CNN is reporting that Sandor Ferenci, 28, of Oxfordshire, England, has been jailed for 12 weeks for engaging in reckless, high speed stunts which he posted on YouTube. The case got started when residents reported his license plate for allegedly speeding. When the police came to investigate, Ferenci asked if they had seen his YouTube Videos. WHY WOULD YOU EVER DO THIS!!?? That is like being pulled over, then asking the officer if he would like to smell the marijuana in your trunk. The officers investigated further, found the videos, and charged Ferenci using his own videos, which he pointed them to, against him.

What isn’t mentioned is exactly what details were apparent in the videos, as there is nothing inherently illegal about driving fast and doing stunts on a motorcycle. It is done all the time on closed courses to make all of those pretty action scenes we all love to go see in the movies. What is illegal is doing it on a public road without permission. However, the police, in the US at least, cannot simply charge you for reckless driving based on a video of you doing stunts. They need to establish 1) that it is actually you and 2) that it was done in their jurisdiction. Jurisdiction is important as the Boston Police cannot charge you for driving recklessly in Detroit. So either the videos clearly showed Ferenci in some capacity (his license plate was readable, or there was some unique aspect of his bike or outfit that was identifiable) AND were on clearly identifiable public roads within the jurisdiction, or he simply admitted to both. Given that Ferenci alerted the police to this existence of the videos in the first place, I’m guessing it was the latter.

Disclaimer: The Pansy Patrol does not endorse dangerous, reckless, and/or illegal driving on any public way. The Pansy Patrol also recommends NOT digging any hole you may find yourself in deeper, particularly with the help of a backhoe like Mr. Ferenci.