Check this out

[wa407mpp]

Don't get me wrong! I have nothing against wheelies, just don't do them on a busy freeway or city streets. The speed limit on I 5 is 70 most places, but generally everyone does 80, until they see someone wrapped around a guardrail, then they slow down to look, so the speed suddenly drops to 15 and that's not a good place to be on one wheel. What do you want to bet these guys set around complaining about the high cost of bike insurance, or that the cops are always picking on them.

[Larrym]

College Kids

A very good friend of mine graduated from the UW civil engineering department, traffic studies program.

As a test of people's behavior, the students placed a large rectangular block of white styrofoam alongside the highway. Thats it. Just a block of styrofoam. It caused a back-up of traffic in both directions for 8 miles.

It's not what the riders are doing: wheelies. It's what the drivers in the cars would do/are doing that raises the alarm cry.

(not withstanding those bikes that crash during these gymnastics....)

[xs11jack]

Well, when you have no other talent or abilities, and you instinctively know this attention you get by risking your life on a motorcycle is the high point of accomplishments in your entire life, that becomes the driving force of your dismal way of life. In other words, stupid is as stupid does.

[Guy_b_g]

That kind of activity has gone way down in FL since they enacted this law:

316.2085(2) Motorcycle or moped, wheels losing contact with ground
This is classified as a moving violation.
First Offense: the violator must pay $1,000 plus any other costs assessed for a moving violation.
Second Offense: the violator must pay a fine of $2,500, plus any other applicable costs assessed for a moving violation. The person’s driver license must be revoked for a period of one year.
Third Offense: the violator will be charged with a third degree felony, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082, 775.083, and 775.084, a mandatory fine of $5,000, and the driver license must be revoked for a period of ten years.

I'm not a fan of the law.

It has slowed down a lot of this activity on the roads though.

[Ivan]

That's worse than drunk driving will get you here.

[Larrym]

A Look Ahead

That law is one step in the direction of, "Sure. These guys can do what they want but we can make them wish that they hadn't."

As A guy who has replaced front fork seals and cracked/bent triple trees, I'm not a fan of this acrobatic. I mean it shows the riders have the huevos to attempt this once and nothing went wrong either with their "skills" or mechanically with the bike.

I'm waiting for the parents or wife of one of these guys to file a lawsuit against the bike/tire manufacturers when things go badly. "Burden of proof" that the guy would have survived if it weren't for the manufacturer's defect or design flaw?

What???!! It could happen.....

[Ivan]

In my house, having three reckless boys, we have discovered a fundamental law of the universe.

Stupid Hurts

[Guy_b_g]

The law I want to see enacted nationally is a law that makes talking or texting on a cell phone while driving illegal. It has been found to be as dangerous as drunk driving in studies, (I thinks it's more dangerous since so many do it), and should have the same penalties as far as I'm concerned. I even saw a cop miss a flagrant traffic violation right in front of him last year..(a guy ran a stop sign at about 30mph) because he (the cop) was on his cell phone and not paying attention. I'm sick of dodging cell phone users several times a year when they drift into my lane, and almost got t-boned in my cage when a girl on a cell phone ran a red light as I crossed in front of her recently.
If it were illegal it would also make it possible to subpoena cell call records if the person ditches the phone after the accident (as the young idiot who torpedoed Ivan did). And yeah Ivan, you can testify that stupid really does hurt....but not necessarily the person being stupid.

[MrOzz]

Yeah,

Drove me nuts last time I was there. Speed limits all 50-55... AND EVERYBODY DROVE THE SPEED LIMIT!!! I bet I had 3-4 dozen tickets from 16-19 yo when I lived there. I see why now.

Here in OK, speed limits mostly 70, but you'll get your azz run over doing less than 80 in the fast lane.

I wonder what the cops could say there. Wreckless driving for riding on one wheel? They weren't speeding... or didn't seem to be.


Tod

In Mass you will get a ticket for driving to endanger. They will tow your bike and take your license on the spot. Then you will have to court and deal with the Jugde. Happened to a friend of mine. By the time he was done he had to pay over $2500 in fines, court fees, tow/storage, and to have his license reinstated. That does not include the hit on his insurance also.

[DGXSER]

Illegal or bad form

I only saw the first video, second one would not load.

First I see a goup of riders being complete jerks and looking for attention. I have no doubt form what I saw they were purposely taking over the entire highway, spreading out to all lanes and making sure everyone stayed behind them. I also see them pulling stunts that they executed with no problems thankfully. I also see them putting other in a bad spot by doing it all across the highway at a time. There is no lane for someone to get in to get away and avoid them. They also put everyone at risk of having to run one of them over if they dump it. Hate to have to live my life with the unforgetable sound of the wheels going bumpity bump over a person that might have been alive before that because they chose to do something stupid in front of me.

Legal issues, well at the least there was plenty of lane changing without a signal and to some extent assured clear distance. Mupltple lanes changes without pausing between to assure clear distance or signal intent. Yes, failure to maintain control of vehicle, you can not control it if the controlling mechanism is not in contact with the road.

And now for my personal pet peve issue, one should always stay on the most right lane possible, the left lane is for passing only. If your doing 70 in a 50 and everyone else is doing 80 get in the right lane! I do not care what the posted limit is, if its 50 and your doing 55 sitting in the left lane and people are having to work their way around you, you deserve the ticket for wreckless op. In the great Commonwealth of Ky, they WILL pull you over and write you up sitting in that lane. ok Rant over!

[Gator]

That FL law sounds a lot like the 'Excessive use of acceleration' (burning out) law that they enacted years ago as a ramp up to the 'racing' charge in an attempt to discourage hot rodders on public roads.

[DenyP]

So, what ever it takes. Ya gota know that some things kill ya or others. Do wheelies some place other then the general road. Hello!!

Deny