Triumphrat

TriumphTengu · 05-16-2008

Speeders Face Vehicle Confisication & Prison
05-15-2008

Update: It looks like I spoke too soon folks. While this bill has passed committee in the Florida House of Representatives, it hasn't yet been voted into law. Let's hope it isn't.

As of October 1st, anyone caught doing 30mph over the speed limit in Florida faces vehicle confiscation, five to ten years in prison and a ten-year license suspension. Bill HB 137, which was signed into law earlier today, was originally targeted at motorcyclists, but was amended at the last minute to include all vehicles. The full text of the bill follows the jump.

Originally introduced by State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who developed an irrational fear of bikers after he witnessed some pulling wheelies and driving dangerously during a ride-along with Miami police, HB 137 has become known as the Anti-Biker Bill due to its discriminatory nature.

Defending motorcyclists during hearings at the state legislature, a representative of ABATE, a motorcycle lobby group, argued that the motorcycle specific penalties far outweighed those for motorists who violate a rider's right of way, killing or injuring them.

While the bill was modified to include all vehicles before being passed into law, the anti-motorcycle language remains, specifically that referring to the revocation of a motorcycle endorsement, leading to some confusion. It's not known if car drivers will face the same license suspension as bike riders.

Florida Bill HB 137, pre all-vehicles amendment:

F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled

An act relating to offenses committed while operating a
motorcycle; creating s. 316.1926, F.S.; providing
additional penalties for certain offenses committed by a
person operating or in actual physical control of a motorcycle; requiring that the person be taken into
custody; providing for seizure and forfeiture of the
motorcycle; providing for revocation of the person's
privilege to operate a motorcycle; providing an effective
date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
Section 1. Section 316.1926, Florida Statutes, is created
to read:

316.1926 Motorcycle offenses.—

(1) When a law enforcement officer charges a person with
reckless driving in violation of s. 316.192 or exceeding the speed limit by 30 miles per hour or more in violation of s. 316.183(2), s. 316.187, or s. 316.189 while operating or in actual physical control of a motorcycle, the officer shall arrest the person, take him or her into custody, and seize the motorcycle, which shall be subject to forfeiture under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.
(2) Upon conviction, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, the court shall revoke the person's
authorization and privilege to operate a motorcycle for a period of 10 years and order the person to surrender his or her driver's license.
(a) If the person holds a Class A, Class B, or Class C
driver's license, the department shall issue a replacement
license, valid for the remainder of the person's unexpired
license period, without the endorsement to operate a motorcycle.
(b) If the person holds a Class E driver's license that is not restricted to motorcycle operation only, the department shall issue a replacement license, valid for the remainder of the person's unexpired license period, without the authorization to operate a motorcycle.
(3) Revocation of the privilege to operate a motorcycle under this section shall not prohibit or restrict the issuance or renewal of a driver's license for purposes other than the operation of a motorcycle.
Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2008.

superfour · 05-16-2008

That is well OTT.

Gob-ny-geay · 05-16-2008

[quote=TriumphTengu;1029143]
Originally introduced by State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who developed an irrational fear of bikers after he witnessed some pulling wheelies and driving dangerously during a ride-along with Miami police, HB 137 has become known as the Anti-Biker Bill due to its discriminatory nature.[quote=TriumphTengu;1029143]

From a different perspective - this is what happens when bikers act like total fools. It affects us all, with more anti-motorcylist propoganda, and more legislature.

"Loud pipes save lives"... and then create legislature against loud pipes!

Remind your good buddies to behave themselves once in a while. Let's not give the government more ammunition and/or excuses to legislate all the enjoyment out of biking.

Thanks.

BigDummy · 05-16-2008

Hmmmm, good luck enforcing that one.

So, you're the kinda guy that does wheelies and rockets down the highway at 100mph, and you're well aware that the trooper behind you is going to take your bike and your license if given that opportunity, so why in the Hell would you even stop when you can easily outrun and out maneuver any car around you, let alone one that has to catch up to you from a dead stop...

TriumphTengu · 05-16-2008

Hey BigDummy
My dad (rest his soul) lived in Dunedin for a couple of years when he had to go to the Veterans Hospital there. Nice place.
Are you speaking from first hand experience?

Brooksie · 05-16-2008

Squid Law. I'm sure there'll be more states to follow. Makes it tough on us law abiders who only go 29.5 mph over the limit. I always said there's a time and a place to cut loose. Seems like that's going to be tougher to find. Oh well.

alii1959 · 05-16-2008

The only time I have ever gone that fast, or would ever find the need to, was when I was trapped between 3 vehicles who were not being very attentive. But, once past the danger, and I was on a long straight stretch of interstate, I slowed to a reasonable pace and continued on my way. I too find the squids screaming past me a bit unnerving.

trypcil · 05-17-2008

This is a maddeningly unnecessary proposal for a politician to have made - I hope it fails to get passed, for the sham that it is - and I hope that this wanker gets voted from office and rots in obscurity.

fivehundo · 05-17-2008

I don't know where they're going to put these heinous speeders. Our prisons are already filled to the brim...

...I guess we could build more.

trypcil · 05-17-2008

Yeah at 1 in 99 in the USA in the clink - do we need more - nah! In fact why don't we presume everyone's guilty before we start, from birth, then reinvent freedom on the basis that we're all bad and innately pernicious - thus we have to earn our freedom!