135 Tickets Issued At Motorcycle Checkpoint
135 Tickets Issued At Motorcycle Checkpoint
Warren County saw a chance to increase their revenues as well as the state’s with Americade this past week and the three police agencies operating in the county teamed up to issue 135 traffic tickets at a recent motorcycle safety checkpoint.
According to Warren County’s “chief deputy” Shane Ross, the State Police, Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the Glens Falls Police Department worked together on joint motorcycle safety checkpoints on Friday, June 5 to coincide with Americade. The checkpoints utilized motorcycle units supported by patrol units from each of the three agencies.
The primary checkpoint was conducted on Interstate 87 at the northbound rest area at exit 18. A secondary checkpoint was conducted on Route 9 in the City of Glens Falls. The checkpoints were operated simultaneously.
The secondary checkpoint was planned this year after it was learned during the 2008 safety checkpoints that motorcyclists had become aware of the primary checkpoint and used Route 9 to avoid the checkpoint on Interstate 87.
According to Ross, 84 tickets were issued for unapproved helmets, 19 tickets for modified exhausts and 32 tickets for other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations.
In addition to the vehicle and traffic charges the New York State Police made four criminal arrests at the checkpoint on I-87, Ross said.
I guess these guys don’t have any real crimes in their state to prosecute so they have to go after bikers for technicalities. New York must be a wonderful state to be free of gang violence, rape, robbery, and so on to the point where the police have nothing better to do than check for DOT compliance on helmets & silencers.
Many States and communities have abused motorcycle awarenes or safety funding by creating these checkpoints or roadblocks that are motorcycle specific. Clearly an abuse of power to enable LEOs and LEAs to shakedown the motorcyclists. At some of these Safety Checkpoints, equipment is confiscated. Most times it is an opportunistic moment for a “surprise taxation”.
Overwhelming force is often used to intimidate the motorcyclist into complying with their every wish and command.
What kind of equipment do they typically confiscate?
I’m so tired of living in a police state. So very tired.
Usually the whole bike based upon a part of it being a modification or not “as built”. They confiscate pending investigation.