TexasCHLforum.com

Regarding the threat that "I could take you to jail!", it's a bit hollow since he can always take you to jail, with the exception of two violations.

Quick, what are they?

thankGod wrote:Wheelie on a public street = reckless driving!

Again, I must ask: sez who?

If it is reckless, it's reckless whether it's on a public street or a private parking lot. (Private property isn't subject to being ticket, of course, but I'm talking about the alleged "recklessness" of the act.)

Is there a statutory definition that wheelies are "reckless driving"? Or a binding court ruling?

There are thousands of video sources out there proving that just because you have the front tire off the pavement, doesn't make it dangerous or reckless. Heck, you could bring in any decent amateur observed trials rider as an expert witness; he could ride his bike up the courthouse steps, down the aisle, and probably right into the witness stand without ever putting the front wheel down. Probably be able to swear in while he was at it.

He might have trouble passing the metal detector, though.

Wheelies on the street are not necessarily an "exhibition of acceleration". It's easy to demonstrate that you can accelerate at the same rate (or even faster) with the both tires on the pavement, just by shifting your weight. And that you can wheelie while barely accelerating at all, again with a weight shift and tug on the bars.

What would they call brakies? "Exhibition of deceleration"?

Just for the record, I'm solidly middle age; my broad mind and narrow waist have traded places, and I drive a 7,700 pound conversion van with quarter mile times of "sometime this year; oh, wait, is it December already?" The last time I was on two wheels was after I assembled a kid's bicycle.

In other words, I'm no daredevil, but I certainly knew what I was doing back in the day. I know that riders are ticketed more for how things look, than whether they're actually unsafe or not. If officers wanted to ticket truly reckless behavior, they'd crack down on the 40-something guys with less than 2,000 miles total riding time, who are on a 700 pound, 1,800cc cruiser wearing nothing but flip-flops, cut-offs, tank top and sunglasses, with an overweight woman riding passenger and similarly attired. That is an emergency room bill waiting to happen.

Just curious, what violation of the Traffic Code would be cited for a wheelie? Failure to maintain control? That one would be pretty much countered by the fact that you were in full control.

What about brakies? It takes full control to put the rear tire in the air without crashing, so doing it successfully is proof that you maintained control.