[ShanMan14]

Be careful out there!

Police set up traps for speeding sport bikes
Wednesday, June 29, 2005

LEBANON - The rider twisted the throttle on his Honda racing motorcycle and whizzed up Route 72 at 82 mph toward Jonestown last week.

As he sped past the state police barracks, the rider popped a wheelie. He rode on one wheel for the distance of about two football fields while passing a car.

Troopers were waiting to catch him and the growing number of sport bike riders who have been speeding and taunting police by doing stunts near the barracks.

Cpl. Patrick Mannion charged Jacob D. Sattazahn, 18, of Pine Grove, with speeding and reckless driving.

He said riders such as Sattazahn pull wheelies in front of the barracks for the thrill.

Mannion said police are receiving an increasing number of complaints about the dangerous driving habits of "crotch rocket" riders.

"What we've seen is that it's a trend. It's happening all over the place, not just in front of our barracks," Mannion said this week. "And, being summertime, we expect to have a lot more complaints."

That's why state police are planning a summer loaded with speed traps aimed at sport bike riders. It's one of the few ways to catch the racing bikes, which can reach speeds of 200 mph in a matter of seconds.

"Sports bikes are known for fleeing police," Mannion said. "A trooper just had two motorcycles race past him at 147 mph on I-78, and he couldn't catch them. We set up a detail four exits up, but they must have gotten off somewhere in between."

Speeding is partly blamed for the death of a 50-year-old Pine Grove man who crashed his sport bike in South Annville Twp. on June 14. Police say Warren P. Landes had a blood-alcohol level above legal limits at the time of the accident.

Landes was driving at least 100 mph as he passed traffic in a no-passing zone between Louser Road and Meadow Lane, and he lost control of the motorcycle, Mannion said. Landes slid about 500 feet before he was struck by a car. The motorcycle slid about 800 feet before hitting a guardrail, the trooper added.

Sattazahn, meanwhile, could be fined $400 and have his driver's license suspended for six months. Mannion said Sattazahn, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, has pleaded guilty to the citations.

"He apologized," Mannion said. "He told me he did it in the safest place he knew. It's nice and smooth out there."

 

[BabyNinja]

Be careful out there!

First off, was the kid apologizing to hopefully seem remorseful & get a lesser fine/sentence? Or did he really mean it I wonder? Second, who's making all these complaints? Have ppl forgotten what it's like to be young? To enjoy life?? Nonetheless, being young doesn't mean ya havta be *stupid*. There are a cpl of sportbike riders that live back my way who zip past periodically. One was quite the squid yesterday. Backwards b-ball cap, shades, shorts, tee & sneakers. The squid was older, but I think the other 2 (at least) are younger, tho I've not stopped 'em to check & when they whizz by they're far from squidly--full-leathers, the works. If they wanna speed, do stupid stuff, it's on them. I'm not gonna call the twnshp & complain. Lastly, and most important, :bas: how many times will it take before someone gets a clue that drinking & riding don't mix! :bash: IMO this is what gives bikers a bad rep. w/ all the stats.
<jumping down from soapbox now>

Thanks for the heads-up Shan!

 

[Guideon72]

I say fine him $1k and revoke it for a year, at least. How *&^% STUPID do you have to be to be stunting on a public street IN FRONT OF THE POLICE STATION?!! :bash: :bash: :bash:

And then some folks wonder why sportbikes have a bad rep. :rant:

 

[bumblebee]

Cracking down on "crotch rocket jockeys" makes better press and PR then cracking down on those drunken boat anchor pilots crashing on the way home from Strokers or Hooters.

 

[kanwisch]

Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

If there are more complaints about sportbikers than drunks coming from a bar, then the police will concentrate on sportbikers. Its not like they're any less guilty and the police serve the public so, ultimately, they answer to them.

Sportbikers acting in unsafe manners is somewhat ok by me because they'll get sorted out and are unlikely to take someone else with them. Worst case I can think of is a cage swerving to avoid a stunta only to cause a head on collision w/ another cage, which is unfair. Now if we could only get insurance permanently separated from these squidly types.

:2cents:

 

[zx636r]

lol i guess i didnt help out the cause in PA when i had some Ahole call the cops on my cause i was doing a little over the speed limit, cop came to house and said dotn do it again. sad part is that the guy who called the cop knows who i am, n if i ever find out who it is i will def have a word with him.

 

[Gas Man]

I am on the fence on this... I love to chop it up in traffic... ya know...ghost rider is my hero!

 

[R1up0n1]

I have rode a wheelie in front of a police station before on accident, I was in a unfamiliar town showing off, and I guess I rode a wheelie in front of a police station. The cop came chasing after me, and he also accused me of speeding because "it took a long time for him to catch up" WTF he was sitting in his office eating a donut! Well I got off no ticket just a warning.

I love riding the bike in heavy traffic sometimes, I came home on lunch yesterday, and took the bike back to work, well there was an accident or something at the 3 diefferent interstate interchanges blocking all cars from moving, well I didn't have time to wait, so I just went down the emergency lane and took my exit. Worked out great.