Motorcycle hooliganism

Historian Jeremy Packer wrote that the newest motorcycle "gangs" are unlike the outlaw motorcycle clubs widely reported in the media since the late 1940s. They now ride sport bikes, often customized in the streetfighter style,{{citation|title=2007 Buell Super TT motorcycle: Happy times for hooligans |date=June 8, 2007|newspaper=Saskatoon StarPhoenix|url=http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/driving/story.html?id=f9784e3d-b402-4268-bfc3-eb1d1c06e282&p=2}} rather than cruisers, passing through both rural and urban areas, playing "elaborate games of tag and follow the leader, continually pushing each other to ride harder." Besides being younger and favoring high-performance motorcycles, these groups are "loosely affiliated and come together mostly to ride." Traditional outlaw motorcycle clubs are known for having detailed charters and membership lists, prescribing codes of behavior, dress, type and brand of motorcycle members may ride, and vigorously enforcing procedures for admitting new members, banishing members who break club rules, and protecting the club's territory and name from anyone falsely pretending to be a member.{{Citation |title=The Fall of a Hells Angel Leader; Indictment Alleges Spokesman's Charity Masks Drug Ring. |first=Jeff |last= Adler | newspaper=The Washington Post |location= Washington, D.C. |date= 2001-03-03 | page=A.07}}{{Citation |title=One Percent Biker Clubs -- A Description |last=Barker |first=Tom |periodical=Trends in Organized Crime |publisher=Springer New York |issn=1084-4791 |volume=9 |issue= 1 |date=September 2005 |doi=10.1007/s12117-005-1005-0 |page=111 |s2cid=144003167 }}

Packer wrote in 2008 that media attention, such as the popular A&E television documentary The Wild Ride of the Outlaw Bikers (1999){{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800269/|title = The Wild Ride of Outlaw Bikers|website = IMDb}} and the Guggenheim show The Art of the Motorcycle, erroneously only covered the baby boomer Harley-Davidson rider culture, failing to note a shift in demographics, bikes, and behavior.Packer (2008) pp 153-154 Packer said this promotes the Harley-Davidson brand and promotes "a type of motorcycle affiliation that is palatable, family friendly, and marketable" as part of a narrative that outlaw bikers, "though once a dangerous element, are now a useful and even valuable part of society." The StarPhoenix of Saskatoon wrote that the new marketing push to "transform motorcycling into an acceptable, mainstream pastime" has led to young riders rebelling.

In Los Angeles and New York City, some affluent urban motorcycle owners are self-described hooligans,{{citation|newspaper=The New York Times|title=Engines Roaring, Pagers Beeping; Middle Class Leads a Renewed Romance With Biker Culture|author=Randy Kennedy|date=July 12, 1998|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/12/nyregion/engines-roaring-pagers-beeping-middle-class-leads-renewed-romance-with-biker.html}} or display motorcycles described as "hooligan chic"{{citation|date=December 28, 2007|title=Hooligan Chic|journal=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/global/2008/0107/094_2.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828221553/http://www.forbes.com/global/2008/0107/094_2.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 28, 2012}} and an "object of fetish consumerism."Packer (2008) p. 154

Hooligans engage in many types of unlawful behavior.

File:Motorcycle hooligan donuts on park lawn.jpg

In South and Southeast Asia, thieves use motorcycles in the act of purse snatching.{{citation|title=Hooligan bikers running amok|newspaper=Bangkok Post|via=Financial Times Asia Africa Intelligence Wire|date=10 October 2004 |author=MANOP THIP-OSOT|quote=Motorcycle gang racers are turning to hooliganism to get attention, and police say parents are to blame.
Young men racing up and down streets chase women and snatch their purses, police say. Police themselves have become targets, with bike riders hurling stones at them.|url= http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13630224_ITM }}{{citation|title=Plan for motorcycle-free zones in parts of KL|newspaper=Malaysia Star|date=Jan 9, 2004|quote=The Government may turn certain parts of Kuala Lumpur into motorcycle-free zones to curb illegal racing and snatch thefts.}}

