getting stopped by the law

[Bullcheater]

Got pulled over by the trail enforcers today. Now i know they are just doin there jobs but if found this kinda funny and anoying at the same time. Had my 15 yr old daughter ridin on my two up with me, a quick 15 min ride before supper. We met two sleds on the trail, we were goin around 35 to 40 mph just cruzin along. I held the last sled signal to indicate we were the last and only sled and kept goin. We got about a half mile farther and two sleds came up behind us one on each side. The one pointed for me to pull over and showed me his badge on his chest. Ok, fine.. He told me i was going to fast for him to check my registration from his sled when we met and that when you meet a officer you are to slow to 10 mph for them to check you. I asked him how to know if he is an officer when there are no indication of that on his sled and the only thing he had was the badge over his heart that is covered by his arm when riding. He told me to just be on my way... By the way. I have current registration, was not speeding, was on my side of the trail. was not drinking and was trying to enjoy a little dad and daughter time. But atleast the daughter now has a story for school tomorrow.

 

[fredster]

What state are you in? I teach snowmobile safety in MI and nowhere does the book or the DNR regulations say anything about slowing down when meeting an oncoming officer. They mention posted speed limits, minimum speed within 100 feet from ice shanties, etc., but nothing like what you described.

I agree, kinda weird.....

 

[coldsmokejr]

I'm getting so FN sick of hearing stories like this!!! These "enforcers" need to learn a little discretion and leave people the heck alone!! Poor guy cant even take a quick spin with his daughter without some Jon Law making up a new rule to pull him over to see if hes been drinkin! When does it end? Now I know I'm gonna hear a reply from "Joey perfect snowmobiler" sayin "theyre just doin their job" ........B.S!!!! Unless we're breaking a (legitimate) law, LEAVE US ALONE!!

 

[700classic]

WOW! No coffee yet this morning?

 

[Snirtdawg]

I got pulled over Wed. nite in Johnsburg, IL under the premise of checking registration. Clearly having the proper stickers on your sled no longer means anything, cause you are gettinh pulled over anyway. Secondly, they ask for your license, compare to your registration and to the tunnel # on the sled. I understand this helps with stolen sleds but it seems intrusive. They are probably making any OWI observations under these moves and acting like they care about stolen sleds. The DNR cop was very courtious. So we leave and ride for about 15 minutes north towards Spring Grove. We are in the middle of nowhere and at a dimly lit intersection, I see a man all by himself with a small flashlight as I cross the intersection. IT'S THE SAME COP!! I say to him "You just pulled me over five minutes ago" and he replies "oh yea" and sends us on our way. I ride 90% of my time in WI and MI and NEVER get stopped. In IL, the average is at least 2 times per ride!! Is this supposed to make me feel safer or is it harassment? Things that make go go HMMMMMMMMMMMMM!.

 

[kap]

I'm a cop, this stuff is wrong, what is their reason to pull someone over, you just can't guess there's a violation, you have to have a violation. A few are making things bad, a complaint needs to be filed in your area, and some people retrained.
Kyle

 

[polarisrider1]

In my area of riding you can be totally plowed and they let you slide as long as you have your trail permit. It is all about the permit in Lake and Wexford County.

 

[srobak]

All my years of riding as a kid around Suring WI and between Houghton, Mqt, KI/Gwinn and Munising in the UP, and then in the UP as an adult - not once have I EVER been stopped - either solo or when leading a group.

 

[rocketman356]

It has come to they are Tax Enhancement Officers now.Like srobak ,I never was stopped until the last four years and now it seems we are harrassed almost every trip.The best one was two years ago out in the middle of the UP on our way to Marquette from Minocqua a DNR goof coming @ us on 12' wide trail in the middle of the trail in a DNR pickup.He tried to stop me in the lead and I wouldn't stop because I so so pissed it would of been a good shouting match.But the sweeper did stop.We are all compliant and this was early afternoon.

 

[brapmaster]

I'm also a cop, and I even get tired of some of my cohorts acting like this. I know that most of us will not bother someone unless we have a valid reason. It's just too bad that some guys think they can stretch their authority and make us all look bad. I'm not sure where you are riding, but make sure they are telling the truth. If not, I'd be calling a supervisor. You might not get too far, but at least they will know.

