Letters we get

Editor:

I am a retired airline pilot who just happens to ride one of those “nasty, noisy Harleys”. At 64 years of age and with nearly 50 years of accident and incident-free riding and a spotless DMV record, it came as quite a surprise to me when I was stopped last Sunday in Golden for a motorcycle that was deemed to be too loud by the arresting officer and his partner.

My wife and I were cruising to the Buffalo Rose to meet up with a group of friends when we were pulled over on Washington Street by two of Golden's Finest for having a bike that, they said, violated the City's noise ordinances. The cops said that any motorcycle that did not have "factory-stock" exhaust (my 2006 FXDWG has a Vance & Hines exhaust) systems was in violation of the Golden noise ordinances and subject to the rider being fined. This they did, to the tune of $125.00 by issuing me a "No Points Assessed" ticket.

The cops went on to say that the City of Golden was on an enforcement campaign to rid the City of, get this, "lawless bikers riding loud Harleys who hang out at the Buffalo Rose". Wow! Profiling? I should say so! Furthermore, after meeting my group and having a completely ruined day by now, we all decided to leave Golden when I was, once again, stopped by the same motorcycle cop who had stopped me 45 minutes earlier! Profiling? No, of course not! After pulling me over a second time, this same cop (who recognized me after I "refreshed" his memory regarding the first stop) told my wife and I to leave Golden immediately and not come back ever again! Incredible! Now the Golden PD is telling us who can and who can't come into town! If this isn't a clear-cut case of law enforcement thuggery, I don't know what is.

I guess the bottom line in all of this is that if you ride a Harley, ride clear of Golden and enjoy your favorite adult beverage someplace else that enjoys having the bikers around and really appreciates our business.

Ted Hand
Littleton, CO