A YouTube video of several police harassing a rider at a Beenleigh service station with a protracted licence check is not the end of the story.
Fat Boy rider Jamie Evans says that after being held up for about 40 minutes by police in five patrol cars, he was pulled over moments later by a sixth car for a drug test.
His video shows the police poring over his bike and licence and asking him questions about his clothes and how many friends he has. He is also going to post a video of the second incident.
“The police need to learn some people skills. They speak down to us and speak to us as a criminal before we even get a chance to say anything,” says Jamie who should know as he’s been pulled over 21 times since she bought his 2012 Harley.
Queensland Police Media have responded to Jamie’s video saying riders and the public have “nothing to fear” from the increased police presence.
READ THE FULL POLICE RESPONSE HERE
Jamie is a member of the Misfits Social Motorcycle Club and wears a “Misfits” vest when he rides.
“I’ve been advised by the police on many occasions to take the vest off, but I will always wear my vest. I’m proud of it,” he says.
However, the harassment has now got to the stage where he says he can’t take his nine-year-old son for a ride.
“How do you explain to a nine-year-old that police aren’t bad but I ride a bike so they see me as being bad. He’d lose any respect he has for the police,” he says.
Despite the grilling by several police, Jamie filmed the whole incident and managed to keep his sense of humour.
“From what I witnessed at the servo, the tide is turning against the government on this,” he says.
“I was amazed at the amount of people coming and going who filmed it and gave me their names and contact numbers and said to get in touch if I needed a witness.
“I’ve been an LNP voter all my life and I will never vote LNP again.”
The Australian Motorcycle Council has condemned the incident.
”It’s a matter of concern that occurrences like this are still being reported despite assurances from the Minister and the Police Commissioner that ‘legitimate’ riders are not being targeted,” says AMC secretary Tony Ellis.
“The sheer waste of resources in having seven police and four vehicles present at the scene should also be a matter of concern to taxpayers.”
Jamie moved from Mackay to Brisbane 21 months ago, joined the Misfits about 14 months ago and that’s when the harassment started.
“I’ve probably been pulled over 10 times have since this VLAD bullshit started and one week I was pulled over four times,” he says.
“I’ve had a couple of really rude ones in the past and once was made to stand with my hands up against a paling while they did a licence check.
“In all those times only one cop that was decent and spoke to me like a human being.”
Jamie says he has no criminal record and nothing to hide. See my story here. However, he has had two infringement notice issued and he has fought both and won.
The first was a speeding fine for 113km/h in a 100 zone when he was tail-end Charley in a Misfits group ride.
He says the police video evidence was their downfall because the office sped up to catch the group, didn’t get an accurate speed reading and was dangerously close to Jamie’s bike.
“My pillion could have reached around touched the car when he hit the siren,” he says.
The second infringement was for a bald tyre, but Jamie had it professionally checked and the police rang on Thursday to say the charge has been dismissed.
“The police need to start looking at areas where there really is crime, not out on the open road” he says.
“The police only seem to be targeting motorcycle riders and if you ride in a group or ride a cruiser you will be targeted more.”
"Harassed" Misfit Jamie Evans on his Fat Boy