REPORT: Australia to wage crushing war on 'monkey bikes'
Filed under: Government/Legal, Australia, MotorcycleAttention Australian mini bike riders: law enforcement is going all "iron fist" on your preferred method of transportation. The mini bikes, often referred to locally as "monkey bikes" are a big problem in South Australia, reportedly causing several deaths and numerous injuries. The bikes, which can reach speeds of 70 km/h (42 mph), are already outlawed, but now Drive is reporting that Attorney-General Michael Atkinson is amending the law to give law enforcement the authority to crush the bikes and charge fines of up to $5,000 AUD. That's a lot of coin to ride a bike that makes you look like a total dork. Atkinson says the bikes look harmless, but "they are actually dangerous for riders, pedestrians, other vehicles on the road and other people using parks and open spaces." The primate bikes, which we don't believe are actually driven by monkeys (koalas, perhaps?), do not comply with Australian vehicle safety standards or design rules. We've actually tried these mini bikes before, and while they're a lot of fun, we can see why they are dangerous. They're hard for other motorists to see, and we've noticed that a lot of parents letting their 10-15 year-old children ride them around the suburbs. Probably not a good idea. [Source: Drive | Image: Monkeybike UK]REPORT: Australia to wage crushing war on 'monkey bikes' originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/report-australia-to-wage-crushing-war-on-monkey-bikes/
