# Your road rocket motorcycle is lit up & you decide to flee. What are your chances? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 9, 2008, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301 "2008-06-09T05:41:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/1 "2008-06-09T05:41:21Z")
I was reading[this local story](http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080608/NEWS01/80608007) which is a fairly typical “motorcyclist flees at high speed & is caught” scenario. I do recall several of my peers having FOAF stories where the motorcyclist was able to accelerate so fast they left the police behind, zipped off onto a side road at some point, and were never caught. I realize that any data regarding your chances in eluding the police is going to be largely apocryphal, but I am interested in what kind of real world chance a person on a high speed road rocket type bike has of eluding the police. Assuming he can go much faster than any police car, and calling out a helicopter would take some time (unless the fleeing cyclist stupid enough to stick to the main highway in which case the police could simply radio ahead) why wouldn’t a motorcyclist on a road rocket bike have a better than even chance of evading the police in most circumstances? > [@](#): > > SALISBURY — A Hyattsville man was taken into police custody after a he led police on a chase through two counties on a motorcycle, the Maryland State Police said today. Police said Jose Orlando Luna, 27, was driving his Suzuki Hayabusha motorcycle east on Route 50 on Saturday when a trooper attempted to stop the driver for speeding. > > Luna allegedly failed to pull over and the officer proceeded to pursue him for more than 25 miles, police said. During the pursuit, Luna was allegedly driving at speeds of more than 130 mph, illegally passing on the shoulder and driving between vehicles, police said. Luna was eventually apprehended in Wicomico County and charged with fleeing and eluding, speeding, reckless driving and negligent driving in addition to other traffic charges, > > Luna’s criminal disposition is unknown. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/2 "2008-06-09T05:48:56Z")
They spelled “Hayabusa” wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/3 "2008-06-09T07:00:43Z")
Bro’s problem was he never stopped. You gotta stop, let the cop get out of the car, then fly… ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/4 "2008-06-09T07:05:29Z")
Well since you’ve asked for apocryphal… I seen it happen a couple of times on ‘Cops’. One time they even said that the person who eluded them had done it several times before. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/5 "2008-06-09T09:40:50Z")
Because most of the time the benefit of escaping the police against doesn’t outweigh the risk of getting caught and going to jail or accidently smashing your bike against a bridge abutment at 150 mp. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/6 "2008-06-09T10:18:25Z")
It depends upon the neighborhood. If you are riding a trail bike, then you can cut through ginnels and passageways that cars cannot, and traverse land that other wheeld vehicles cannot, I would expect this would increase the chances of successful evasion. In a long chase you have no hope at all, the fuel tank range of motorcycles compared to cars is pitiful, and if its a high speed chase you’ll just empty the tank so much faster. I’ve hard that you can empty a Hayabusa from brimming to bone dry in 20 minutes at very high speed. To be honest, you would need an outstandingly good reason not to want to stop as the risks of injury through collision or crash are just immense, death or a year or two in prison, there isn’t much comparison - do the time. Trouble is, villains tend to think they will not be caught or think anything at all about consequencies, prisons are full of schemers who know all the ways to ensure they don’t leave evidence behind or which particula legal arguments to use - prisons are still full though. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/7 "2008-06-09T11:19:47Z")
I philosophy has always been: You can’t outrun radio. While I have a car rather than a bike. I’m certain I could outrun pretty much any wheeled police vehicle with it. But then what? Just how many Dark Blue Corvettes with the license plate ‘RKTSLED’ do you think there are? If the guy got a good description of my car, I’d be screwed. I have ALSO found that a zero stress traffic pull-over for the officer has been 100% successful in getting me off with a warning. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/8 "2008-06-09T13:57:14Z")
[QUOTE=CoG888] Bro’s problem was he never stopped. You gotta stop, let the cop get out of the car, then fly… [/QUOTE] Give the cop time to get your plate number? No way… Joe ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/9 "2008-06-09T15:04:25Z")
