It's warming up and crotch rockets are back in season on Maryland's highways

[cpzilliacus]

WBAL TV: Police search for 2nd motorcyclist in fatal I-95 crash - Bikers were driving recklessly when collision happened, police say

Maryland Transportation Authority police are looking for the public's help in finding a motorcyclist wanted for questioning in connection with the fatal crash of another biker.

Witnesses told police that two sports bike riders were driving recklessly by speeding, racing each other and doing wheelies on northbound Interstate 95  just north of the Interstate 895 interchange during rush hour on Wednesday afternoon when one of them collided with a car and went over the top of it.

[kphoger]

For a while now, I've wanted to change the "Start seeing motorcycles" slogan to "Start seeing motorcycles do stupid shit".

[cpzilliacus]

For a while now, I've wanted to change the "Start seeing motorcycles" slogan to "Start seeing motorcycles do stupid shit".

I have no problem with most motorcycles. 

But crotch rockets, combined with Maryland's lenient and leniently-enforced reckless driving laws, are a bad combination.  Curiously, I rarely see crotch rockets in  Virginia engaging in this sort of behavior, probably because the reckless driving laws in the Commonwealth are enforced, and have some teeth (including a real threat of jail time).

Unfortunately, the longtime chair of the Judiciary Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates represents drunk and reckless drivers in his law practice when the legislature is not in session, and I believe he represents them more than he does his own constituents in Annapolis.

I see a fair amount of reckless crotch rocket operation on Maryland's highways, including about 30% to 40% have a Virginia registration plate displayed.

[NE2]

I'll rocket your crotch.

[agentsteel53]

Maryland's lenient and leniently-enforced reckless driving laws

can't get money out of a dead man.

[kphoger]

I'll rocket your crotch.

You're so vain.

[cpzilliacus]

Maryland's lenient and leniently-enforced reckless driving laws

can't get money out of a dead man.

Agreed. 

But taking his corpse to the state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and then conducting an autopsy, along with the expense involved in investigating a fatal crash, even one involving a crotch rocket, consumes significant amounts of taxpayer dollars that would be better spent on other activities.

And then there's the highway traffic congestion that usually results when a fatal crash has to be reconstructed.

Arresting and jailing reckless drivers upon conviction for reckless driving would reduce it to some extent.

[agentsteel53]

Agreed. 

But taking his corpse to the state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and then conducting an autopsy, along with the expense involved in investigating a fatal crash, even one involving a crotch rocket, consumes significant amounts of taxpayer dollars that would be better spent on other activities.

And then there's the highway traffic congestion that usually results when a fatal crash has to be reconstructed.

Arresting and jailing reckless drivers upon conviction for reckless driving would reduce it to some extent.

yeah, but that takes effort.  writing a speeding ticket is easy.

[cpzilliacus]

yeah, but that takes effort.  writing a speeding ticket is easy.

Crotch rockets pretty easily get away  from any Ford Crown Victoria, even with the Police Interceptor package - all of the ones on the highways around here have the 4.6L V8 motor, usually no match for a Hayabusa, though the MSP chased two of them up I-95 from the D.C. suburbs a few years ago, and through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895), where both of them were fatally injured on the sharp off-ramps (most of the I-895 interchanges are decidedly pre-Interstate in terms of design). 

The fleeing riders were two brothers, and one of them was riding a stolen crotch rocket.

I don't know if the new Chevy (really a Holden with LHD) Caprice PPVs will do any  better in terms of top-end speed needed for freeway pursuits of crotch rockets.

[agentsteel53]

do the Sarah Palin thing and shoot 'em from a helicopter. 

[allniter89]

I'll rocket your crotch.

You're so vain.

you probably think this post is about you
But seriously folks.....I immediatley thought about someone dying on a cr when I read the thread title, anyone else?

[Alps]

All I know is whenever I read the title of this thread, I giggle somewhere between "up" and "crotch" and can't finish.

[Alps]

and can't finish.

Inb4 "giggity"

[cpzilliacus]

All I know is whenever I read the title of this thread, I giggle somewhere between "up" and "crotch" and can't finish.

I can assure you it was not intentional, but thanks for the kind comment!

[vdeane]

Looked at thread title.
Thought "WTF?"

[Brandon]

yeah, but that takes effort.  writing a speeding ticket is easy.

Crotch rockets pretty easily get away  from any Ford Crown Victoria, even with the Police Interceptor package - all of the ones on the highways around here have the 4.6L V8 motor, usually no match for a Hayabusa, though the MSP chased two of them up I-95 from the D.C. suburbs a few years ago, and through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895), where both of them were fatally injured on the sharp off-ramps (most of the I-895 interchanges are decidedly pre-Interstate in terms of design). 

The fleeing riders were two brothers, and one of them was riding a stolen crotch rocket.

I don't know if the new Chevy (really a Holden with LHD) Caprice PPVs will do any  better in terms of top-end speed needed for freeway pursuits of crotch rockets.

They may out run a Crown Vic, but they can't out run a Motorola.

