Rules

MID-ATLANTIC POLICE MOTORCYCLE RIDING COMMITTEE, INC.

A non-profit charitable organization


Note: The rules have been modified slightly and written clearer in attempt to avoid any confusion.

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MID-ATLANTIC POLICE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY COMPETITION OFFICIAL RULES

The official rules of the Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Safety Competition, revised March 2007 and approved by the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, Incorporated.

All rules are subject to revision without prior notice, subject to approval by the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, Incorporated.

All forms documents, correspondence, the motorcycle riding committee logo and materials used by the Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, Incorporated are the property of the Mid Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, Incorporated.

No one may use any of the aforementioned materials without permission of the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, Incorporated.

All other copies or versions are obsolete.

All Rights Reserved. Last Update: March 2007

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2008

Title

Name

Organization

President

Officer Doug Payne

Fairfax County Police Department

Vice President

Sgt. Roy Russell

Montgomery County Police Department

Secretary

MPO Glen “Gus” Price

Fairfax County Police Department

Treasurer

Jim Ross
Ralph Rice

Montgomery County Police (Retired)
Arlington County Police Department

Director

TBD

 

Click here for a pdf copy of the rules

I. RULES COMMITTEE
II. GENERAL RULES
III. INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
IV. INDIVIDUAL SLOW RIDE COMPETITION
V. CHALLENGE RIDE
VI. OVERALL RIDER AWARD
VII. TEAM COMPETITION
VIII. TEAM SLOW RIDE COMPETITION

Section I. Rules Committee

A. Defined.

On the day of the Safety Competition, a Rules Committee comprised of the Head Judge, Assistant Head Judge and a member of the Board of Directors will be established to settle all disputes that cannot be settles at the Judge’s level.

B. Disputes.

Disputes will be handled in the following manner:

1. The affected competitor must address any dispute of scoring to the Head Judge.

2. Only the affected competitor may dispute the decision of the scoring judge(s).

3. If the Head Judge is unable to resolve the affected competitor’s dispute, he will review the dispute with the Rules Committee who will render a final decision with regards to the dispute.

4. All decisions of the Rules Committee are final for the day of the Safety Competition.

C. Conduct.

Competitors who display or engage in unprofessional conduct as determined by the Board of Directors may be ejected from the Safety Competition. The decision of the Board of Directors is final.

Section II. General Rules

A. Eligibility.

The Safety Competition is open to all sworn law enforcement officers who are authorized by their agency to ride a police motorcycle.

B. Motorcycle Requirements.

Competitors must compete on a police motorcycle of at least 998cc, which is equipped in the normal deployment configuration as used by their agency. Bag rails may not be removed. A bag rail is defined as a rail normally mounted in a horizontal configuration, with a minimum wall thickness of 75/1000 of an inch and a maximum wall thickness of 1/1000 of an inch.

C. Competitor Attire.

Competitors must wear the appropriate uniform normally worn while “on-duty” as required by their respective agencies during the Safety Competition. All competitors must wear an appropriate motorcycle helmet properly fastened during all riding phases of the Safety Competition.

D. Motorcycle Malfunctions.

Once a competitor or agency team has begun an event, no excuses for a breakdown will be allowed.

E. Entry Restriction.

In the Individual Competition, a competitor may only enter and compete in one Division and one Level, with the exception of the “Over Fifty” Level (see Section III, Subsection 3, Paragraph b), using a single motorcycle. Competitors may share a qualified motorcycle. Different Level competitors may share the same motorcycle.

Section III. Individual Competition

A. Eligibility.

1. Expert Level:

a. Any eligible competitor may elect to compete in the Expert Level.
    Note: However, once a competitor has chosen this level, he may not regress to the
          Novice Level in any subsequent Safety Competition.

b. Any competitor who has competed in any four police motorcycle safety competitions, in any
   jurisdiction, must compete in the Expert Level. 

2. Novice Level:

a. A competitor is eligible to compete in the Novice Level if he does not meet any of the
   requirements of the Expert Level.

3. “Over Fifty” Level:

a. A competitor is eligible to compete at this level if he has reached the age of fifty years on the
  day of the Safety Competition.
b. Competitors at this level are still eligible for awards in both the Novice and Expert Levels.

