While I was covering the Le Touquet beach enduro race, I stumbled upon the French National Police who were patrolling the beach and dunes. They had just received a new motorcycle to test out.. Lucky b'tards. They loved the machines (they've got 300 650GS and WRF450's). More info here Later saw them clearing the beach. The Major said he was doing 190 kph...
I'd say they've got one of the best jobs with regards to motorcycles. They get to ride enduro style the whole day in areas that are forbidden for us mere humans. They don't have to do high speed chases, give out speeding tickets, etc. They get to test the latest bikes. And they get paid for all that.... They were all really nice blokes. Hard core riders. You'll be seeing a series of articles on them as of end March. Selection, Training, DILO... full of photos.
The law says something to the effect of "rider must remain seated on a seat premanently attached to the motorcycle". I'm guessing that it is meant to address poorly-built choppers and the like. The cop in the picture was insisting that I wouldn't be able to react quickly to hazards while standing (nevermind that I was in a long line of slow-moving traffic at the time). I asked him if he'd ever seen a motocross race on TV....He was just a jerk with a short-man complex, not one to be blinded by logic and reason.
That's funny. I was talking to a New Orleans bike cop once in about 2000 who was sitting on the sidewalk and he let me in on a secret. During big events most of the cops are reserve cops rather than full timers, and the city has a warehouse full of decrepit motorcycles and cop cars. He told me that the Kawasaki that he was sitting on would barely run, that he wasn't even sure that it would start, and he laughed and said that if I had my bike handy (I was on foot at the time) that it would be a pretty safe bet that I could have gotten away from him. Of course, following the hurricane, who knows what's going on with NO cops these days. Here's to wishing New Orleans the best of luck in their recovery.
:huh The black & white bikes, blue & red lights, siren, baton, handcuffs, gun and other assorted paraphernalia aren't enough of a tip off?
They DO offer civilian rider courses where I live. If you do the Advanced test your riding gets assessed by a police bike instructor :eek1 . British bike police don't go in for much shooting from the saddle though . And if you volunteer to be an observer and help other people prepare for the test sometimes you get to spend a day riding with them getting your riding criticised and (the best bit) criticising theirs. I'll never forget flying round the countryside on a Blackbird trying to keep up with a fully marked up police Pan European - it was like I'd died and gone to heaven . Police bikers in the UK (particualrly Northumbria and Durham police) are fantastically well trained. It's a pleasure to watch them ride and they are a usually great blokes as well who realise they've got the best job in the world. (any Northumbria bike cops out there, remember this the next time you pull me for speeding! ) Simon
I met this biker at Nord Kapp, Norway in '04. We exchanged numbers and it was only when I got to Tallinn, Estonia I found out what he did for a living. Very nice guy, we had a few beers together and he kept an eye on my bike while I went to St Petersburg.
Not quite, that is a racing team consisting of policemen. And he's not really writing a ticket to a fellow racer.