[cpzilliacus]

They may out run a Crown Vic, but they can't out run a Motorola.

There's not usually enough of the Crown Vics with Motorolas on the road when  needed for a crotch rocket pursuit.

And the crotch rocket riders know that they can safely flee to the  District of Columbia.  There are not many freeways in D.C., but it's a perfect place for them to go to avoid Maryland law enforcement.

The city municipal cops will not engage in high-speed chases (and most of them don't want to engage in traffic law enforcement), Maryland cops will not pursue them on traffic charges into D.C., and two of their favored crotch rocket routes for reckless operation are U.S. 50 east of D.C. (a freeway from east of the Bay Bridge into D.C.), and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway ("secret" Md. 295).

[agentsteel53]

what is a Motorola?  if it's a radar detector, how will that help?

"yeap, he's sure goin' fast."

[Brandon]

what is a Motorola?  if it's a radar detector, how will that help?

"yeap, he's sure goin' fast."

A radio.  They radio ahead and can trap the guy down the road.
The first police radios were Motorolas, hence my comment.

[sdmichael]

For what it's worth, the "guys on crotch rockets" are most likely what we bikers refer to as "squids". They aren't looked well upon in our community either. I ride a 2005 Kawasaki Ninja 500R, a sport bike, but not one I'd drag my knees with, not that I want to anyway.

[agentsteel53]

but not one I'd drag my knees with, not that I want to anyway.

not even on CA-89 coming up the pass?

[PHLBOS]

Don't State police/highway patrol units also have motorcycle patrols?  Those can be used to catch up to the so-called crotch-rocket riders until a police car can be dispatched (to haul them away).

True story: while heading north along I-295 in NJ several years ago, I saw four NJ State Police motorcycles surrounding a driver and his crotch-rocket in the shoulder.

Crotch rockets pretty easily get away  from any Ford Crown Victoria, even with the Police Interceptor package - all of the ones on the highways around here have the 4.6L V8 motor, usually no match for a Hayabusa, though the MSP chased two of them up I-95 from the D.C. suburbs a few years ago, and through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895), where both of them were fatally injured on the sharp off-ramps (most of the I-895 interchanges are decidedly pre-Interstate in terms of design). 

The fleeing riders were two brothers, and one of them was riding a stolen crotch rocket.

I don't know if the new Chevy (really a Holden with LHD) Caprice PPVs will do any  better in terms of top-end speed needed for freeway pursuits of crotch rockets.

The last time I was driving along I-95 in Maryland, I did see a black 2005-2009 Mustang GT go by with a trooper driving it.  The car in question had some lights and an extra antenna mounted on it so it wasn't someone's personal car.  It's likely that car's being used to catch some faster vehicles and motorcycles perps.

Although official police-packaged pony cars have been out of production for a while (Camaro since 2002, Mustang since 1993); some law enforcement agencies have been known to pick some retail models for enforcement/patrol usage... though the practice of using retail cars for such use is mostly discouraged due to such use voiding any warranties.

[agentsteel53]

Don't State police/highway patrol units also have motorcycle patrols?  Those can be used to catch up to the so-called crotch-rocket riders until a police car can be dispatched (to haul them away).

such a chase is highly discouraged by standard police protocol.  police officers have a duty to keep the uninvolved out of harm's way, and not even Mario Andretti can guarantee a safe and successful result of a chase weaving through traffic at two or three times the speed limit.

[cpzilliacus]

Don't State police/highway patrol units also have motorcycle patrols?  Those can be used to catch up to the so-called crotch-rocket riders until a police car can be dispatched (to haul them away).

Maryland and Virginia State Police have a very few motorcycles, and a lot of their time is taken up in ceremonial duties.

Also, I believe that all of them are Harley-Davidsons, which are not going to be able to chase down a crotch rocket.   

The right vehicle for crotch rocket pursuit would be a top-end Mustang or Corvette, or a Viper.  Those are all expensive vehicles, but I don't think the cops would need more than a few of them to put those squids on notice.

[cpzilliacus]

The last time I was driving along I-95 in Maryland, I did see a black 2005-2009 Mustang GT go by with a trooper driving it.  The car in question had some lights and an extra antenna mounted on it so it wasn't someone's personal car.  It's likely that car's being used to catch some faster vehicles and motorcycles perps.

Probably a Barrack "M" (JFK Highway) car.  That barrack is like some of the Turnpike troops on longer toll roads in states like New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.  It is entirely funded by the Maryland Transportation Authority, since that's the only road that its troopers normally work.  MdTA has in the past purchased "hot" cars for MdTA use on the JFK Highway part of I-95 (roughly mile marker 62 through 109).

Although official police-packaged pony cars have been out of production for a while (Camaro since 2002, Mustang since 1993); some law enforcement agencies have been known to pick some retail models for enforcement/patrol usage... though the practice of using retail cars for such use is mostly discouraged due to such use voiding any warranties.

I would think  that the auto manufacturers would find it profitable to have law enforcement versions of the Mustang and Camaro - it helps to sell "retail" cars.