Is it illegal to ZING on your bike?

[Ixion]

(d) A place to which the public have access, whether of right or not.

The driveway is still a road. Particularly if the OP had simply pulled over into the entrance to the driveway, (as I suspect), as it could just as easily be classified as the road shoulder.

If just in the entrance I agree, which was why I said probably originally. But if he was actually down the drive way, that is different. In the driveway of my home, I may ride my unregistered, unwarranted bike, without a licence, I may exceed the speed limit (if the drive is long enough) and do all other manner of things most illegal on the public road. And if the police come a calling I may tell them to piss off , it is private property.

[limbimtimwim]

damm I hate lawyers.... after trying to read that attachment...

Actually, I was impressed by by how lucid and easy to read that was. I was very impressed with Lord Witherbottom of Stinky Oaks or whatever his name was. I've seen worse.

[Sniper]

If just in the entrance I agree, which was why I said probably originally. But if he was actually down the drive way, that is different. In the driveway of my home, I may ride my unregistered, unwarranted bike, without a licence, I may exceed the speed limit (if the drive is long enough) and do all other manner of things most illegal on the public road. And if the police come a calling I may tell them to piss off , it is private property.

That is the impression that I got.

[Ixion]

That is the impression that I got.

Mind you, there is a flaw there. Since it wasn't HIS driveway, he really had no business to be there. Bit difficult getting on your high horse with a copper when you're parked in someone elses drivway!

It's all academic, in the real world you can't do anything without making a rod for your own back. He was a copper who had a hate thing about bikes and likes to throw his weight around. Probably gave him his jollies for the day. Shit happens, just write him off as a power mad creep, and ride on. If he tries to charge you with anything , that's another matter.

[spudchucka]

Which would be about as effective as telling the school bully you need your lunch money to buy food.

In my experience cops will not tolerate any request to leave like that. More likely to wind them up even more.

In that case just fuck off when you feel like it and see what happens.

[spudchucka]

If just in the entrance I agree, which was why I said probably originally. But if he was actually down the drive way, that is different. In the driveway of my home, I may ride my unregistered, unwarranted bike, without a licence, I may exceed the speed limit (if the drive is long enough) and do all other manner of things most illegal on the public road. And if the police come a calling I may tell them to piss off , it is private property.

Unless you were pursued onto the property from the road and the cop had signalled for you to stop prior to going up the driveway. Plenty of people think ducking up the nearest driveway and pretending its their place is a good way of avoiding the plod. It gets embarasing for them when the property owner comes out and wants to know who they stranger is up their driveway and why the police are talking to them.

[Lou Girardin]

It gets embarasing for them when the property owner comes out and wants to know who they stranger is up their driveway and why the police are talking to them.

Now ain't that a fact. Guaranteed to brighten a coppers day.

[aff-man]

Hmmmm been "detained" by a real wanker of an HP once as well. Stood there reading me the riot act was all yes sir no sir three bags full sir. And when i asked him where exactley he had trapped me, very politley of course, he not only gave me a speeding ticket but a ticket for having no L plate one when i had a restricted licence. His reason being that he had checked with his senior seargent and that seeing as i was not on a full licence i required one.....

(he also lied about his position and stuff and if things had occured as he said he would have needed to have reached about mach2 in his car for it to be possible)

Needless to say After a year of them fucking me around i got off that ticket.


There are a lot of good cops out there but an experience like that does sort of shape an opinion (didn't help that it was the first time i had been pulled over) And he kept me for so long i almost missed the 10pm curfeew....

Formal complaint got no-where.......

So SPud out of a matter of interest what constitutes as harassment / verbal abuse etc etc etc. I mean you probably don't have a snowballs chance in hell at it getting anywhere but it might be more effective than a complaint??

[Jantar]

(d) A place to which the public have access, whether of right or not....

So my irrigation pond has just become a road? As has my walnut grove? and our horse paddock?

[Deano]

In that case just fuck off when you feel like it and see what happens.

