Street Race

[Cykill]

Deputy nabs five motorcyclists going 100-mph plus
Wednesday, June 6, 2007


The biker was going about 100 mph when he popped this wheelie.

Street racing on Bay area bridges has become a dangerous problem, as illustrated by a Pinellas County deputy catching five motorcyclists going more than 100 mph and popping wheelies on the Bayside Bridge.

The incident happened in May 2006, but the court cases are just now coming to a resolution and the video, which was used as evidence, has been released.

The motorcyclists didn't notice the deputy because he was in an undercover car.


Bordner said bridges are a favorite spot for street racers because of being long and straight.

Four of the motorcyclists have been found guilty on reckless driving or racing charges. The fifth has a court date later in June.

Link to article:

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/6/6/257836.html

Here is my issue with this. Yes they should get tickets for this. wheeles OK, reckless driving.

Recently everyone time they catch more than 1 bike speeding they are nailing everyone with Racing. so they can impound bikes. i saw a judge throw a kid (had just turned 18) in jail for 90 days for first offence " street racing" it was actually just 2 friends riding with each other going 75 in a 55. but bacause he wasn't alone they must have been racing. these Bullsh*t racing charges locally here in Florida are getting to be a nightmare. makes me not want to ride with any of my friends anymore.

 

[HotRod104]

After watching that tape..any..ANY defense lawyer would have eaten that up...street racing..HAH! Looked more like 5 jerky's out for a lil seat time, yeah the wheelie draws some attention, especially the lane changin, but really. No mention of a radar gun, let alone a calibrated one, so speeds can only be estimated.

 

[HT_USMC]

A radar gun isn't needed. The police cruiser was following directly behind the motorcycle. So that is the basis for the estimation. Depending on the last time the cruiser's speedo was calibrated that would provide enough for a felony speeding offense. Add to that, the unsafe driving (ie. wheelie) was caught on tape.

So, while the lawyer might be able to get them out of street racing, I believe the other two charges would and should stick. The riders were showing off in/for traffic, in my opinion. If they had made sure there was no other traffic around prior to the speed and stunts, there would have been no officer involved.


If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough.

 

[Luvanicebum]

and it's almost midnight. This is the equivilant of smoking. They're really risking nothing besides their own health. Are our LEO's that hard up for criminal action? Go find some real crime! I think it was the mystique of being able to nap 5 people all at once and
he just got finished eating his cruller, maybe spilled his coffee on his shirt, figured he'd be the hero of the night at the station.
Just a little fun is all we ask. Use some critical thinking to determine the real risk and lighten up on the bikes.

 

[Rayabusa0818]

The number of people that seem to think riding like this should go unpunished amazes me. This kind of behavior only serves to make the public and the police assume all sport bike riders are hazardous nut cases.

JMHO

 

[Jet Li]

I'm with you Don.

Furthermore, there were other motorists around and if you go down doing a wheelie you could very well cause a cager to lose control or worse lose control and kill the both of you.

 

[Luvanicebum]

Well, to some extent we are all hazardous nut bags. Stand up and be proud damn it! With varying degrees of safety and basic courtesy to other drivers. I still feel LEO's need to determine the level of risk and act accordingly. Not emotionally (which I know some LEO's have a grudge for bikes based out of pure jealousy). ALL the riders shouldn't get tickets for the same thing. The law for some people is so black and white it's foolish.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...

 

[motogp08]

(Rayabusa0818 @ Jun. 06 2007,17:58)

The number of people that seem to think riding like this should go unpunished amazes me.  This kind of behavior only serves to make the public and the police assume all sport bike riders are hazardous nut cases.

JMHO

+1

 

[FalconofFreedom]

 

...Freedom only exist in the past...............We live in a Police State Now.............................And those who are on welfare cant afford nice things like these Bikes...........................So they arent hounded for fines to feed the system like the working class, these petty infractions are NOT Crimes.......But feed the ............
Nany State.

These Police are the same ones who wont do poop about street crime because "that DONT PAY" ........only people who work for a living can pay fines!......................
I know all too well and see it in court everyday!  

