Got the learn from a cop

[R6_kid:Me]

As I was pootling my way through the perpetual carpark that is the Northern Motorway into town this morning I saw a motorcycle cop, no biggie, the traffic had started flowing at a decent place and so I fell back in line with moving traffic and continued on my way.

As we approached the Harbour Bridge it packed up again and I decided to go back to lane splitting (at a slightly reduced pace) and after only 50-100m the cop was on my tail, so i pulled back in line expecting some sort of telling off. But no, he passed me at the pace I was doing before pulling in and continued off up the middle of the two lanes. I figured I would make use of the free escort and pulled in behind him - this is when it got interesting. He started accelerating - at first we were doing around 25-30kmh over what the traffic was doing, but he kept on going, to the point where I was questioning WTF I was doing - there was no way I was gonna stop in time if a car decided they wanted the other lane.

I backed off and let him do his thing, he was certainly going for it, panniers and all, no lights on though. Turned out he was 'responding' to a seven car nose to tail on the otherside of the bridge - I was left somewhat in awe of the pace the biker cop was doing while lane splitting. I don't know whether I'd tell him he was the man, or a bit of loose unit, but it was impressive all the same!

No doubt he would give the mormons a run for their money!

[davebullet]

I heard Chuck Norris was visiting NZ and this is proof.

Infact, I am wrong. Chuck Norris doesn't visit NZ, NZ visits Chuck Norris.

[AllanB]

Chuck Norris is cool. Period.

Chuck Norris does not lane split - lanes split for Chuck.

[Skyryder]

I suspect some bike cops can realy ride. Use to ride with a guy years back and he became a MOT traffic cop. In those days we sometime use to ride the tussocks on the Port Hills. No off road bikes in those days.

Personaly I think 'all' HP cops should have their bike licence. At least they would have some or perhaps a better understanding of what it's like out there on a bike.


Skyryder

[RantyDave]

I suspect some bike cops can realy ride

I think it's probably all of them. After all, how many of us actually have any training other than a BHS course?

Dave

[Gubb]

Oh how I chortled at those seven cars this morning.

[DarkLord]

A friend of mine who is a cop and has ridden police bikes on duty before told me about how thorough the motorcycle training courses are that they have for police.

Not surprising if he can handle things that well considering what they have to go through to be able to ride a police bike.

[Dave Lobster]

I followed one down the northern a few weeks ago. I was amazed at how many people couldn't be arsed to use their mirrors to see him.

He had a far more useful horn than me for shifting the fuckers out their way!! Not as many people calling him a wanker...

[dpex]

As I was pootling my way through the perpetual carpark that is the Northern Motorway into town this morning I saw a motorcycle cop, no biggie, the traffic had started flowing at a decent place and so I fell back in line with moving traffic and continued on my way.

As we approached the Harbour Bridge it packed up again and I decided to go back to lane splitting (at a slightly reduced pace) and after only 50-100m the cop was on my tail, so i pulled back in line expecting some sort of telling off. But no, he passed me at the pace I was doing before pulling in and continued off up the middle of the two lanes. I figured I would make use of the free escort and pulled in behind him - this is when it got interesting. He started accelerating - at first we were doing around 25-30kmh over what the traffic was doing, but he kept on going, to the point where I was questioning WTF I was doing - there was no way I was gonna stop in time if a car decided they wanted the other lane.

I backed off and let him do his thing, he was certainly going for it, panniers and all, no lights on though. Turned out he was 'responding' to a seven car nose to tail on the otherside of the bridge - I was left somewhat in awe of the pace the biker cop was doing while lane splitting. I don't know whether I'd tell him he was the man, or a bit of loose unit, but it was impressive all the same!

No doubt he would give the mormons a run for their money!

You may remember, in one of my earlier dissertations, that I went and asked the bridge cops for their opinion on lane splitting.

The dude I spoke with was an ordinary biker. He was a biker first and a cop second. That was very evident in the way he spoke.

He yakked about his training in Pommy-Land, over the years, and I yakked about the lack of biker training in New Zealand land. That led him into recounting some of his observations of many bikers, both in the UK and here.

He had a really good sense of humour and a complete grip on who he was, what his job is, and how to determine the silly from the bad.

I'd lay odds he was the dude who you tracked through the traffic.

Good bloke.

[Fatjim]

Personaly I think 'all' HP cops should have their bike licence. At least they would have some or perhaps a better understanding of what it's like out there on a bike.

Skyryder

I'm gonna have to call you one this one mate. I doubt the motorcycle cop that pulled me over a couple of weeks ago had a bike of his own, in fact I would have put money on it. He had now idea about what we riders have to put up with or do to survive on the roads. And don't say "he was riding a bike dickhead". there's a world of difference if your bikes white with blue lights.

[sparky.scott]

Never seen a biker cop yet, then again i dont live in the big metropolis of Auckland

[YellowDog]

I nod to a biker cop on most mornings. We have never spoken but I feel like I know him and that he wouldn't stop me unless I did something really silly.

Like has already been said, biker cops know the roads and what bikers have to put up with to survive.

[roy.nz]

I love the biker cops and wish i could have some of those nice blue lights to move some dicks out of my way. The dudes can ride, i also followed one and was also like shit let him go you wont keep up.

[crash harry]

I nod to a biker cop on most mornings. We have never spoken but I feel like I know him and that he wouldn't stop me unless I did something really silly.

I had the same situation. Turned out he was a KBer - I only found that out when he pulled some 4WD that pulled out on me and nearly wiped me out right in front of him at the intersection that I saw him at most mornings. It was beautiful (except for the bit where I nearly shat my pants). I heard he's moved on from being a BykieCop (or however he spelled it) these days - mores the shame, he seemed like a good sort to have out there looking after us!

[cave weta]

If yer ever get stopped around Orewa by a really short HP lady constable who is about 40 years old and cute and lovely with a heavy pommy accent ask her if she's Caroline with the CBR600.

She came last summer and did a day in the dirt with me- she was such a honey!