On rigs both big and small, motorcycle and ATV drivers have been burning rubber on the roadways in Miami-Dade and Broward County during Martin Luther King Day, popping wheelies and performing other dangerous feats as part of a trend called “stunting.” In the process, they’ve violated practically every traffic law imaginable. Wednesday, police officials in Miami-Dade attempted to cool these careless drivers’ engines during a news meeting organized by county police and the FHP (Florida Highway Patrol).
Miami-Dade officer Hector Llevat says the increasing number of people using their vehicles in such frivolous and illegal ways puts not only the drivers at great risk, but also those of the other drivers and pedestrians around them.
Police are now making an effort to sway the habits of people engaging in these dangerous behaviors that have been validated by some as stands for peace.
“Guns down, bikes up,” avowed one four-wheeler after popping a wheelie last Martin Luther King Day. This type of careless riding is not just unlawful, but ATVs and four-wheels aren’t even legally allowed to be operated on public roads in the first place.
Police warn that this motorbike hysteria is extremely hazardous, especially considering you’re already 27 times more apt to get killed driving a motorcycle than a car, even in normal driving conditions.
Miami-Dade motorcycle officer Marcos Delrosa stresses that the very last thing he and his fellow officers want is to arrive at a death scene, particularly one that involves somebody from the local community.
Your chances of being killed are significantly higher if you don’t have a helmet on. The majority of the people who participated in the MLK driving lunacy wore no helmets.
FHP officer Joe Sanchez adds that he all too frequently visits fatal car crashes where a person’s life could have been saved if only they had been wearing a helmet.
One cyclist without a helmet who struck a vehicle in Fort Lauderdale during last year’s MLK Day survived, but was permanently disabled after being flung from the scene.
One obstacle police are working to trap is the agile Ninja and other motorbike drivers. They busted a number of cyclists a year ago, but assure they will bust many more on this year’s holiday.
Trooper Sanchez says all law enforcement agencies in the area recognize this problem and have convened to fix it, adding that each year is another chance for them to perfect their skills.
Police officials state that anyone they catch behaving dangerously on their motorcycle on MLK Day will have their vehicle impounded, will be fined extensively, and it’s safe to say will encounter more misery than merriment.