Ducati Monsters are ILLEGAL in NYC!!!!!
Got pulled over on the FDR, since the bike has no fairing, its considered equipment and is illegal to operate on the road.
edited
So its that season again. the cop said, no hard feelings, this is our job, we hunt for tickets to give out. so fix youre stuff and youll be fine. Going back to what hblaim said about being honest to a cop. There's no getting out of these highway patrol guys. They are just ticket giving machines since thats their job, so anything that seems questionable, even though its word for word legal, change it. I didnt know why he stoped me, he just came back out of the car 30 mins later and gave me two tixs which he explained after he wrote them
so watchout guys its that time of the year again. Thats 8 tickets since jan 1 09.
not sure i understand what the two tickets where for?
not having the little wind screen on? not having sport bike like fairing? if so, either one should be easy to beat.
what was the other one for, and was it the reason you were pulled over in the first place?
to be honest, there is not a lot of information included with your rant about "ticket giving machines." instead, it sounds like cop bashing.......a no-no.
btw...you have more tickets since january than i have in my entire 23 years with a drivers license.
OK, one was for not having a fairing? Obviously no such law exists. What was the other ticket for?
Here is a link to required equipment in NYC:
http://home.ama-cycle.org/amaccess/laws/result.asp?state=ny (http://home.ama-cycle.org/amaccess/laws/result.asp?state=ny)
PM or email me.
sorry if it sounds like cop bashing. I was just pissed of he wouldnt help me get back into the traffic pattern, and had me sitting freezing wet for 30 mins while he was in his car. if anyone saw while passing, i was curled up next to my udder. ( I was soaked from the rain shower about an hour earlier)
I got one for obstructed license plate. its under seat, i deserve that one ive gotten it once or twice and ive beaten them both so its not a big deal it beats getting tagged for red lights on the west side highway. and one for no license plate light, which i do. It's just white, and it was still light out.
(http://)
yea im a magnet for fix it tickets. atleast they were never moving violations.
So in your first post, you're saying you got tickets because you dont' have a fairing ...
... And in the last, because you don't have a license plate light and it's obstructed.
Which is it? Not trying to be a PITA, just curious. [bacon]
Cheers,
Adam
im not sure either. he pulled me over and he started asking me a bunch of things and i coudlnt quite hear everything he was saying cause i still had my ear plugs in when i dismounted. I know He asked if i had a motorcycle license or a permit, and if i had my papers i said yea, its in my bag. and i handed him my key, and he took my stuff told me to move by bike 50 feet foward, and i didnt speak to him until i got the tickets.
And my refrence to Ticket giving machines, is a comment on the city. if you live and ride in the city, you'll know they just crack on down on everything here. I remember a cop tried to give a ticket to a friend for having clip ons.
I remember reading an article on how many tickets the city was giving out since they came out with the deficit. I think the city is going ot be hitting hard this summer, so if you have anything thats questionable, just make sure its undeniably legal.
Quoteto be honest, there is not a lot of information included with your rant about "ticket giving machines." instead, it sounds like cop bashing.......a no-no
Ride a Motorcycle in the five boroughs and you will surely change your opinion. Frankly some (not all) NYC cops are way over zealous with their use of authority, as well as arrogant. EDIT (my apologies, didn't realize I was breaking the board rules).
Excuse me for being harsh, but that's my opinion and am entitled to it. I'm a perfectly legal, tax paying, small business owner/resident of NY who continually makes sure all my "I's" are dotted and "T's" are crossed in every aspect of motorcycle maintenance, registration, insurance and everything other law that I must follow to own/operate a bike in NY. Give the guys who don't follow the law shit, not me, I follow the rules.
On a side note, I especially like the cops that put electrical tape over there badge numbers, seems like its all of them lately. I understand there doing there jobs and have quotas to fill to make up for the city's deficit, but just do it in parking tickets or like I said, give the guys that deserve the tickets the tickets. Not law abiding citizens like me with a stock bike, except for the clip-ons and rearsets.
My opinion may be a little exaggerated as my previous business paid $5500 to the NYC Department of finance last year, $3500 the year before (same 4 box trucks, like how the city just decides to just start writing more erroneous tickets?). But I'm fine with paying that as its a cost of doing business in NYC. There shouldn't be a cost of riding a motorcycle.
He Man knows he deserved that ticket and knew he was running the risk of getting pulled over when he did a tail chop. But thats the risk he took and knew it when he took that hacksaw to the frame. There's nothing you could have done brother. Small price to pay for having a sweet bike if you ask me. Ride on, fight the power, pay the ticket if you have to and do your best not to ride like an ass hole in the city, wait until you get to PA where the cops are cool and there is no one around.
