The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Motorcycle riders sometimes draw special attention from the law enforcement community, and they’re fighting back.
Last spring, for instance, in connection with the annual Virginia Beach Bike Classic, city police set up a motorcycles-only checkpoint that resulted in some riders being ticketed for such offenses as wearing improper helmets, according to Matt Danielson, counsel to the Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists.
The police dispute Danielson’s account of the roadblock.
Arlington County police conducted a similar operation last year targeting the annual Rolling Thunder ride to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, Danielson said.
It may not happen again.
Legislation moving through the Virginia House of Delegates at the bikers’ behest would make motorcycles-only checkpoints illegal. The measure, HB187, submitted by Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, was approved unanimously Wednesday morning by a House subcommittee.
“We’re not opposed to checkpoints. They’re a useful public safety tool,” Danielson said. “We just don’t want to be singled out.”
Officer Jimmy Barnes, a Virginia Beach police spokesman, denied that motorcyclists were singled out during last year’s rally.
“We did have a checkpoint, but every car was stopped, not just motorcycles,” he said. “We don’t do that. That’s not our practice, and we will never do that.”
He was unable to provide a breakdown of how many tickets were issued to motorcyclists and car drivers.
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Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia,Testking E20-001 United States. Hampton Roads is notable for its year-round ice-free harbor, for United States Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, NASA, Marine Corps,Testking 642-832 and Army facilities, shipyards, coal piers, and hundreds of miles of waterfront property and beaches.
motorcycle check point
I must ask what group will be next? If the police single out bikes will it be a women ( I am a Woman) next or will they asking for a green cards, passports. Where will it end? Freedom is lost taken over by the government. We pay taxes only to have the police use the money agents us for what reason other then to get us off the road to never use a bike again. Japan gave the freedom to ride just nothing over a 750 cc.
the courts will let a drunk out to drive again but those of us who are legal keep us in the court system.
motorcycle checkpoints
having grown up in the 50,s one of the evil thing in commie land was people could be stopped just to see there papers.my o my
Va. bill advances to ban motorcycles-only checkpoints
Let me know when the bill passes - then (perhaps) I will once again spend time and spend $'s in Va. That state is turning into a Natzi operation with selective targeting of "groups" to raise state $'s. How about this for a change - State elected officials start planning/working within established budgets. Just sayin...
Va. bill advances to ban motorcycles-only checkpoints
Let me know when the bill passes - then (perhaps) I will once again spend time and spend $'s in Va. That state is turning into a Natzi operation with selective targeting of "groups" to raise state $'s. How about this for a change - State elected officials start planning/working within established budgets. Just sayin...
Motor Cycle Checkpoint in Va. Bch
I encountered one of those checkpoints in front of Creeds Elem.School.I was in a car. Everyone was stopped. I had to produce lic. reg. and look the officer in the eye just like EVERYONE else. I am a senior driving an uncool car. This time you cannot single out the Beach cops for profiling. Everyone is equal.What bothered me was that it was during rush hour around 5 p.m. Cars and motorcycles clogging the road for what seemed like a mile.I did see some motorcycles and automobiles ushered into a separate area after what a appeared to be questionable presentations. Hey! Va. Bch. Police is it really so important to do it during rush hour? I remember a motorcycle rider crashed and died at night during the rally weekend near Creeds on Princess Anne. Whats a
Why does this have to be a bill?
It seems common sense would tell you that its discriminatory. We are told almost every single day that discrimination is a sin, yet it's okay if you select the right crowd.
Rather than utilize common sense we need a bill to pass to tell us right from wrong?
Wow - American Government at its finest!
Checkpoints should require warrants
Every checkpoint that is set up should be required to secure a warrant. The warrant should detail why there is a checkpoint and specifically what police may search for. If they want to check for drunk drivers, then the warrant should say that. The law should also prohibit the police from stopping a person at a checkpoint where they are searching for drunk drivers and writing minor citations for inspection stickers or seatbelt violations. If the warrant for the checkpoint is a sobriety check, then limit it to that and any blatant felony. The point is that checkpoints to find out if you might be doing something wrong is an invasion of privacy and is contrary to liberty.
Ban trucks only checks as well
We need to ban trucks only checks as well. 18 wheelers should be able to carry as much weight as they want to.
OverReaction
There are Supreme Court dictated guidelines for running checkpoints. Setting up one for motorcycles only would violate those guidelines and subject the cops and their department to civil, if not criminal, charges. This didn't happen as alleged and the folks behind this have sold the sponsors of the legislation a bill of goods. Regrettably, those "legislators" failed to do their homework and just caved to gain the votes of these folks (if they even vote).
SOmeone once said don't watch sausage or laws being made...they were right.