[QUOTE=astro] Assuming he can go much faster than any police car… [/QUOTE] This assumption may not be entirely valid. Some police cars can do 130+. A fugitive on a bike that’s “much faster” may find that the road won’t allow speeds necessary to rapidly pull away from the cop. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/10 "2008-06-09T15:30:23Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] This assumption may not be entirely valid. Some police cars can do 130+. A fugitive on a bike that’s “much faster” may find that the road won’t allow speeds necessary to rapidly pull away from the cop. [/QUOTE] Even if the road is limiting the bike to 130 (Hayabusa tops out from the factory at 185, IIRC), it’s still going to get to 130 much, much sooner than a two ton cop car. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/11 "2008-06-09T15:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] Because most of the time the benefit of escaping the police against doesn’t outweigh the risk of getting caught and going to jail or accidently smashing your bike against a bridge abutment at 150 mp. [/QUOTE] Word. [Two killed on motorcycle during police chase.](http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/05/30/motorcycle_crash_cobb.html) ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/12 "2008-06-09T15:50:20Z")
Spending a few seasons in Daytona Beach during bike week I saw plenty of crotch rockets flee from police and get away easily. The streets are so congested that pursuit would get dangerous fairly quickly so I think the cops were instructed not to chase. They did however attempt to get detailed descriptions and plates whenever necessary since they often found these same bikes parked later at another location. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/13 "2008-06-09T16:14:22Z")
20 some years ago when I was riding almost everyone I knew who had a crotch rocket had such a story to tell. Riding fast, passed a cop, light came on, punched it and the lights just went out and the cop pulled over, knowing he would never catch the perp. I never believed it. But it makes for a fun story. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/14 "2008-06-09T16:24:29Z")
“Your road rocket motorcycle is lit up…” For some reason, this phrasing made me think of Wile E. Coyote riding one of those cartoon ‘roman candle’-style fireworks that always goes wring just as he’s about to catch the Road Runner… ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/15 "2008-06-09T16:24:34Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] … it’s still going to get to 130 much, much sooner than a two ton cop car. [/QUOTE] Agreed. But this may not represent the time necessary to get out of sight and into an acceptable hiding place undetected. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/16 "2008-06-09T18:31:11Z")
I don’t see how a skilled rider could get caught by one or two police cars behind him. But factor in weather and traffic, and it’s a very dangerous game. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/17 "2008-06-09T18:42:55Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] They spelled “Hayabusa” wrong. [/QUOTE] And for some reason, they spelled _rider_ as _driver_. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/18 "2008-06-09T19:31:04Z")
[QUOTE=CoG888] Bro’s problem was he never stopped. You gotta stop, let the cop get out of the car, then fly… [/QUOTE] If you stop, he writes down your tag number. Then you never get away. If there is air support for the cops, you will be caught. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/19 "2008-06-09T19:44:28Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Word. [Two killed on motorcycle during police chase.](http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/05/30/motorcycle_crash_cobb.html) [/QUOTE] I’d have made that headline read _Murder/Suicide in Cobb County_. The guy got what he had coming to him, we’ll never know for sure about the girl. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301/20 "2008-06-09T20:20:01Z")
Two or so years ago my girlfriend and I were coming home late one Saturday and got stopped in one of those DUI checkpoints. They were also checking warrants and the like and had several cars pulled off onto the side of the road. A guy on some sport bike came by nice and slow, and one of the cops waved him over. The guy gave a quick salute and absolutely dissappeared in a matter of seconds. The area that we were pulled over on was an off ramp from a major expressway, and across the street was the on ramp. One of the cop cars lit up and took off after him, but he had a 15 to 20 second head start. I don’t know the outcome, but I like to think that he got away and is somewhere right now resting his 15lb brass balls. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-road-rocket-motorcycle-is-lit-up-you-decide-to-flee-what-are-your-chances/452301.md?page=2)