File:Cargo Repsol.jpg

Racing has been implicated in a number of deaths, and is targeted by law enforcement in North America, Asia and Europe.{{citation|title=Guilty in CHP Motorcycle Officer's Death Courts: Illegal immigrant|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=July 3, 1993|quote=... was in uniform and riding his CHP motorcycle to work at about 4:20 a.m. ... Chaparro, who is an illegal immigrant from Mexico, also faces deportation.}}{{citation|title=Rider killed as motorcycle slams into car at illegal rally in Renton 19-year-old dies on street often used for drag-racing.|author=Caitlin Cleary|newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=Dec 24, 2001|page=A1}}{{citation|title=Vietnam revs up battle against illegal racers |newspaper=New Straits Times |date=Jan 5, 1998|quote=Illegal motorcycle racing has now been officially branded as a "social evil" along with prostitution, pornography and drug abuse by Nhan Dan, the mouthpiece ...}}

The fact that many stunters perform their stunts on public roads draws the ire of other motorcyclists and lawmakers.{{citation|publisher=American Motorcyclist Association|url=http://home.ama-cycle.org/membersonly/magazine/story_dl.asp?id=889 |title=Lawmakers target public stunts}} They intentionally draw a lot of attention to their apparently reckless behavior, and other motorcyclists, especially sportbike riders, feel that stunters give all riders a reputation for being irresponsible and dangerous to others.

{{cquote|The average Joe thinks that just riding a motorcycle on a public highway is only slightly less dangerous than searching for land mines with a butter knife. A motorcycle with the front wheel even an inch off the ground looks totally out of control to them, to say nothing of one dragging its taillight. No surprise that the sight of four guys hoisting Standups sends them running for the 911.|author=Greg Walsh|source=Super StreetbikeGreg Walsh, [http://www.superstreetbike.com/balancepoint/030_0312_streetbike_stunting_future/ "Us and Them - Motorcycle Stunting Future & Lifestyle"], [http://www.superstreetbike.com/ Super Streetbike], retrieved March, 2007}}

{{cquote|These stupid tricks are accompanied by outrageously fast speeds, applied in all the wrong situations. All, of course, to be done on the street and with motorcycles that have the power-to-weight ratio of Trident missiles. The results, as I'm sure many of you have seen for yourselves, are often disastrous. In the process, there is plenty injury, death, and a mountain of totaled motorcycles, the repercussions of which are felt by every responsible rider on the street to one degree or another.|author=Tim Kreitz (moto-journalist & Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor{{citation|title=Street stunters: Motorcycling's great scourge|author=Tim Kreitz (moto-journalist & Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor)|date=July 20, 2004|work=The Superbike Blog|url=http://superbikeblog.blogspot.com/2004/07/street-stunters-motorcyclings-great.html|accessdate=2013-10-08}}}}

While clothing-optional bicycling is allowed in many places, similar behavior by motorcyclists is often seen as reckless{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} and has even led to accidents when the rider was stung by an insect.{{citation|title=Nude biker on BeeMW|newspaper=The Daily Mirror via ProQuest|location=London (UK)|date=June 3, 2003|page=11|quote=A NAKED motorcyclist wearing just a scarf, sunglasses and a pair of sandals crashed his BMW bike after he was stung on the inner thigh by a bee.|id={{ProQuest|339092101}}}}{{citation|newspaper=Daily Times|date=June 9, 2003 |title=People of the week |quote=Road safety tip of the week: Police have charged a naked motorcyclist who crashed into a tree after a bee stung him in the leg. The 36-year-old nudist — wearing only a scarf, sunglasses and sandals — was driving to a swimming pool at a German naturist resort when he lost control. He escaped with only minor injuries and has been charged with failing to wear a crash helmet.}}

