Florida lawmakers perceive it as a serious problem. Their solution is make it so effing painful that the rider never wants to do it again. Something someone told me a long time ago:
Pretty much have to agree with it. The thing I find funny about this entire situation: people that don't break the law don't have to worry about it.

The only people whinging are the ones intent on breaking the law. So why should the Average Law Abiding Joe Citizen give a ****?

 

I read about people getting off for less with more than 5 DUI's!! Not that I agree with your actions, just seems the punishment don't fit the crime.

 

What's funny is when people say a cop was a jerk for pulling them over for a burned out license plate light or missing reflectors. When it comes down to it, if the law says that this is required or you can't do that, it's the cop's job to pull you over, the cop that ignores this stuff and and doesn't at least give a warning is doing a greater injustice.

Sure most times those stops are used as 'probable cause' to dig deeper (check insurance, license, etc) but the fact remains, don't want a ticket? Don't break the law. Take your chances doing that wheelie, or putting the sidemounted license plate (THAT is a stupid law, but a law nonetheless) on your bike. Maybe you'll get away with it, maybe not. If not, blaming the cop or the law solves nothing.

When you get a license, signing you name on the license affirms that you are familiar with the laws in effect at that time, and will keep informed of new laws. That's what people seem to forget, even when new laws go into effect, and someone is too lazy to check the updated laws each year, ignorance of the law isn't a defense.

 

"The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins."

This pretty much covers it. Until you idiots, and there's a couple of you in this thread, get it through your heads that you don't have the right to endanger another man's life for a little amusement on your own part the lawmakers in this state and this land will have to impose steep penalties in an attempt to curb that trend.

I speed, and when caught I pull over and take what's coming to me and clal myself an idiot.

Yep, the penalty for pulling a wheelie in FL is the same as driving drunk. You know what? Good. You think it's unfair? Don't pull wheelies on public roadways. If you get caught, I have no sympathy for you and I would have no expectation that you would feel sorry for me if the roles were reversed. I'm glad OP is just taking it on the head and moving on, and if he reads this I hope he realizes this is not directed at him.... but imo, the rest of you boohooing the penalties and so-called infringement on your rights need to get your heads out of your *****. As PG said, this activity is a privilege and not a right... and if you can't operate within the allotted limits you have accepted the consequences by default.

If you really think it's unfair and would like to enact change, write your reps about it. Me, I'm going to continue to support the cagers' right to not be passed by a jackarse on one wheel at 80 mph on I4 like I see so much between orlando and tampa. And I see it A LOT. Idiots.

 

Tangentially, if you do fight this, keep in mind one thing. The state cares about its money. When this goes to court, this will be about revenue-generation for the state. So, your best defense is (usually) trying to prove that the officer could not accurately verify that you were breaking the law.

In your case, I'm pretty sure you're screwed because a wheelie is pretty unmistakable - it's not like you were going 15 over where they may be some doubt as to your actual speed. In any case, if you plan to fight it, get the advice of a lawyer, and be sure the prosecutor knows pre-trial that you're willing to fight this as long as you need to. He may try to cut you a break depending on what he thinks of your argument, etc. It costs the courts more money to elevate your case, so if they can settle it at the lowest level, they will.

 

Isn't this the "Stunter's Corner?" Isn't this a sport that started on the streets ripping through traffic and constantly being on the lookout for cops? Most of the posts on here seem to be very condemning of the attitude that started the whole damn thing.

 

There is a time and a place for everything. The people on this forum generally don't like to perpetuate the stereotype of all bikers being careless and reckless neerdowells and don't like to encourage putting those around them at risk. Plenty of us are guilty of our own poor behavior, but it's generally shunned to encourage such activities here.

Find a parking lot, airstrip, deserted back road, or other safe and controlled area to do your stunting/racing/etc. Doing it in a blatantly dangerous manner to those around you is not a prerequisite for being a stunter.

 

Stunters can do things on a motorcycle I can't. I do consider it a true sport, requiring large amounts of skill and knowledge to perform well. Usually both earned thru pain, blood and $$$s fixing bikes. The fact that the stunter accepts the risks impresses me even more. But when they perform those stunts on public roads, the people around them don't have a choice. They don't choose to accept the risks if something goes wrong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD6jruSIELA

Now imagine if the car's owner had been there changing any of the tires. And things can go wrong, no matter how good you are. There was another story posted here. A guy killed his own son practicing stunts. It wasn't even on a public street. It was in a parking lot he and his friends had permission to practice in. If the guy ever thought that something could go so wrong that he'd end up killing his own son I'm pretty sure he'd have prolly handcuffed his son to a radiator in the house every time he went out to practice.

But he didn't. And something did go badly wrong. From the original article
No matter how good someone actually is, they aren't better than bad luck. That's why so many of us frown on it. Most the people complaining about it aren't doing so because they were wrongly accused or anything.

They just want it to be more affordable to endanger the public

 

I would consider shelling out an a$$ load of cash for fines, loss of bike, lost wages from jail time, maybe even loss of employment, and lawyer fees pretty fn painful.

I was watching this video on youtube some time ago about a stunting "park" in Europe some where. The idea was to get this sort of activity off the street and into a controlled environment. I didn't look around a whole lot, but is this even available in the states? My guess is that it's not available due to liability issues.

 

Nothing official I've seen, but we do have impromptu ones in my area. A few stunters live by me, and they'll go and rope off parking lots for factories on the weekend, and put on stunt shows and just basically screw around there. All are welcome to join in, and the liability is on you.

There are also stunting schools around the country, but they're few and far between.