Cal

 

[TDL]

My DNR experiance
2 years ago I was riding with some buddys and we were west of Minoqua on trail 47 which is a rail grade and a sled came up along side of me and I thought what is this jag doing, so I punched it threw some snow at him and kept going. A second later he comes up along side of me again and I thought what the **** he want to fight or something and punched it again and threw more snow at him. I am now doing about 70 down this grade and once again this sled comes up along side of me and when I finaly turned my head enough I saw the red/blue light on the dash and I lifted off the throttle a second and this sled flew in front of me spun sideways blocking the trail,This big guy got off his sled and charged at me. I threw up my hands told him I did not no that he was the law (Indian reservation) he was pissed and I recieved a ticket for $189 for not coming to a complete stop 2 miles back. I was the last sled in my group of 5. Funny now

 

[StreetnSnow]

I sled with a wide variety of riders when it comes to age, riding style, equipment & appearance.

It seems we only get stopped when someone in our group is attracting attention somehow. It's often riding style, but just as often, it's visual. A sticker in the wrong place, a sled in rough cosmetic shape, certain types of gear, or even something as simple as helmet mohawks.

We'd all love to believe it doesn't exist, but profiling is huge. If you look the part, your odds of seeing the blues & reds are much higher.

 

[jojo69]

A lot of stories with run ins with the law, but what about all the police officers you dont see? Some behind bushes down the road at intersections and such. My point is that you only hear about the bad expierences. There are many out there looking for violators and leaving the law obiding ones alone.

 

[coldsmokejr]

Of course you dont hear about the ones that leave the law abiding riders alone......thats what they're supposed to do!!!

And Yes I've had my coffee.

 

[kb97z]

x2 coldsmoke

 

[whitedust]

Sled enforcement wants to be seen in action or no use hanging out in cold behind bushes. Not saying it is right but that seems to be the deal. Also have HAVE to write tickets to justify patrol & generate revenue. DNR looks at tickets per patrol hour I know they do in boating patrol so probably same for snowmobiling. They can always find something wrong rollling stop, no registration so in some ways doing their job. If you have been drinking oh well that is trouble. Don't drink, have registration, stop for stops signs & not much they can do but stop ya & ask questions. PIA but what can you do?

 

[Skylar]

I suggest the people that don't like it, get out of the sport. There are the people who get pissed off at stuff like this, and there are people like myself, who don't care. Something like this sure isn't going to wreck my day of sledding.

 

[Snirtdawg]

I'm with you Skylar, if you are not doing anything wrong, who cares. It's just weird that in your car as long as you have valid stickers, no equipment issues and following the "rules of the road", they can't pull you over. But on a sled, they can and do pull you over multiple times per day. This doesn't seem consistent.

 

[polarisrider1]

I'm with you Skylar, if you are not doing anything wrong, who cares. It's just weird that in your car as long as you have valid stickers, no equipment issues and following the "rules of the road", they can't pull you over. But on a sled, they can and do pull you over multiple times per day. This doesn't seem consistent.

I agree with Skylar (rare, but does happen). Everytime I have gotten pulled over (once) I did blow a stop sign that was newly erected on a trail crossing an unplowed forest road. The DNR claimed it as a federal Highway. It was clearly entrapment. Same as the Mass City incident a few weeks back. After they checked my registration, trail permit and ran my drivers license they let me go with a warning. How can I complain about that. Getting checked for trail permits doesn't really fall under "pulled over" if you have it in the center of your windshield. Just slow down, they look, you wave, and away you go. I get checked all the time in Irons area. Part of life.

 

[snobuilder]

I love it when I see johnny law harrassing families on the trail ,...it gives me a big warm fuzzy knowin that big brother is takin care of us so well, we should all be grateful or get the H outta the sport....

Most stop signs are unnecessary and should be repaced with Yield/Driveway sign, where visibility is good,...... which is about 90% of driveway crossings.
otherwise they can sit there and write tickets all day long....