I don't want to bicker back and forth with anyone, but would like to hear your opinion. This is mine, please don't take it personal. I look forward to responses and I really want to hear others opinions in the matter, especially from people who ride in the city. I'm fairly new on this board so I don't want to upset any of the veterans here, this is something I just fell strongly about and wanted top make sure my voice was heard.
He Man I hope you get those tickets removed, they are coming down harder this year than previous from everything I've heard. Careful out there folks.
Herm you are right that on this forum cop bashing is not allowed, but I don't know if calling cops ticket machines really qualifies as bashing ??? Also NYC (cops included) tend to single out MCs and they are definitely treated less equal than any other vehicle on the road. I'm not bashing cops, this is a simple fact that I think anyone who rides in NYC on a regular basis can agree on.
Now lets all get less tickets ;D
QuoteNow lets all get less tickets
Good luck with that man. Seriously this season has just angered me so much. Last year I used to ride around to meet clients in various parts of the city. Made it easier, I would schedule everything on one day so I didn't have to come in 3 days out of the week and I could park, meet, leave. Just seems like I get waived down by random cops on there feet now. Maybe its me? Maybe I put off that "pull me over look?". I don't have to many meetings lately but definitely get puled over more.
It just sucks and is annoying. I used to enjoy meeting friends and taking the bike, now I'm just looking out for cops.
All very well points made, again, cop bashing? not sure. Its more city bashing. Its really not the cops fault since they are ordered to specifically target motorcycles and be ruthless in giving the tickets. Their not really being dicks, just following orders.
I have to ride into the city 4 days a week, so i removed the underseat licnese plate bracke (which by all means can be seen from all angles except beyond 10' in the air, which was the point for cameras). I "legallized" it, and ive beaten both tixs that ive gotten for it prior to this one. However they've all been online. this one requires an appearance.
THe light thing was BS. He didnt walk arond my bike, he didnt ask me. he didnt do anything. But ive expressed my opinion about being a minority, its a proven point, no point in furthering it.
Regardless.... im pleading not guilty to both offenses. I have a white light on there, and since it was day time, the cop had no way of seeing it. ill just delay this thing till next summer and when it comes to that day, ill just ask him about how the bracket looked, im sure he would of forgetten by then, which would proove my point in he didnt actually look at the bracket for the light cause its right above it.
i did find this site
http://www.beattix.com/ (http://www.beattix.com/) they charge 50% of the tickets total cost. So figure i have 2 tickets to fight. Im going to wint hte no light one unless the judge is having a bad day. but i might loose the plate one, which means i either pay both tickets, or just 1 ticket.
If i hire beattix, they will almost 100% be able to get rid of the no light tix, and maybe get rid of the no plate tix, my final cost would still be 1 tix.
without beattix worst case scenario, i lose on both tixs and pay both fines.
without beattix best case scenario, i win both and pay nothing.
with beatix worst case scenario, i end up paying for 3 tickets.
with beatix best case scneario, i only pay 1 ticket.
has anyone ever been hit with a fee for appearing before a judge? I hope not, it would a dboule hit in the nuts, you have to pay to prove your innnocence when you were innocent to begin with!
out of hte 8 tickets, ive beaten 5 of them and reduced 3. Its a cost of living in NYC that everyone pays for. Or you can get butt raped by the MTA. eitherway, you're assed out!
By the way, the cop did tell me, its moto season and he has orders to amp up tickets on motorcycles since the city need more money. Open and honest about it.
Last year i got hit 3 times. this year i got hit 8 times. stats seem to back it up. all 3 times were inside Manhattan. 2/8 were in downtown brooklyn, which is pretty much an extention of downtown Manhattan.
I have a great attorney for this. Same deal 50%. If you don't save anything she doesn't make anything. She basically goes in there with a stack of tickets from clients and has a good relationship with many of the judges. She's saved my business a ton of money over the past 2 years we've been using her. PM if you need her info.
i understand where you guys are coming from.
one way to continue this thread without getting it locked would be to refer to the "city" in stead of the particular class of employees writing the tickets
Quote from: He Man on June 25, 2009, 10:49:04 AM
All very well points made, again, cop bashing? not sure. Its more city bashing.
[thumbsup]
arcdeducati, PM sent!
I don't see this thread getting locked for any of it's current or continuing content about cops writing many tickets, but lets just agree to disagree.
good luck in traffic court, He Man and thanks for the warning. didn't know it has gotten that bad in NYC.
NYC is definitely not the friendliest place for bikes. What with no parking, targeted enforcement & ticket blitzes, not to mention the illegal tickets given to motorcyclists in car pool lanes. I don't ride my bike in the city if I can help it. I have all my paperwork and my bike is basically stock. Exhaust is stock, lights, etc. The plate placement is slightly adjusted, just moved a little higher than stock. There shouldn't be any doubt in anyone's minds when it comes to the unfair way motorcyclists are treated.
