Chit Chat For all general off topic chat on GTcars.

Proof that bragging on the Internet can get you in trouble.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-19-2005, 03:05 PM
  #1  
~~ Hardcore Newb ~~
Thread Starter
 
v82slo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 186
Rep Power: 706
v82slo street rep is low. keep going
Proof that bragging on the Internet can get you in trouble.

Not car related but maybe one of the first convictions from a posting on the web. I'm sure bragging in person will not help his case.

From http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/

Police finally catch up to motorcyclist after he bragged on Internet posting

Officer recognizes bragging post on Internet. Man charged in February high-speed chase

By Gina Mace

Special to the Beacon Journal


NORTON - A motorcyclist who outran a Norton police officer during a high-speed chase in February was arrested after the officer identified the cyclist through an Internet post bragging about the incident on the Star Boyz Web site.

Raef Canter, 18, of New Franklin, was 17 on Feb. 14 when he took a 17-year-old friend for a ride on his 1988 Suzuki GSX-R 750 around 2:30 a.m.

He faces charges of delinquency by reason of fleeing police, reckless operation, speeding, no motorcycle endorsement, unauthorized use of plates, obstructed plate and failure to obey a traffic control device.

Norton police officer Dennis McDonald was patrolling state Route 21 when he clocked the bike in excess of 100 mph. He turned and gave chase, but called off the pursuit as the bike neared Fairlawn.

McDonald spotted the bike again on Medina Road near Acme Fresh Market in Bath Township. As he tried to get close enough to get a plate number and description, the driver spotted a Fairlawn cruiser and sped up.

``I wasn't in pursuit,'' McDonald said. ``I wanted to get a better description of the bike in case we saw it again.''

McDonald continued to follow the bike as best he could, as the motorcyclist rode 50 to 60 mph on Copley Road.

``He was taking the curves pretty slowly, driving pretty responsibly,'' McDonald said.

Once the cyclist cleared the railroad tracks at Copley Circle, he accelerated to more than 140 mph, McDonald said.

Bragging on Internet

As pursuits go, this seemed destined to be the one that got away -- until the officer heard about a post on StarBoyz.com, the Web site of a group of extreme motorcycle stunt riders known for their antics on public highways.

In an April 28 post under the subject ``Tales from the Streets FTP Style,'' someone who called himself ``rc138705'' bragged about outrunning three cruisers while carrying a passenger.

FTP stands for ``F--- The Police.''

``My friend comes over on (sic) night and he wants to go for a ride so I take him out on 21 and open the bike out well my luck a Norton cop passes on the other side when I was slowing down, I was doing about 90, I didn't really think he would try to chase a bike so I speed up to about 120... ''

McDonald said he knew when he read the post that the writer was the cyclist he chased in February.

So he joined the Web site, read other posts ``rc138705'' had written and discovered the cyclist was planning to sell the bike he was riding the night of the pursuit.

A motorcycle enthusiast himself, McDonald owns a newer model of the same bike. So, he e-mailed ``rc138705'' and expressed an interest in buying it.

``We e-mailed back and forth five or six times,'' McDonald said. ``I asked different questions about the bike and pretended that I didn't read the section about the police chase, that all I did was read the classified ads.''

When the cyclist e-mailed McDonald his phone number, McDonald traced it to Canter.

McDonald arranged to meet Canter on Saturday so that McDonald could look over the bike.

When they met, McDonald said he mentioned a post he read in the classified section that intimated that Canter's bike had been used to outrun the police.

``I asked him what that was about,'' McDonald said. ``He told me: `That's all I've done on this bike is run from the cops.' He said: `Every time I go out, they chase me.' ''

McDonald said Canter then told him the story of the February chase, and even told him that he could read the whole story on the Web site.

``He got all excited that I was interested in the story,'' the officer said, ``and started bragging away about it.''

Badge revealed

McDonald said he asked to test-drive the bike, and Canter said he would ride it first to warm it up. When he pulled back into the driveway, a Norton cruiser pulled in behind him.

``He didn't know why they were there,'' McDonald said. ``He started coming up with excuses, telling them I was there to buy the bike and he knew it had bad plates on it.''

That's when McDonald flashed his badge.

