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From: davep@hpfcpp.HP.COM ( Dave Post)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Which bikes get the tickets.
Message-ID: <370001@hpfcpp.HP.COM>
Date: Tue, 14-Oct-86 15:23:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpfcpp.370001
Posted: Tue Oct 14 15:23:58 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 24-Oct-86 07:13:49 EDT
References: <1428@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
Organization: Process eng.,HP Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 24


It seems that police attitudes differ in different places.

A couple years ago, in Denver, a police car chased a motorcyclist who then
broadsided a small car. A passenger died. At the scene an officer was quoted
as saying something like ( paraphrased ) " Don't worry. We got him." to the
injured driver. An investigation resulted, but I believe the conclusion was
something like: The police reputation is more important than the quality
of life of innocent victims. ( My interpretation, of course. ) It is not
unusual to read in The Denver Post of a police chase ( of car or motorcycle,
I do not think there is much discrimination ) ending by involving
innocent victims.

This attitude seems to prevail in Loveland, CO also. This past week an 
apparently intoxicated motorcyclist tried to evade police and was seriously
injured. Several years ago it was reported that the police even tried to run a 
motorcyclist off the road by colliding with the bike. You WILL be pursued
in Denver and Loveland and it does not matter about circumstances.

This attitude seems too ruthless to me, but I could have been influenced
by the newspaper reporting. As it stands, I can not tell much difference
between reckless driving by citizens and pursuit driving by police.

Dave Post       Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO       hplabs!hpfcla!post