Description
A pack of around 6 heading south at 1pm. Then an hour later they came back from east haven after picking up their dates for a Sunday afternoon. Probably around 20 heading north on Q av an hour later.
Anyone heard an update on if we're getting any _additional_ laws to police the issue and on timing - will we see benefits to neighborhoods this summer?
Also in terms of existing laws that are being broken, driving without a license, recklessly etc., I just checked up on youtube for the latest. I'm assuming police are regularly going online to pick them all up but just in case plenty of good close-ups of faces here: http://youtu.be/tNoWGDp--CE
17 Comments
Quinnipiac res (Guest)
Andrushka (Registered User)
A bill on illegal use of dirtbikes is making its way through the state senate (link below). If passed, the law will allow the city to charge $2000 for retrieval of confiscated dirt bikes (the law doesn't mention ATVs but there are other bills moving around in committee that may include ATVs I have been told). The bill also asks the state to evaluate the possibility of establishing a registry for dirt bike owners. Unfortunately, the bill as currently written will not have force of law until October 2013. Which means another summer of little recourse against the bikes. My best advice is for ClickFixers to gather as much data on the bikes (photos, addresses) and figure out how to effectively get this info to substation commanders. Would also be nice if Chief Esserman or the Mayor said something publicly about the bikes - they need make a public stand against the bikes and recognize that it is an enormous quality of life issue for the city. Enormous.
Link to the legislation: http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB190&which_year=2013
neighborhood narc (Guest)
Sean (Registered User)
Thanks for the update on the legislation. Sounds like something I suppose, not what I was hoping for (making it illegal to have an unregistered dirtbike inside city limits for example) but at least something to help make it more difficult to drive illegally/dangerously/unlicensed long term.
Dates - I was just joking there, they just picked up another 15 or so atvs/bikers.
NewHavenJude (Registered User)
Andrushka (Registered User)
L (Guest)
Tom Harned (Guest)
I'm all for the new law, but don't see how much good it can do with the current no chase policy that the New Haven police have adopted. What are they going to do, wait for these fine gentleman to come down to the police station and politely turn themselves in?
It's incredibly frustrating that these individuals have been allowed to endanger the lives of New Haven residents for so long.
Quinnipiac res (Guest)
sambo (Guest)
I have gotten some success in my neighborhood after 5 years of fighting this issue. The city is considering installing Jersey barriers and speed bumps on a long straightaway that has become their afternoon racetrack of choice. I also got the Parks to put up a fence so thay they couldn't escape when the NHPD comes, but they have already smashed it with an ATV.
These guys are more organized than we think. They have a scanner, and they monitor the police calls. They choose places and meet there, bringing dirt bikes and ATV's in pick up trucks, with oil and gas supplies. All of this within our city.
I have documented all of this with pics and sent it to my alderman and other city officials. The more of us get involved, the sooner these outlaws will be off the streets.
NewHavenJude (Registered User)
S.I.T. New Haven (Registered User)
Enough is enough (Guest)
angry citizen (Guest)
If Esserman or Destefano had bikes and quads racing up and down their streets with no mufflers every weekend I bet something would be done. Does the new chief even live in New Haven or does he go home to RI every weekend?
If my memory serves me right the quad squad worked pretty well under Lewis.
Andrushka (Registered User)
Baltimore is probably the worst city for dirtbikes, at least as reported in the mass media. Philadelphia also plagued by the dirtbike-ATVs. Baltimore's latest legislative effort against the bikes is to put a delay on driver's license for anyone who has been cited for a dirtbike/ATV violation: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/politics/Bill-would-drive-out-illegal-dirt-bikes-from-roads/-/9379266/19176444/-/13gifec/-/index.html
Dirtbike/ATV problem in New Haven has to be on the mayoral campaign agenda as a major quality of life issue. Not sure how that happens....
Κλειστό Rob Smuts (Registered User)
I am closing dirt bike/ATV complaints that pre-date the conclusion of the police undercover operation (see www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/9_arrested_in_dirt_bike_sting/). I do not expect the dirt bike/ATV issue to be completely solved, but it will be helpful to policing efforts to distinguish new reports from those before last month's operation. The operation was not a one-off effort to address this issue, and information reported in new issues is helpful.
Please open up new SCF issues as dirt bike/ATV issues re-occur.
- Rob Smuts, Chief Administrative Officer
Don Vincent (Guest)