4. Divisions:

  a.  Division I - Harley-Davidson FLH w/ windshield

  b.  Division II - Harley-Davidson FLH w/ fairing

  c.  Division III – All other motorcycles meeting entry criteria

B. Courses.

1. Goals:

   a. The object of the competition is to not receive any penalty points.

   b. All competitors begin with a score of zero.

   c. This includes both Expert and Novice Level competitors.

   d. Two clean runs win over any run with penalty points.

2. Course Runs:

a. Competitors are required to make two runs through five course events. The first run will be at the competitor’s own pace. The second run will be timed, beginning when the competitor’s front-tire contact patch completely enters the first course and ending when the rear-tire contact patch is completely across the last course event exit gate.

b. A clean run of the un-timed run will result in a bonus of five seconds deducted from the timed run.

c. A clean run of the timed run will result in a bonus of five seconds deducted from the timed run.

d. A clean run of both the un-timed and timed runs will result in an additional five seconds deducted from the timed run.

3. Penalty Points:

   a. Cone Touch…………………………......................................(1) point

   b. Cone Knock Down...................................................(2) points

   c.  Foot Down..……........................................……………...(2) points

   d. Crossing Boundary Line…………………….........................(2) points
      Note: In events that use boundary lines, a penalty occurs when the entire contact
           patch of any tire completely crosses the boundary line.

   e. Drop the Motorcycle………………….............................….(5) points

   f. Fail to Complete Event………………...........................……(5) points
     Note: Occurs if a competitor starts an event and does not finish by exiting that
          event at the normal exit point. This includes improper path of travel for
          that event.

   g. Running Out of Event…….............................……………..(5) points
     Note: When the front and rear contact patches of the tires completely cross the
          imaginary line between the center points of the two adjacent cones where the
          motorcycle would not normally enter or exit a course event.

   h. Timed Runs - For each penalty point assessed during the timed run, one second
                 of time will be added to the total time of that run.
                 Note: Penalty points are assessed for any errors from the
                       beginning of the time until the time stops. This includes
                       errors that occur between courses.

   i. Maximum Points - A maximum of (5) penalty points is all one competitor can be
                     assessed in any one course event. Competitors must have
                     less than (20) penalty points to remain eligible for an award at
                     any level.

4. Final Score:

   a. Final score will consist of each competitor’s final time of their timed run with any bonus time
     deducted from that time for clean runs or penalty seconds added.

   b. Lowest time with the least number of errors wins.
     Example:  A competitor with two clean runs and a final time of 2:00 minutes
               wins over a competitor with a final time of 1:50 but who received
               any penalty points.

5. Ties:

a.  All ties for First through Fifth place in the Expert and “Over Fifty” Levels and First through Third places in the Novice Level will be broken in the following manner:

1a. A second timed run will be scored for the competitors in the respective tied level and the tie will be broken by that score.

C. Awards.

  1. Expert Level:

   a.  First five places in Divisions I through III

  2. Novice Level:

a.  First five places in Divisions I and II

   b.  First three places Division III

c.  First Place Overall

  3. “Over Fifty’ Level:

   a.  First through Fifth Place.

Section IV. Individual Slow Ride Competition

A. Eligibility:

1. A competitor must not be a member of a team as registered under Team Competition Rules. A competitor must also not have registered with a “Hybrid” team.

B. Goals:

1. The object of the Individual Slow Ride is for the competitor to traverse down a course designated by the Committee in the slowest time without penalty.

D. Penalties:

  1.  The competitor’s time will stop if any of the following occurs:

   A competitor puts their foot down in the lane.

   A competitor drops the motorcycle in the lane.

   A competitor crosses a boundary line.

E. Timing:

1. Time starts when the competitor’s entire front-tire contact patch is completely across the start line. Time ends when a penalty occurs or the competitor’s entire rear-tire contact patch is completely across the finish.

F. Awards:

  1.   First through Third Place.

Section V. Challenge Ride

A. Definition:

1. The Challenge Ride will be an “unpracticed” event that will be determined by the Committee. 

B. Goals:

1. To traverse the course without penalty in a timed run.

C. Eligibility:

1. All Expert Division competitors must compete in this event in order to be eligible for the Overall Rider Award. Any competitor is eligible to ride in this event at their option and will therefore be eligible for an award if they so choose to enter. 

D. Scoring:

1. Penalty points will be determined by the Committee on the day that the Challenge Ride is conducted and points will be added to the competitors overall time.

