Wheelies at speed on highways

Recent newspaper article ---


[TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA]

Reckless Riders
May Lose Bikes

Flying down the highway at 120 mph and popping a wheelie could soon cost a motorcycle rider more than a fine. It could cost him his bike.

Riders charged with reck­less driving or exceeding the speed limit by 50 mph could be arrested and have their bikes seized under a bill filed in the Florida House and discussed Thursday. Riders later convicted of those offenses could lose their motorcycle licenses for 10 years.

The state needs to send a tough message to motorcy­clists who drive recklessly on the highway, said Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R­Miami, the sponsor of the bil (HB 137).

Post edited by: Patton, at: 2008/01/11 21:39

Hey, I was young once.
But even in my wildest days, I wouln't try some of the stunts I see being performed by our local squids.
I think 50mph over the limit is too high. Reckless driving and jail should happen at 25mph over. Even here in speed-crazy California, that would be 90 to 95, and that's fast enough.

I just read where the Rep sponsoring that bill was passed by a motorcycle on the freeway at a high rate of speed...on one wheel! He was so shocked that he wrote this legislation.

I'm all for whatever you want to do as long as it's off road or atleast on a deserted road in the middle of nowhere. Passing state reps on the highway is not going to help motorcycling in general, to say the least.

We had a similar law passed here in Ontario last year, although ours is if your 50 KPH over you get charged.

I think it's a good idea overall.

I can almost hear the motorcycle rights organizations typing their opositions. I am against government telling us how to live our lives but thise is more geared toward protecting others which seems fair to me. Unfortunalty this means that those 18 year old punks will live to be a ripe old age, and we will be stuck with them

Whats wrong with the current laws, just enforce them,

BSKZ650 Thank You!

We've got enough rules!

If we had enforced the existing law the problem would have been solved.

Unfortunately, while congratulating him self on his pragmatism, Mr. Carlos Lopez-Cantera has accepted the existence of the problem and decides that these biker fools are sensible folks and will cease and desist, such behavior, just out of fear of the new and improved consequences.

Any body knows that any fool doing a 100 MPH wheelie in traffic has left all reason behind. Why bother to reason with him? There is no alternative but to enforce the law. I'm flipping sorry that they're not 100% successful at it but they're running down the wrong rathole with this solution.

Just my personal rant, Thank You.

kzcsi

This is something I thought I'd never say :ohmy:

I agree with KZCSI :evil: :laugh:

We have that problem solved here. Oklahoma has made it standing policy not to build any roads on which some fool might be tempted to try a wheelie at ANY speed!:laugh: :laugh: And they didn't even charge us much extra in taxes!:evil:

there have been alot of young people killed around the area I live for doing stunts they should not have been doing. Alot of civilians getting hurt also.

Nick

Seems to me that if there was no law to take the bike of a nutjob hauling 50+ above the limit and doing a wheelie then one was needed. Just fining the clown would have done no good. Too many of these MEN have enough extra cash that it would do no good. Take the bike and license. He does it again lock him up for a year. To do that you have to have a law. Seems to me there are people who are against making new laws just because they don't want new laws. (I don't get it?) I would only guess, cause I DON"T KNOW, but I take it that there was no law to take the bike in instances like this. If that is the case then the law needs mending. I say make the law to take the bike and license, next infraction jailtime, because if you don't make the law you can't do that. As for enforcing existing laws, absolutely! BUT! Are we going to not make sensible laws because some people are sick of ones they do or do not enforce? That is not logical and downright dangerous.
2 cents

I agree with KZCSI in that we shouldn't need more laws on this issue.
However, the current laws pertaining to this (whether they're enforced or not) are simply a financial "slap on the back of the hand" IMHO, so obviously a law with some "teeth" to it needs to be created...and enforced!

Don't get me wrong, I did my share of wheelies/burnouts (and only on barren streets) during my youth.
But I did them for my own pleasure and amusement, not to show off for every person on/near the road like some riders are doing now.

I don't recall hearing any KZr members here that are against this proposed law, complain when a similar law was passed against the street racers in their "slot cars" having their vehicles crushed if caught speeding/street racing - passion is easier to justify when it becomes a personal issue on ones freedom.
Remember folks, although we pay taxes to fund building and maintaining roads/freeways/highways, it's a privilege to use them, not a right.

IMHO a law like this is long overdue, since the actions of the few (actually the many now) who ride recklessly reflect poorly on all of us that ride. And if something isn't done soon, there could potentially be even more laws passed that could literally take riding ANY bike on the streets away from us. :pinch:

It's really rather simple, sometimes stupid/reckless people simply haved to be saved from themselves (and from harming the rest of us). :S :dry: