'Willy' Stunt Motorcycle Bursts into Flames and Explodes
Following Motorcycle Also Falls... No Life-Threatening Injuries
A motorcycle rider performing a stunt by lifting the front wheel on the road lost control, causing the motorcycle to fall and explode.
Recently, a post titled "Domestic Motorcycle Wheelie Explosion Accident Video" was uploaded on an online community. The video captured a motorcycle accident that occurred around 4:30 PM on the 25th near the U.S. military base (Camp Humphreys) in Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi Province.
A total of four motorcycles, including the one filming, roared down a three-lane one-way road. During this, one motorcycle began performing a stunt called a "wheelie," riding only on the rear wheel while lifting the front wheel off the ground.
The motorcycle ran about 130 meters in this position before suddenly losing balance and falling. It fell after passing over a repaired pothole on the road. The motorcycle then slid across the road and collided with a traffic light at an intersection, causing an explosion.
The explosion caused flames to surge, and the following motorcycle passed through the fire. However, this motorcycle also slipped shortly after, leading to a secondary accident. The rider was pushed into the opposite lane and fell onto the road.
Fortunately, the motorcycle riders were wearing protective gear, including helmets, and all were reported to have no life-threatening injuries. However, the broken motorcycles and debris scattered on the road caused traffic congestion in the area for some time.
Among netizens who watched the video, criticisms arose such as "Wanting to perform stunts on public roads instead of a dedicated track," "It could have caused harm to other drivers," and "Such behavior reinforces negative images of motorcycles."
Meanwhile, a "wheelie" is a skill requiring a high level of balance, and losing control can lead to serious accidents, so extreme caution is necessary. It is especially known that motorcycle wheelies have a high likelihood of causing the "shimmy phenomenon," where the front wheel shakes sideways during riding.
Above all, performing such stunts on public roads can result in penalties for violating road traffic laws. According to Article 48, Paragraph 1 (Duty of Safe Driving) of the Road Traffic Act, all drivers must operate steering devices, braking devices, and other equipment accurately. Previously, on the 14th of last month, a motorcycle rider who performed a front-wheel lift on a road in Hanam-si, Gyeonggi Province, was booked for violating the Road Traffic Act.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.