``I told him, `I'm the officer you ran from on 21,' '' McDonald said. ``He got white as a ghost and just stood there.''

Reached by phone Monday, Canter said he has been riding for about 10 years, starting on dirt bikes. He said he got the idea to run from police by reading the Star Boyz Web site.

``The Star Boyz do it. Everyone else on that Web site does it. I know a lot of people who do it and they get away with it and tell their stories,'' Canter said. ``I knew he couldn't catch me if I tried to get away. I didn't know it was a serious thing.''

`An everyday ride'

Canter said he usually did his fast riding late at night, and he stayed in the middle of the road so that cars would see the bright light from the motorcycle and wouldn't pull out into its path.

``It's dangerous,'' Canter said, ``but it didn't feel crazy. It felt normal to me. Just an everyday ride, really.''

Canter said he doesn't smoke or do drugs. He said riding is a way to fight boredom.

``I'd rather hang out with people who outrun cops,'' he said, ``than people who sit around and smoke dope.''

But, Canter said, his running days are over.

``I made a bad choice that night,'' he said. ``There's no way I'd ever run again.''

He was booked Saturday by Norton police and released pending an appearance in juvenile court.

McDonald, who has been riding for nine years, said he has nothing against stunt cyclists.

``When you get on the bike, it's a rush,'' he said. ``They're made to go fast and you want to go fast."
v82slo is offline  
Old 05-19-2005, 04:10 PM
  #3  
GTcars - Post God !
iTrader: (4)
 
fastestcivic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,255
Rep Power: 768
fastestcivic street rep is low. keep going
very funny how he got booked next time keep your mouth shut :thumbsup
fastestcivic is offline  
Old 05-19-2005, 08:43 PM
  #4  
~~ Hardcore Newb ~~
 
Pipes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 57
Rep Power: 703
Pipes street rep is low. keep going
Me thinks that copper has a bit too much time on his hands. Perhaps he should be out fighting crime, instead of hunting down some punk that ride's his bike too fast. How much damage is he really going to do, wipe and and kill himself at the most.


``I'd rather hang out with people who outrun cops,'' he said, ``than people who sit around and smoke dope.''

Amen.
Pipes is offline  
Old 05-19-2005, 10:14 PM
  #6  
Average GTcars Poster
 
Viperoni's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Brampton
Posts: 560
Rep Power: 714
Viperoni street rep is low. keep going
The part that nobody sees here is that if the guy wraps himself around a tree, which would be bound to happen, is that an insurance company has to pay out big bucks because of some idiot. Stupid ppl like that make our insurance rates higher.
Viperoni is offline  
Old 05-19-2005, 11:22 PM
  #7  
Junior GTcars Poster
 
SirChirpAlot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Oshawa
Posts: 324
Rep Power: 709
SirChirpAlot street rep is low. keep going
Well frist off i dont think he had insurance on the bike.
But the part that the cop was more worried about might be the fact that the guy might hurt other people. Plus if u run from the cops then post it with so much detailes that a cop can link u to it then its your own falt for posting.

I would love to see a vid from the cop car in the chase then a vid from the guys driveway, That would be priceless
SirChirpAlot is offline  
Old 05-19-2005, 11:54 PM
  #8  
~~ Hardcore Newb ~~
Thread Starter
 
v82slo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 186
Rep Power: 706
v82slo street rep is low. keep going
The point I hope everyone saw is that you're really not safe posting on Internet forums. I know we all think we can deny what is posted online but eventually the laws are going to change and even this can be used against you.
v82slo is offline  
Old 05-20-2005, 11:02 AM
  #10  
~~ Hardcore Newb ~~
 
tom240's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 38
Rep Power: 702
tom240 street rep is low. keep going
its only a matter of time before something like that happens here
tom240 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
hopscotch29
honda / acura
1
08-24-2008 09:39 PM
fball419
Other Honda Models
0
11-26-2007 04:06 AM
L 619
Motorcycle Section
4
10-02-2007 06:35 PM
Richard Q
Honda Accord
1
07-29-2007 01:28 AM
pookeybrain
Hyundai Mailing List
0
09-19-2003 05:48 AM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 


Quick Reply: Proof that bragging on the Internet can get you in trouble.



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:52 PM.

Page generated in 0.12983 seconds with 20 queries