they never enforce it. Well, they did that day and we were forced to wait it out on the banks of a mountain lake, feet in water. Not so bad. Guides apologized and picked up the bar tab that night. We got a good deal.

3-Riding solo on a county road that crossed over the interstate. No other way to go on. State Highway Patrol, sirens blaring comes flying up and pulls me over. I was about to explain, when he goes into this long story about how he is thinking about buying a road bike and wanted advice on kind of pedals, tires, frames, pumps. Eventually I had to excuse myself as I was already late for a big family dinner.

So 3 good outcomes, but I would love to get a speeding ticket. I'd frame it and brag forever.