As per a few requests here, I'm posting my experience of being pulled over by MP a few weeks ago.
It was about 11pm or so, so the "speed limit" was 25mph. I never go fast in the powerboat at night anyway. Conditions were clear and calm all around--wind, water. I had one guest onboard and we were cruising in the Gilford-Governor's Island area, listening to the radio doing the boat's minimum planing speed--about 18mph or so. I didn't have the GPS, but I wasn't doing 25mph. This fact is certain.
Brad Paisley's
Mud On The Tires was on, and straight off my port side (remember that--straight off my port side), I see those exciting flashing blue lights. I throttle back to neutral and he comes closer. I'm wondering what is wrong...are my bowlights out? Did a towel fly out of the boat? Speed didn't even cross my mind.
Off goes the radio, on goes his obnoxious spotlight right on me. I yell over to get that light off my face. Of course he doesn't. Even real police don't do that. Now I'm completely blind. Oh well. I later find out that I'd have an hour to get my night vision back anyway...
He pulls over to me, says good evening (I'll say he was very professional during the entire encounter), and asks if I knew about the speed limit on the lake. I tell him of course, and he tells me I was exceeding the 25mph limit.
He asks for my boating cert and ID. Oops. I left my wallet back on shore. I politely tell him that and gladly offer him my name, address, and DOB. He demands my SSN. I am absolutely not giving my social security number to some kid. He argues with me, threatens me with arrest, tells me we can be here all night. I'm not absolutely sure of the law about identifying oneself to a LEO, so I just give it to him. Whatever. He does a safety check, pulls away and "runs my information." I wait, and wait, and wait. My guest is getting cold.
He comes back, immediately, because of a unique detail with my address, I realize he never ran my information. I ask him just how fast I was going. He says "You came around Pitchwood and I paced you. It took me 3 minutes to catch you at 55mph, so I'd estimate you were going between 30 and 35. Wouldn't he have come up from behind me then? Not off my port side?
At this point I'm livid and start to lose my temper. Maybe I shouldn't have, I know. I was lawfully operating my vessel and get pulled over and detained for an hour while some MP clown tries to get me for doing merely 5-10 over the speed limit without any proof. I ask him if he got me on RADAR, he says no, I just paced you. I tell him his arithmetic would never stick in court, ask for my registration back and to be on my way. The least he could have done was ask me if I'd been drinking...
He just gives me a verbal "warning," and I tell him that I guess I'll idle home because I can't go any slower on plane. The end.
I guess I could have been a bit more polite and patient with him. Now my blood pressure's going up again thinking about it!
Comment, questions, concerns? Flame away!