The CHP Connection
Readers often have questions regarding California Vehicle Code and accident analysis. The California Highway Patrol has agreed to respond to these types of letters, and Sergeant Ron Burch is the author. Readers are encouraged to send in any questions regarding motorcycle safety or California Vehicle Code. Please send questions to the editor.
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June 2008 Impersonating An Officer
Frank from Pasadena wrote: On more than one occasion, I have seen a middle-aged motorcyclist riding on the 210 freeway on a BMW that has been painted to look like a police motorcycle. The rider dresses like a CHP officer right down to the boots. Drivers seem to hang back, trying to figure out if he is an officer or not. Once they determine that he isn't, they speed by him. This is when the 'impersonator' usually grabs his fake CB as if calling for backup. What he is doing seems harmless, but is there any type of fine for doing it?…
May 2008 What Does It Take to Become A Motor Officer?
Ben from Palm Springs wrote: I was on the I-15 north and exiting the freeway at the SR18 east offramp. At the light at the end of the offramp, both lanes can go right, but the left lane can also go left. In that left lane was a broken down bus. A police cruiser was there and so were two motorcycle cops, and I think they were CHP…
April 2008 Stopping Traffic for Your Group
Recently I was driving home in my truck near the entrance to the Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego. Approximately 50 or so riders, primarily on Harley-Davidsons, were leaving the area and proceeded to have one rider stop in the middle of an intersection and 'block' the intersection as the traffic light turned red for their direction of traffic. Many increased speed to get through the intersection, resulting in a higher potential for accident as well as excessive noise. I am assuming that they wished to keep the group together as rider after rider rode through the red light while holding up the cross traffic that had the right of way…
March 2008 Loud Pipes, ABS Brakes, and License Plate Covers
When I was a young man growing up in Riverside in the mid-fifties, California's finest used to bust us for loud pipes which usually consisted of a pair of 30-inch glass packs. These same exhaust systems today would be considered very mild and acceptable. How did we get to where we are today with the Harley folks able to get by with obnoxious-sounding straight pipes?…
February 2008 New Laws for 2008
Each year at this time, I like to review the new laws and see which (if any) will directly affect the riding community. While none of the new laws this year are directly related to riding, I did see some significant changes designed to help eliminate distractions and reinforce safety that will take effect in 2008. Thanks to the California Highway Patrol's Office of Media Relations for providing the following summaries…
January 2008 License Requirements for Three-Wheeled Motorcycles
The California Motorcycle Handbook says that a motorcycle license is required for a two-wheeled motorcycle, and if it has a sidecar or is a three-wheeled motorcycle (trike), a class "C" is required. What license is required for a Voyager kit, which is a two-wheeled bolt on kit, making the bike a four-wheeled vehicle (one wheel in front and three wheels in back)? This type of vehicle is not addressed in the handbook. Since no added skills are required for balance and maneuvering, it seems like a class "C" would be required. Is that correct or not?…
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