It is not legal self defense if that person is just yelling at you and you strike them. If they push, shove, hit, or anything of the sort then you may respond in kind. Depending on the threats you MIGHT be able to justify your actions but that would be pretty rare. Best thing to do is stay in the car and ignore them IF POSSIBLE.

 

i have been planing to get to my ccl but with my leg and school starting it has been pushed back. im not yet up to date with the laws on when its ok to draw or in the rare event fire, at what point am i protected under self defense?

 

When it is the only option to save your life or the life of another. I would check whatever your local state laws are though. I know for me in MD as an officer I can use deadly force in order to stop the death or serious injury of myself or another.

 

In California you can kick the shat out of someone who confronts you and say you were in fear of your life. I love this place, but I hate it at the same time!!!

 

Wow, I just read 39 pages and there is a lot of great info in here, thank NOHO.

QQ: Why does it seem that POs don't pull over motorcycles as much? Is it because they don't want to be involved in a meaningless chase as many riders will twist the wrist, or is it harder to determine speed? I know that I usually travel 10-15 over on the state highway and they don't look twice (I had a bad accident on the highway where a lady forgot that I was traveling next to her and changed lanes into me so I try to make sure that I am not with stagnant traffic) but I see cages getting pulled over for 7-10 over. Again I am not an idiot rider and stay away from the highway whenever necessary, but sometimes I have to be on it for 4 or 5 miles.

The other question that I have for now is this (I warn you that I am a bit long winded):
This summer I was on my motorcycle late at night, around midnight, when I saw that I needed gas. I pulled into the left hand turn area which is blocked by a concrete curb on both sides for about 75 ft up to the intersection. Apparently the motorcycle didnt register in the turn lane and I sat at the intersection for 4 full lights while I continued to get a red turn arrow. My bike was starting to run hot, nobody was getting in the turn lane with me to set off the turn light, and I feared eventually running out of gas (no gas lights and I was already on reserve). If it were a different intersection I would have gotten into the straight lane and gone down the street to make a legal u turn but the concrete curbs did not allow this. I finally waited until the fifth light and when there was absolutely no cars within visible sight I made the left through the intersection and got gas. Could I have been ticketed for this and how likely would my story hold up in court? Also can you suggest a better alternative to my predicament?

I will now finish with a funny story about a "run in" with an officer last week. I work at a school at night and stepped outside in the back to have a smoke, I knew nobody was around. An officer came around the corner in his car right as I was about to light up so I put the cigarette back in my pocket. He pulls up and tells me that there is a bear reported in the area so I should be cautious, I thank him and turn to walk back into the school. He asks me if I was about to light up, I tell him yes, there is no reason to lie to an officer. He gives me a face like he is disappointed with my honesty and gets out of his car. He asks for my license and a few other questions, all the while I am thinking that I did not light up the cigarette yet and he is being a bit nasty for this minor offense. Finally he says "you work here and were about to light up?" I said "yes , I know it isn't the ideal place but I wanted one before I go home for the night." He then asks me how much I have, confused I reply "one pack." Now he gives me the confused dog face and I realize that he thought I was about to smoke a joint in the back of the school. I pull out my pack of cigarettes and he starts to laugh, gets back in his car and tells me to have a good night.

 

1) Depends on the officer. Some dont bother because of pursuits some just plain dont deal with motorcycles.


2) Yes you could be ticketed for it, though I would think that an officer would most likely understand your predicament and let you off with a warning. Your story in court would still admit that you went against the light. The court will just say, the law is the law. To avoid future problems try filling up sooner. I do it when I have a 1/4 tank left so my low fuel light is non existent to me.

 

Here's one you probably have been asked, but at what speed do YOU personally decide to light someone up and yank em? Like if I was in a CRX or something stupid and was pushing 70 or so would ya yank me where as if I was in an A6 you;d let it slide ? lol Just wondered if ya had partiality to us fellow AF'ers

 

Make of the car doesnt matter to me. Most officers around here, at least that I speak with, frequently target vehicles that go 20mph over.

 

its not really a big deal, because it was a long time ago, and actually really funny after the fact, but im just curious as to what constitutes a reasonable susupicion to pull someone over if they havent broken any laws.

lol let me explain.. a friend and I were driving around in my car around midnight after I got off work probably a year and a half ago. We had seen a few cops since we left my house, so I made certain to do the speed limit. One cop started to follow me (I had broken no laws at all) and continued to follow me until I eventually got on the highway, and we got pulled over, and the cop started asking questions about my car.. I assume trying to see if I had stolen it... he then told us they had had car thefts in the area and break ins, and then made us get out of my car seperately and go back by his car where he questioned us about whether we were drinking, doing drugs, if there were drugs in the car, and if we had ever been in "trouble" before. He eventually let us leave, but it was like a 30 minute ordeal.. my question being, is my doing the speed limit reason enough to pull me over... lol i guess im just curious if there has to be a reason to pull someone over, and if I had provided enough reason to get pulled over

 

Traffic stops are done for infractions of the traffic law article, to stop and obtain information of drivers who are in vehicles matching descriptions of lookouts, and many more scenarious. If you follow any car long enough you will find a reason to do so.