The State of Florida has proposed a new law HB137 2008, which is geared specifically towards bikers and motorcyclist. I will call it the Florida Reckless Motorcycle Law.
The gist of the new law is that if a law enforcement officer charges a person with reckless driving, or driving 30mph over the speed limit, and who was riding a motorcycle at the time, the officer must arrest the rider, take him or her into custody, and seize the motorcycle, which will be subject to forfeiture under Florida’s Contraband Forfeiture Act. You can read the proposed new law by clicking here.
If that person is convicted under the new law, the Court SHALL order the Department of Motor Vehicles to revoke their motorcycle endorsement. This specifically means that the person will no longer legally be able to ride a motorcycle in the State of Florida.
If you have read my Biker Law Blog for some time you will have heard my calls for the guys who are doing stunts on public roads and highways to cease and desist because they would screw it up for the rest of us. I have also called for other bikers and motorcyclist to put peer pressure on the guys that are doing the stunts on public roads. Now it appears that State Legislatures will start trying to do it for us.
I am against the State of Florida’s HB137 2008 because it puts too much discretion into law enforcements hands with respect to being required to arrest bikers and motorcyclist who are allegedly doing 30mph over the speed limit, or riding recklessly. Furthermore the provision that allows law enforcement to seize the motorcycle and sell it smacks of another government scam to obtain revenue by selling seized motorcycles without first having to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person riding the motorcycle committed a crime. Civil seizure statutes require a different burden of proof than convicting persons of a crime.
You mark my words, if this law passes, you will see bikers and motorcyclist of all types be rousted by law enforcement, losing their motorcycles, and their motorcycle endorsements. This law is another way for law enforcement to discriminate against bikers and motorcyclist.
I am calling all Floridians to contact their legislature and put and end to HB137 2008 because it is discriminatory against bikers and motorcyclist.
If Florida wants such a law, it should be applicable to persons driving any motor vehicle, not just motorcycles, and then maybe the law might be fair if you want to live in a State that can just seize your property on an allegation by law enforcement.
What is wrong with Florida? Recently a city in Florida tried to outright ban motorcycles, but it did not pass.
It is time for us bikers and motorcyclist to start really coming down on the idiots that are doing stunts on public roads with their sport motorcycles, because they are now bringing down heat on all of us.
It is also time for us bikers and motorcyclist to stand up for our rights before they are taken away from us forever!
By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2007
Welcome, my name is 
Norm
I am with you 100%. We have a similar problem here in Australia to some extent. The police already impound cars from street racers so motor bikes will make an easy target.
If that law gets up in Florida then it’s sure to get up in California and then our dumb politicians will point to the CA law and copy it almost word for word here in New South Wales Australia. As this according to the government will protect us from those “bikers”.
What a lot of folks fail to realise is that the world is a very connected place and the respective governments are always looking for a quick fix, especially if it gets them on the 6 o’clock news. It might be Florida now but in a few years it could well be the rest of the developed world if the biker community don’t act now.
regards
to all from Sydney
Well it COULD happen here and it IS happening here. There are over 200 federal forfeiture laws are attached to non-drug related crimes and in America today, anyone can become a victim of a police confiscation raid. Every state police department — and most local ones — are now confiscating property, often without even charging the person for a crime. Financially strapped states and municipalities are now making next year’s planned confiscations a growing item in their budgets. As state and local government budgets are squeezed, they rely more and more on direct confiscation of property for revenue. Incredible as it sounds, civil asset forfeiture laws allow the government to seize property without charging anyone with a crime.
For more information on this visit http://www.fear.org. What you find out will be REAL eye opener. Bikers are VERY vulnerable.
did you see the update in clutch and chrome today? the bill has apparently made it through.
the article on clutch and chrome says: The bill was originally introduced to target motorcycles but a last minute amendment was made altering the law to apply to all vehicles. However, the language regarding the loss of motorcycle endorsement wasn’t altered and has many motorcycle action groups concerned.
i just found your site while googling for more articles about it.
rediculous that it’s easier to get your ride and riding privileges taken away for speeding than it is for drunk driving.
I’m relatively new to motorcycles and want to know if there are parks that you can go to to practice stunts so as to not break the law.
That’s part of the problem….if public has access then cops can write tickets,like mall,winn dixie,etc.
anyplace but PRIVATE land (empty parking lots are not private property and if a cop see’s you stunting in one, he can and probably will bust you down for it)…..
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/BBS/viewtopic.php?t=18261
read 1st post.
Also we don’t know Jamie’s location/state do we?
Legislature should protect the people and not protect some political body. If a legislation is supposed to protect bikers, they should be careful in the provisions.
Yes it sure is a small world Stephen! Thanks for your comments.
Norm
Thanks for the comments and links Rudy.
Norm
I am sure there are Jamie, I just don’t know of any right off hand. I know there are private tracks. I would do a google search to see what you can come up with.
Norm