Motorbike rider performs wheelie in front of Sydney police officer
A motorcyclist with a passenger on the back has been captured on camera doing a wheelie in front of a Sydney police officer.
It is usually fashion that turns heads on Oxford Street in Paddington, but all eyes were on a motorcyclist as he carried out a dangerous stunt earlier this month.
Footage shows the rider, seemingly proud of his wheelie, giving police on the side of the road the 'thumbs up', before speeding off towards the city.
Highway patrol officers gave the risky manoeuvre the 'thumbs down'.
"It's a dangerous activity, could have killed themselves or someone else so police are actively investigating this incident," Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said.
The rider who captured the vision on his GoPro wanted to remain anonymous, fearing retribution on the road and online.
“I just don’t want the whole world knowing this part of my life, for my own safety, my family's safety,” 'Ben' said.
Motorcycle safety campaigners said tricks like this give them all a bad name and should be confined to racing tracks because of the hazard they pose.
The majority of the bikes brakes are in the front-wheel.
“It would take an extra second and a half to two seconds to apply the brakes in a manner for an emergency stop and that would endanger children, bicycle riders, pedestrians," Christopher Burns from the Motorcycle Council of NSW said.
The lack of protective gear on the rider and his passenger was also a concern.
“I think they were just too hot to wear the gear but I'd rather sweat than bleed myself,” 'Ben' said.
Police have not yet caught the rider but said they had a clear image of him on police video.
They said it would only be a matter of time before he is identified so it would be best if he handed himself in.
Investigators said the incident happened at about 2 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon so it was a busy time for shoppers. They asked for anyone with information or more footage of the incident to come forward.