Nude rider complaints are recorded in Coventry, England, where 21 riders proceeded naked through the town;{{citation|title=Residents complain of noise and nudity|author=Stephen Geffon|date=2009-06-18|quote="The scene was reminiscent of Lady Godiva riding naked through the streets of Coventry, England as 21 motorcycle riders jetted down Silver Road in Ozone Park wearing nothing but smiles.|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20333269&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=574908&rfi=6}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Salt Lake City;{{citation|title=Naked motorcycle rider|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CMYSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=afkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2850,1430032&dq=naked-motorcycle-rider}} Murfreesboro, Tennessee (claimed to be the first nude motorcycle rally);{{citation|title=NUDE MOTORCYCLISTS HOLD FIRST RALLY IN MURFREESBORO|newspaper=The Commercial Appeal|location= Memphis, Tenn|date=July 28, 2003|page=B.2 |quote= While the bikers also love to swap cycle stories, Rock Haven owner George Volak's still beats 'em all, the bikers admitted. "Michael 'Shine' Brannon set up a booth to sell jackets, helmets and other gear at the rally. He was a bit apprehensive about selling clothing to nudists until someone pointed out that they weren't nude all the time. Shine sported a pair of cut-off jeans that would have gotten Daisy Duke arrested. They were literally all pockets. It was his first time at a nudist camp.|id={{ProQuest|394035281}}}} Providence, Rhode Island;{{citation|title=Nude motorcyclist hurt in crash with pickup|author=ARIEL SABAR |newspaper=Providence Journal |location=Providence, R.I.|date=May 21, 1996|page=D.06|quote=A naked man riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle was injured Saturday when he collided head-on with a pickup truck driven by a friend, police said. When police arrived at the accident scene at about 2:20 that morning, Steven M. Medeiros of 66 Kent Ave. was standing in the middle of Wannamoisett Road wearing nothing but combat boots, police said. |id={{ProQuest|397103252}} }} and southern Sweden.{{citation|title=Nude biker spotted in Sweden|publisher=UPI |date=May 4, 2007|quote=Swedish police say a nude man spotted riding a motorcycle in the southern part of the country may not have been breaking any laws.}}

In some jurisdictions, the act of cruising is unlawful.{{citation|title=Cruising|work=Problem-Specific Guides |id=Guide No.29 |year=2004|author1=Ronald W. Glensor |author2=Kenneth J. Peak |publisher =Center for Problem-Oriented Policing at SUNY Albany|url=http://www.popcenter.org/problems/cruising/print/}}

In Malaysia, over 100,000 outlaw motorcyclists called Mat Rempit are reported to cruise and race on the streets every night.{{citation|title=Malaysian PM attempts to make allies of motorcycle 'hell riders'|newspaper=South China Morning Post |date=August 29, 2006|author=Baradan Kuppusamyin|quote= Malaysian police estimate that 150,000 hell riders or mat rempit cruise the streets of the capital and major cities every night. They race for money or pleasure - and cause accidents, death and mayhem along the way.}}

Riders, including under-age youth, without a valid driver's license, have been described as "dangerous and illegal"{{citation|title=Kids driving dangerous, illegal; Children operating motorcycles|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |date=Mar 24, 2003|quote=Authorities say allowing youngsters to drive motorcycles, mopeds and all-terrain vehicles on public roadways is not only dangerous -- it is illegal.}} and "hooligans."{{citation|title=Police news|newspaper=Bombala Times|location=Bombala, New South Wales|date=July 7, 2009|author=Rebecca Bavister|url=https://www.bombalatimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/police-news/1562004.aspx|quote=[A]n 18 year old man and a 16 year old youth were caught by Police riding their unregistered and uninsured trail bikes along Maybe Street...Over the last couple of months these two hooligans have flouted the law on an almost daily basis...}}

Street stunt riders on unlicensed dirtbikes are reported to be a problem in Baltimore, Maryland.{{citation|title=The 12 O'Clock Boys|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 3, 2013|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/opinion/riding-with-the-12-oclock-boys.html}}