Just a general rule for anyone, if your motorcycle is in any way not legal and you ride in NYC, you will get a ticket and probably several tickets. Don't come into the city and act all pissy because you got a ticket for something that was genuinely not legal. Not having a shot at you He Man, just saying that there's no mystery to the situation.
The fact that there's a "Traffic Court" in which you don't have the same rights as you would in actual court should be warning enough for people that NYC is a shitty place to get a ticket, car or bike.
You can point the finger at me, i know its illegal, i knew it was going to happen, it was a matter of when. i accept having the plate beneath my seat. I've had it for 2 years now, and this is the first time i got pulled over for it. But it has saved my ass many times on the west side highway, where those cameras are positioned in those really short, 25 foot long blocks. I made everything as legal as the book last night since i go to school in the city and have to commute. The plate will go back on in the winter time when the ticket blitz calms down.
Anyone know of the integrated blinkers law? Howies link made no mention of the minimum distance between blinkers.
The exhaust law has always been there, and ive been waiting for the rain to stop so i can paint my exahust and put it back on.
I just want to highlight something evil steve said, if your motorcycle is in ANYWAY whatsoever illegal, dont ride in the city. the cops tend to not care so much outside of manhattan and select neighborhoods. I know bay ridge and downtown brooklyn are the two biggest ticketing spots.
yeah, I'm really curious about the integrated blinkers law myself....
i got the exahust back on...
so far, no pull overs yet by the hiway popo. The only possible tickets i can get right now are for cored exahust, no fairing, clip ons, sunglasses and integrated lights. (yea those all the tickets cops have threatened to give me since its "illegal". but i havent found proof yet)
oh and my safety inspection sticker got ripped of when i was servicing my forks. so i need to get another one of those things.
Quote from: ArcDeDucati on June 25, 2009, 08:42:35 AM
On a side note, I especially like the cops that put electrical tape over there badge numbers, seems like its all of them lately. I understand there doing there jobs and have quotas to fill to make up for the city's deficit,
The tape over their number is out of respect for a deceased member. We do it in the FD and they do it in the PD. IT is not done so you can't get their badge number.
Thats really werid, but, i gues you need to be in it to know it.
Update: its been 11 days and i still have the ticket. gonna call up that lawyer tommorrow to try and get the light one dismissed.
On the bottom it says TO ANSWER ONLINE AT www.nysdmv.com/eplead (//http://) (//http://) OR BY MAIL EC... foloow instructions yadiya
i punch it in, and apparently my Driver License ID number isnt in the system. ( as expected because nothing on their website ever works)
but i do get this
"The Ticket is Not Yet on File. The TVB ticket number and driver information you entered are correct, but the ticket has not been entered on the DMV TVB ticket files. You can request below to receive e-mail notification when the ticket is entered on the files, and you can plead to or pay the ticket through this transaction after you receive the e-mail."
Below is a box where you can select what you want to do, one of which is
"The TVB traffic ticket number you entered is not currently listed on the DMV traffic ticket files. You can select below to have the DMV send you an e-mail notification when the ticket is entered on the files, or notification that the ticket was not entered on the DMV files after 60 days from the date you requested notification. "
So IN MY ASSUMPTION. I can check this box, and NOT plead. and NOT incur the wraith of the DMV gods since i didnt respond in 15 days. Technically, I Did, im just waiting for them to put it on the system online. Now....if thye never post it online, the ticket is still in the records. and if i get stoped again, they tow my bike. So what recourse do i have? I guess ill have to make a video of me doing this or save the webpage? Also what happens if they never enter it? My other TVB tickets usualy get entered within a week. and i can just make my plead online.
It is actually called a mourning band. They are normally black elastic type material but if you don't have the normal one you just wrap some electrical tape over your badge.
I know the "mourning band" that goes around badges and it doesn't block badge numbers. Too often in NYC I have seen cops badge numbers blocked, it is not for mourning, it is intentional. I have also seen cop cars with removed, covered, or flipped down plate numbers so you don't know the car number when then take off.
They shouldn't be covering numbers and they all know it. http://www.policelink.com/training/articles/2574-developing-a-mourning-band-protocol (http://www.policelink.com/training/articles/2574-developing-a-mourning-band-protocol)
You can have a mourning band without covering your numbers.
Quote from: Pakhan on July 06, 2009, 08:42:40 AM
You can have a mourning band without covering your numbers.
I have never seen it done any other way. When our FD goes to wakes and funerals we are all checked to see if the band is in the correct spot. It is always over the numbers.
Well I can't speak for FD since I have only seen it on PD, but i think it's more important for PD to make sure numbers are showing than FD. I also don't see an issue, whether FD or PD if you're at a wake or funeral. On the job though those numbers have to be displayed publicly for a reason, it's the same reason we have to make our license plates visible.
if its not visible, ask.
and risk the cop geting pissed of at you and giving you a ticket? no thank you.