 

[ozz]

they deserve a ticket for speeding and exibition of speed but racing? wrong answer sounds to me like its just another way for the police to send the message out to bikers that their gonna be hard with ya or maybe its just one of those "we need more revenue things again"

 

[FalconofFreedom]

The New Amerika after 9-11-01

 

[thebbbusa]

(Luvanicebum @ Jun. 06 2007,21:17) Well, to some extent we are all hazardous nut bags.  Stand up and be proud damn it!   With varying degrees of safety and basic courtesy to other drivers.  I still feel LEO's need to determine the level of risk and act accordingly.  Not emotionally (which I know some LEO's have a grudge for bikes based out of pure jealousy).  ALL the riders shouldn't get tickets for the same thing.  The law for some people is so black and white it's foolish.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...

+1

Must be just me, but I thought it looked fun.

and there weren't that many cars around, no one was in any real danger, except for the guys doing the wheelies.

Sure, I think they should get tickets, they got caught. This is why I won't complain when I get a ticket, think of all the stuff I got away with.

People that really get on and bash people that get caught amaze me. Especially sport bike riders. I mean come on, when was the last time you actually didn't exceed the speed limit for your entire ride? When was the last time you didn't accelerate and feel some of those horses?

Give the guys a break, the streets were relatively clear....and if you were there, you would've been rolling right there with 'em.

 

[FalconofFreedom]

TO QUOTE The Article....
"The motorcyclists didn't notice the deputy because he was in an undercover car.

"This illustrates the need and why we use unmarked cars," said Pinellas County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Bordner.

It used to be that unmarked cars were used to fight Real Crime....But now they are used to generate Revenue!

 

[vanillagorilla]

Sounds like this is going to be another LEO bashing thread. How is it that people that get caught blame the person that caught them instead of taking the responsibility because they performed the action. JMHO and .02

 

[GoAWOL]

Police state? Welfare? Working class? Just a little fun? How a bout we keep it simple and say these guys were not only being a bunch of jack asses in traffic but they also make me (us) look bad. I'm tired of being grouped in with speeding 'stunters' because I own a sport bike. Yeah, I open it up every now and then but I guarantee you it's out of town and not on a bridge in traffic in a big city.

Unfortunately any idiot can buy a sport bike and because of this I have to suffer high insurance rates and stereotyping from LEO's.

Bottom line...they were stupid and got caught. Good. The LEO probably saved some lives that night.

 

[ozz]

(vanillagorilla @ Jun. 06 2007,18:34) Sounds like this is going to be another LEO bashing thread. How is it that people that get caught blame the person that caught them instead of taking the responsibility because they performed the action. JMHO and .02

i think the general concenses here is that they did deserve a ticket but to escalate this to the level of a street race? thats going to far mo money mo money mo money

 

[solarbarack]

(ozz @ Jun. 06 2007,21:23) they deserve a ticket for speeding and exibition of speed        but racing?   wrong answer     sounds to me like its just another way for the police to send the message out to bikers that their gonna be hard with ya or maybe its just one of those "we need more revenue things again"

+1

 

[FalconofFreedom]

My personal Opinion is ...........
That our American Values and Tradition of Freedom needs to be Re-Introduced to the minds of All Peace Officers and They need to be Reminded that the History of "Other" countries Police State ideologies are Not our own , And then they Need to be Reminded of OUR HISTORY and Never Allow themselves to be used as Pawns for a Police State..... I.E. Nazi's.

It used to be like this example I am about to give in this country...

True Story:
In my town where I grew up all of the guy's who built Hot Rods used to street race for a Quarter Mile on the TWO LANE road just outside of town about a mile, one guy had a 409 Chevy that was not beat too often, people came out from all over and people lined the street.
And what makes this TRUE Story make my point real well.....is the fact that all of the surounding Towns had Police that would come out with their hopped up Police Cars and Race the people..!!!!!!!!!
Now Thats The AMERICA I grew Up in and Want Back!
I wish that all of the Old Timers out there would Teach the Rookies in the departments what is crossing the line with Respect to this Beloved Country and what The United States was known for...Freedom!

 

[ozz]

i think the turning point came when laws were made to protect you from yourself instead of laws that only cited you if you caused injury to another

seatbelt laws are a good example and have been beat to death around here going so far as to threat'in you with electronic signs about getting one

in my best friends town in oregon the city tryied to do a tax levy on the town and it was voted down answer the police began to hand out tickets at every opportunity

 

[FalconofFreedom]

Right on OZZ
You hit the nail on the head!