Motorcycle-Riding Easter Bunny Gets Lesson on Helmet Law

It’s not every day that a CHP officer has to make a traffic stop on the Easter Bunny.

Oddly enough, that’s exactly what happened to San Diego CHP officer Adam Griffiths, who pulled over a motorcyclist with a sidecar who was dressed as a
giant rabbit on a nearby La Mesa freeway Saturday.

“Griffiths stopped the motorcyclist on westbound Interstate 8 at Jackson Drive for not wearing a helmet,” CHP East County PIO Brian Pennings said. “The guy was on his way to a charity event.”

Pennings said Griffiths radioed in: “I’m stopping the Easter Bunny.”

Pennings' partner in his squad car pulled up and snapped a picture of the giant rabbit, after he hopped off his vehicle and got a lecture from Griffiths. The photo was widely distributed in the media, and has been getting worldwide play in the blogosphere.

“Griffiths told him it was a serious situation and that it wasn't a joke,” Pennings said. “He explained to him the safety ramifications of not having a helmet.

The CHP officer told the giant bunny “his outfit was a visual impairment, he was not able to be aware of his surroundings, and therefore he threatened his own safety, and that of others.”

Pennings said safe motorcyclists constantly need to turn their heads to observe traffic to their side or behind them.

The rabbit wasn’t issued a citation by Griffiths. He just got a warning.

Then he hopped away, with his head in the sidecar. He didn’t want to be late to a very important date.

-City News Service