And for anyone who thinks thats cop bashing, remember the pregnant women who got a ticket for sitting on the steps. Oh wait, there was more than 1.
anyway, i have a cop friedn on my block, hes old school cop, and he said just send the ticket in with a recepit that says you fixed it, and theyll let it go.
Ironically, on the back of a ticket says, All equipments will be dismissed if you send in a receipt of it being repaired. but it has to be within 24hours of the next day.
Did you not read this post?
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26240.msg458821#msg458821 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26240.msg458821#msg458821)
cops in nyc are super tough but, in 2003 or 2004 i got my bike back after it was stolen. some dude was out riding it and the plate was under the seat, he got pulled over and..............i got my bike back. the best thing was i had laid it down a month before and, got it back fixed. too cool! i guess the moral is ride by the laws or, save it for the track.
Quote from: howie on July 06, 2009, 08:33:30 PM
Did you not read this post?
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26240.msg458821#msg458821 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26240.msg458821#msg458821)
sorry, I did. But it skipped my mind. The key word here is that the repair must be done with in 24 hours of the next day though. without that its a moot point. However, The law (as much research as ive done) doesn't state anything about what would be considered a fix it ticket or not. Just anything under equipment can be repaired. Visor though...that would be a different equipment ticket, i think it would be in the same line as seat belts.
the dude was dumb enough to ride with your plate?
Quote from: He Man on July 06, 2009, 09:45:29 PM
sorry, I did. But it skipped my mind. The key word here is that the repair must be done with in 24 hours of the next day though. without that its a moot point.
If you are lucky enough to have a friend in the PD they can get you a back dated form. I got a BS window tint ticket and my friend gave me signed form for the date I needed from a few months back.
Quote from: al@sktc on July 06, 2009, 09:23:10 PM
cops in nyc are super tough but, in 2003 or 2004 i got my bike back after it was stolen. some dude was out riding it and the plate was under the seat, he got pulled over and..............i got my bike back. the best thing was i had laid it down a month before and, got it back fixed. too cool! i guess the moral is ride by the laws or, save it for the track.
That is awesome that you got your bike back and I am glad cops enforce laws. Riding by the laws will definitely make for less run ins with the PD, but that doesn't change the fact that I have driven and ridden within the law and
still got tickets that are totally unjustifiable. Also I can't do anything but get a reduction for a bogus ticket. How is that right? ???
he got pulled over because he mounted his plate in the same place i had mine.
so i guess he had bogus plates? or the cop checked the vin?
cause if the plates are clean, then he would of just given him a ticket.
Eitherway, thats a lot of luck to you man. Glad you got your bike back. there arent that many fortunate people who do.
i am very lucky! i didn't have full coverage either!
Your super lucky it wasn't chopped. Almost all bikes that are stolen are never ridden, just pulled apart and either sold as parts or put on another stolen steed.
He man, these "city employees" [leo] are doing a really mean thing to ALL motorcycles around the city, not just loud, beautiful Ducatis. A dude at Cycle Therapy today was complaining: He's had his '84 Honda Magna stock, licensed & insured continually since 1985. He got pulled over twice this week for no reason whatsoever. I'm scared to DEATH of getting tickets in NYC. I can't afford them!
I was riding with Howie a couplea years ago on 125th and I got a visor ticket. The cop had the audacity to tell me "it's for your own safety" Has anybody been to 125th Street? There are whole families playing chicken with buses, running across the street in the middle of the block and he's worried about MY safety?!?
P.S. I forgot to pay the $25 ticket and got pulled over 8 months later in a bright red rental car. I was calling my then-girlfriend to tell her to remind me to grab my cellphone earpiece. While they were writing me the cellphone ticket I came up in their computer as a scofflaw. Cuffed & stuffed! [leo] I spent the afternoon in a holding cell with blood graffiti on the walls. [thumbsup] My $25 oversight cost me a few hundred and a half-day in the clink. [bang]
damn, you have it worst then me.
yea 125th in harlem. dudes no helmets no plates wheelies on 2 strokes right pass the cops and the cops start looking at me like i did something wrong. Honestly, its just like racism. You got a white guy and a black guy, and the white guy got caught red handed, he said the black dude did it, the cops go beat up the black guy.
We're guilty cause we are bikes. And if 1 bike wheelies with no helemt and no plates, they must all do that. Its discrimination, and you cant do anything about it.
My friend has also been pulld over and hes got one of those cards, as well as USMC Veterns plate, but cops have tried to give him tickets for wearing non DOT rated sunglasses ( they dont exists btw) and for having clip ons too low. and then theres the "no fairing" law. its ridiculous.