All-Moto correspondence of the month: “I think I told you about a case I had, defending a rider who was charged with riding in a manner dangerous to the public as a result of doing a 50 metre wheelie at 11.30 on a weekday morning down the highway, in front of two cops in a divvy wagon. The magistrate convicted him, but a Supreme Court judge allowed the appeal. He accepted that because there was no one else immediately in front of or beside the rider, there was no danger to the public. The Crown ran the argument that he should have been found guilty of riding in a manner that was inherently dangerous. My response was to argue that the evidence was that he could still steer the bike by weight transfer, could still brake by using the rear brake, and the bike was obviously stable because it would have fallen over otherwise. The judge agreed that there was no evidence that the wheelie was inherently dangerous. He also accepted that it would be unfair to send the matter back to the magistrate for the police to lead more evidence, and accepted with some interest the copy of an article from 'Performance Bikes' (UK) December 2000 'The Weighting Game' which analysed cornering, wheelies and stoppies by the application of Newtons Laws."
Do you have this guy's business card? Maybe he can prove how safe a hayabusa is at 300 km/h!
Volvi, obviously an excellent outcome. Is this a precedent or have similar cases gone before the court in Australia or elsewhere? The charges were dismissed I have assumed... Was nothing in front or beside a key factor? Just asking purely on a hypothetically necessity as although unable, the Busa does make it easy to aspire to a decent stand.
Was the distance an issue? and did oncoming traffic become an issue at all ? Sorry for all the quizzes but I have only heard of negative experiences before. - regards Jim
Jim, I have no knowledge other than what was reported, which appeared in the All Moto, I have made contact with the editor to try and find out who this solicitor/barrister may be, coz he's the sort you'd want to defend you if need be. If I get the details rest assured I will post it, which may drum up some extra business for him.
Add on to above story taken from All Moto;
In reply to last week’s wheelie-in-court story, a Melbourne trade identity writes: “Did I tell you about the time ‘Bloggs’ (nationally famous MX racer at the time -Ed)was booked outside our shop at Ringwood? He too was doing a wheelie and was booked for driving in a manner dangerous. He got off - after proof that he had better control on one wheel than most riders had on two and certainly most drivers
on four wheels. If he had been charged with careless driving - the judge said - he would have been found guilty.” My thanks to the writer.
bump due to query on what happened to this topic...
If anyone out there knows of this solicitor/barrister can they drop me his number or anyone else who is as good, I got pinched yesterday (Sunday 23sep01) on the F3 pulling what I must say the best wheelie I have ever done. until the boys in blue stoped me then had the hide to book me for dangerous driving. any help will be much appricated and I might be able to keep my licence ( for a little longer anyway)
thanks
MAX
There are one or two who advertise in AMCN / Performance Streetbike who claim to specialise in defending Motorcyclists. They may be worth contacting.
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