Speeding is often referred to as a "hooligan" activity due to inherent risk to the public.{{citation|publisher= BBC News |date=19 October 2006|title=Police film of 'hooligan' bikers|quote= North Wales Police's chief constable has posted a video of "hooligan" bikers on his web diary to highlight the problem of speeding.|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/6066426.stm}}

Some types of motorcycles or specific models associated with hooligan behavior are informally referred to as "hooligan" motorcycles.{{citation|title=2007 Buell Super TT motorcycle: Happy times for hooligans|author=David Booth|publisher= CanWest News Service|date=June 8, 2007|quote=It all works much better when the road gets twisty. In fact, the twistier the better. In high-speed sweepers -- i.e., the kind of corners where Ducatis excel -- the Super TT remains a little twitchy. It's one of the few modern bikes I wish had a steering damper.|url=http://www2.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/driving/story.html?id=f9784e3d-b402-4268-bfc3-eb1d1c06e282&p=2|newspaper=Saskatoon StarPhoenix}}

In Seattle in 2010, a Washington State Patrol highway police trooper rolled his patrol car while chasing speeding motorcyclists, who then returned to jeer and taunt him. The motorcyclists said they were engaging in a semi-organized mass ride.{{citation|newspaper=The Seattle Times| date=August 12, 2010 |title=Witness disputes trooper's version of crash with bikers — An eyewitness to the crash that left a state trooper in a ditch on Tuesday night is disputing the trooper's claim that the accident was caused by two motorcycles that cut him off.|author=Christine Clarridge|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012610318_taunt13m.html|accessdate=2013-10-08}} The event attracted much media attention.{{Citation |title= Speeding motorcyclist taunts state trooper trapped in crashed car |url= http://www.seattlepi.com/local/424876_trooper10.html |accessdate= 2013-10-07 |publisher= KOMO TV via Seattle Post-Intelligencer |last= Kang |first= Martha |date= 10 August 2010 }}{{Citation |title= King County: Bikers return to taunt trooper from Spanaway trapped after serious crash |first= Stephanie A. |last= Clark |newspaper= The Bellingham Herald |url= http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/08/11/1565823/tukwila-speeding-motorcyclists.html |accessdate= 2010-08-11 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Citation |title= State Patrol: Injured trooper taunted by motorcyclists |first= John |last= de Leon |date= 11 August 2010 |newspaper= Seattle Times |url= http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2012590346_state_patrol_injured_trooper_t.html |accessdate= 2010-08-11 }}

In September 2013, public awareness of motorcycle hooliganism in America was increased when a video was uploaded to live leak showing a violent altercation between a family riding in an SUV and a group of motorcyclists in New York City.{{cite news|last=Curry|first=Colleen|title=Motorcyclists Pull Driver from Car in NYC, Beat Him After Collision|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/video-shows-motorcyclists-pull-driver-car-beat/story?id=20419705|newspaper=ABC News|date=September 30, 2013}} The bikers were participating in an annual unsanctioned rally called the "Hollywood Block Party". Over 1000 motorcycles, quads, and other vehicles participated in the 2012 rally a year prior, according to New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. The rally involved performing stunts and driving through Times Square, which has been illegal since it was pedestrianized in 2009.{{cite news|last=Davies|first=Alex|title=Transportation More: New York City Motorcycles New York Police Department Old Videos Show That Motorcycle Rallies In NYC Are Totally Nuts|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/videos-hollywood-stuntz-motorcycle-biker-rallies-in-nyc-2013-10|newspaper=Business Insider|date=October 2, 2013}}

The incident began when a sport utility vehicle (SUV) driven by motorist Alexian Lien was involved in light bumper contact with motorcyclist Christopher Cruz. Cruz reportedly sustained minor injuries. In the video, Cruz merges in front of Lien and slows dramatically, apparently causing the collision. Following the incident, authorities familiar with such organized rides stated that Cruz was not attempting to cause a collision, but was attempting to slow traffic in order to clear a section of roadway to perform stunts on their motorcycles.{{cite news|last=Goodman|first=David|title=2 Bikers Are Charged; Investigation Continues|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/nyregion/motorcyclist-struck-by-suv-is-arrested-and-charged-with-reckless-behavior.html?_r=0|newspaper=New York Times|date=October 1, 2013}}