Don't get me wrong - I'm dead keen to try your suggestion but just not very hopeful of a positive response. And when it's my word against a cops, anything could happen.

So my irrigation pond has just become a road? As has my walnut grove? and our horse paddock?

As far as I am aware it must be in keeping with the other examples given in the list of what defines a road, so no, although a track through your walnut grove or horse paddock might qualify.

[Ixion]

..

Formal complaint got no-where.......

So SPud out of a matter of interest what constitutes as harassment / verbal abuse etc etc etc. I mean you probably don't have a snowballs chance in hell at it getting anywhere but it might be more effective than a complaint??

Yes. At the risk of returning to the original topic - which was the attitude of the copper.

Even if one HAS committed some offence , of the minor motoring variety (I'm not talking kiddie rape here), the copper should still be polite (as all those I've encountered - with one exception - have been).

All the more so when there is no offence committed.

The copper may actively dislike, even detest, motorcyclists. But that is no excuse for unprofessional attitude.

So if confronted by such a situation - an abusive bullying police officer - one can only suck it up at the time. But what then? Should the public simply accept that police officers are entitled to behave thus - bullying, truculent, shutting "shut up" etc ? Or, if that construct be rejected, what can the law abiding and respectable citizen (and until they break the law, motorcyclists are entitled to be regarded as such) do ?

Complaining to the Police Complaints Authority is a waste of time - even if they had any balls, in this case the officer has not actually committed any offence. He has just been rude and unprofessional.

Complaining to his boss I would think much too risky - the copper has mates , and dobbing him in will make it certain that they will be after the dobbers hide.

So what is the answer ? Has it come to this that Her Majesty's subjects can no longer expect respectful treatment from her constables ?

(I must emphasise again, that , with that one exception, my own experience has been that the police are both polite and professional. But obviously, there are exceptions. With 7000 or so officers even a small percentage of "duds" adds up)

[limbimtimwim]

Complaining to his boss I would think much too risky - the copper has mates , and dobbing him in will make it certain that they will be after the dobbers hide.

Nahh, the superior officer is the superior officer because they (We hope) an honest, smart, experienced cop. They should handle the problem in a manner which leaves you in the clear. The response may be as simple as making a mental note to keep an eye on nasty subordinate, which is is what I would like if I were in that situation. As you (and I) have experienced, the vast majority of the police are good.

[N4CR]

Try and be original. Skyryder

Since when have pisstakes been totally original?

[Lou Girardin]

Complaining to his boss I would think much too risky - the copper has mates , and dobbing him in will make it certain that they will be after the dobbers hide.

No necessarily. Many years ago, a Rotorua cop developed a serious personal problem with me and I was getting stopped at all sorts of times and places by his mates. Never any tickets though, just breath tests and licence checks. A quick letter to the Area Commander and there were no more bullshit stops.
These guys were rank amateurs though, they made it obvious they were looking out for my car which was a little uncommon back then.

[vifferman]

Even if one HAS committed some offence , of the minor motoring variety (I'm not talking kiddie rape here), the copper should still be polite (as all those I've encountered - with one exception - have been).

All the more so when there is no offence committed.

Indeed; quite correct, Sir.

I too have had only one 'dud', as you term it, and his stream of invective and frothing at the mouth was entirely wasted on me, because I had no idea what he was getting so worked up about. He may as well have saved his breath, remained calm, and ignored me, then both of us would have had better days.

I was on my way to work, and I (and two other bikers) quietly filtered to the front of the traffic at the lights. Mr Biker-Plod was lurking in the traffic, and manouevred his Patrol Piece alongside each of us (apart from Mr "Suzukis and Buffalo Girls Go Round the Outside", who was out of reach of Mr Biker-plod's phlegmatic phlegm.)
[Insanely outraged yelling mode on] (Not me - Mr Biker-Plod)
"If you rode like a proper motorcyclist instead of a bloody idiot, you'd stop making the rest of us look bad!!"

That stuffed up my day, because I spent most of it puzzling over this strange missive...