PANAMA CITY BEACH: Thousands of motorcycles are rolling onto local roads, and Panama City Beach police are ready for them. Thunder Beach, the city’s fall motorcycle rally, kicked off yesterday and runs through Sunday, October 25th, bringing extra officers out to keep the streets safe.
Many Wiregrass residents take part in the festivities, while others just come out to appreciate the bikes and enjoy the event.
Police are cracking down on the kind of behavior that turns a fun ride into a dangerous one: excessive acceleration, burnouts and reckless driving.
The PCBPD Special Operations Division says drivers and riders each have a part to play, urging drivers to look twice and check their mirrors a couple of times before changing lanes or making turns, since motorcycles are very hard to spot in blind spots.
Riders got a message too. They received the reminder to be patient, noting that it’s easy to want to zip around traffic but not worth the risk.
Expect the heaviest traffic near the rally’s biggest gathering spots, Frank Brown Park and the Harley-Davidson dealership, both on Back Beach Road. Drivers in that area should stay alert and give bikes plenty of room.
Thunder Beach runs through Sunday, October 25th in Panama City Beach.