Lien and many of the motorcyclists stopped their vehicles. The video shows many of the bikers gathering around the Range Rover driven by Lien. Police reported that the bikers were beating on the vehicle and punctured a tire. Lien accelerated to escape, reportedly driving over 3 motorcycles and a rider, named Edwin Mieses, who had dismounted and was in front of the Range Rover. Mieses was severely injured, including a fractured spine and punctured lung. The bikers then chased after the SUV for several miles before pulling Lien from the vehicle and assaulting him.{{cite news|title=Bikers assault banker in New York highway clash|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1323010/bikers-assault-banker-new-york-highway-clash|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=October 3, 2013}}{{cite news|title=Motorcyclists Chase, Attack SUV driver in New York|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/motorcyclists-chase-attack-suv-driver-new-york-20424104|newspaper=ABC News|date=2013-09-30}}

The video of the incident quickly went viral and received widespread news coverage. Other videos of packs of bikers driving recklessly and performing stunts surfaced following the heavy news coverage. One video in particular shows a group of bikers threatening the driver of a Prius. The bikers beat on the window of his car, but the driver was unharmed.{{cite news|title=Video from 2011 Shows NYC Bikers Attacking Toyota Prius, Plus Latest Developments|url=https://www.carscoops.com/2013/10/footage-from-2011-shows-nyc-bikers.html|newspaper=Car Scoops|date=October 1, 2013}}

A total of 15 people were arrested, 55 motorcycles were confiscated, and 69 summonses were issued in connection with the September 29th event. Nine suspects have been charged in connection with the attack.{{cite news|title=9th Suspect Charged In Manhattan Motorcycle-SUV Melee|url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/10/23/9th-suspect-charged-in-manhattan-motorcycle-suv-melee/|newspaper=CBS New York|date=October 23, 2013}}{{cite news|last=Tcholakian|first=Danielle|title=Biker gang assault: Who's the man behind Hollywood Stuntz?|url=http://www.metro.us/newyork/news/2013/10/02/update-on-the-bike-gang-assault-the-man-behind-hollywood-stuntz/|newspaper=Metro|date=October 2, 2013|access-date=February 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227184958/http://www.metro.us/newyork/news/2013/10/02/update-on-the-bike-gang-assault-the-man-behind-hollywood-stuntz/|archive-date=February 27, 2014|url-status=dead}} In December 2013, Lien filed a civil suit against the city of New York for the involvement of an off-duty police detective in the attack. The suit accused the police department of failing to properly train their officers.{{cite news|title=Alexian Lien, Man Attacked By Motorcyclists, Files Legal Claim Against New York City|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/18/alexian-lien-motorcycle-attacked-new-york-city_n_4623304.html|newspaper=Huffington Post|date=2014-01-18}}

Legislation has since been proposed that would require permits and prior notification of such rallies. The legislation was inspired by the September 29 incident as well as the death of Marian Kurshik, 78, in December 2013 after being struck by a motorcycle traveling in a pack and performing stunts. The driver of the motorcycle was also killed in the accident. "His feet was on the seat; the front wheel pulled up. He was going very fast," said a bystander. "This not only, I think, protects pedestrians. I think it also protects the motorcyclists themselves," said state senator Andriano Espaillat.{{cite news|title=State Bill Seeks To Prevent Another Biker Melee|url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/12/23/state-bill-seeks-to-prevent-another-biker-melee/|newspaper=CBS New York|date=December 23, 2013}}

• 12 O'Clock Boys
• Mat Rempit

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{Citation

|last= Packer |year=2008 |first= Jeremy |title=Mobility without mayhem: safety, cars, and citizenship |publisher=Duke University Press |isbn=9780822339632 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F0P8kvrs9iEC }}

{{commons category|Motorcycle hooliganism}}

{{Biker culture}}

Hooliganism

Category:Hazardous motor vehicle activities