E. Awards:

1. First through Fifth Place.

Section VI. Overall Rider Award “A.D. Johnson” Award

A. Eligibility:

1. Competitors must be registered in the Expert Division and complete all four phases of the competition to include the Un-Timed Run, Timed Run, Slow Ride (not part of individual slow ride competition -- separate course to be determined by the committee) and Challenge Ride will be combined for a total score.

B. Scoring:

1. All four phases of the competition to include the Un-Timed Run, Timed Run, Slow Ride (not part of individual slow ride competition -- separate course to be determined by the committee) and Challenge Ride will be combined for a total score. Each competitor will be placed, regardless of division, 1st through number of competitors in each phase. The phases will then be added and the competitor with the lowest score wins.

C. Awards:

1. First through Fifth Place.

Section VII. Team Competition

A. Definition:

1. A team consists of four or more eligible competitors from the same agency. Only one team may be designated by each agency. It is the responsibility of each agency to designate all team members and provide the list to the registration official(s) prior to the start of the Safety Competition.

B. Score:

1. The final scores from all designated team members will be tabulated and the top four competitors with the lowest scores and most clean runs will comprise the final team score. The team with the lowest score and the most clean runs will be awarded First Place.

2. Second through Fifth place will be awarded to the teams with the most clean runs and next lowest scores.

3. A team with a final score consisting of all clean runs wins over a team with a lower score, but with penalty points.

C. Ties:

1. All ties in the team competition will be broken in the following manner:

a. Each team involved in a tie will designate one of it’s top four scoring riders to compete in a scored timed run. This run will be the same as the individual timed run and will be scored in the same manner. The team represented by the competitor with the lowest score wins.

D. Awards:

1. First through Fifth Place teams will receive a trophy and four individual awards per team.

Section VIII. Team Slow Ride Competition

A. Definition:

1. A team consists of any four competitors from the same agency, or any four competitors from different departments when fielding a “Hybrid” team (see “Restrictions” Section VIII Subsection B Paragraph 1). An agency may field as many slow ride teams as it is capable of.

B. Restrictions:

2. If an agency has four or more competitors registered under Team Competition Rules (see Section VII Subsection A Paragraph 1), those competitors must be on a slow ride team. Competitors who are registered on a team under Team Competition Rules may not compete in the Individual Slow Ride. In the event an agency that is registered as a team under the Team Competition Rules has an odd number of competitors, and the unassigned riders wish to compete in the slow ride competition, those riders must form a “Hybrid” team utilizing other competitors in the same situation or whose agency does not meet the criteria for a team under Team Competition Rules. “Hybrid” teams may only be formed when an odd number of competitors or an agency having fewer than four competitors exist.  Once a competitor participates on a “Hybrid” team, he is not eligible to compete in the Individual Slow Ride regardless of his agency’s status under the Team Competition Rules.

C. Goal:

3. The object of the team slow ride is for the four designated team riders to traverse an eight foot wide by thirty-five foot long lane as slowly as possible. The slowest combined times of all four riders from a designated team will determine the winner.

D. Penalties:

   1. The team’s time will stop if any of the following occurs:

       a. Any team member puts their foot down in the lane.

       b. Any team member drops the motorcycle in the lane.

       c. Any team member crosses a boundary line.

       d. The first team member does not start on time.

       e. The two team member’s exchange was not done in time.

E. Timing:

4. The time starts when the first team member’s entire front-tire contact patch completely crosses the start line. The time ends when a penalty occurs or the fourth team member’s entire rear-tire contact patch completely crosses the end line. All first team members must be entered into the lane within five seconds of the Judge’s starting command.

F. Rider Exchange:

1. Team members one and three begin at the right side of the lane, and team members two and four begin on the right side of the opposite end of the lane.

2. When the first team member’s entire front-tire contact patch is about to exit from lane, the second team member must raise their foot and enter the lane (entire front-tire contact patch is completely across the start line). Both the entering and exiting team members must have their entire front-tire contact patch in the lane at the same time in order to avoid penalty and perform a “good” exchange. Team member number one may now exit the lane as team member two continues his slow ride in the lane.

3. Team member two then exchanges with team member three in the same manner as prescribed in subparagraph b. Team member three then exchanges with team member four in the same manner as prescribed in subparagraph b.

4. Team member four continues his slow ride within the lane and time stops when his entire rear-tire contact patch is completely across the finish line.

G. Awards:

1. First through Fifth Place teams will receive one trophy and four individual awards per team.

Revised 9/4/2007

Click here for a pdf copy of the rules

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