Dirt Bike Collision Sends 2 To Hospital

And Summer time has just begun. The driver is lucky. If it was a pedestrian, definitely a fatality. Hopefully, these two fools escape with minimal injuries.

When are New Haven and other cities gonna follow these dangerous and illegal riders with drones and collar them? A drone won't require a high speed chase and I bet is very effective at alerting the police of their location.

Two months ago I organized and publicized a meeting regarding dirt bikes. I notified all the CMTs, the Mayors office, and the police. Police showed, nobody from the CMTs, and the Mayor never responded. Only 8 people attended.

You can find a full recap of the meeting here ==> https://www.ournewhaven.org/


Dennis Serfilippi
https://www.facebook.com/ournewhaven.org/

Bikyst, I once saw a documentary about Japanese motorcycle gangs, and the cops just used what looked like a bolas to help take them down. American cops would never be allowed to use the same techniques, but it sure looked effective.

When is the city going to get TOUGH on these dirt bike and 4-wheel riders? I see them all the time in my Dixwell neighborhood and each time I see them I call the police ... and nothing EVER happens. the same bikers are back the next day, riding again, running stop signs and traffic lights. I'm sick of it! Lawlessness reigns when it comes to these dirt bikes.

Dennis...
What CMT's did you reach out to?
I was not aware of such a meeting until day of, 15 min before.

do we need deaths before the city and the police dept do their jobs?

Oh man. I hope these kids weren't injured too badly. Kids really need a spot to ride away from traffic. The riding isn't going to stop. At least if we were to build them a motorcross park where events can be held, these kids can channel their riding into something positive.

EastRocker - These riders have the freedom to move somewhere rural & not disrupt city streets. When I lived in central NY there were tons of places I could ride. Vast open trails, hills and valleys. They can move somewhere like that, or buy/rent a truck and make a day trip out of it. No one is forcing them to live, ride & disrupt the streets in New Haven County.

Shocking! The dirt bike struggle has been going on for over 10 years. Nothing ever changes in New Haven.

Dirt bikes on the road!! They should ride on dirt not black top. { Then it would be called a black top bike>>>}

Does EastRocker's logic also say we should hand out free opioids so that the poor addicts don't rob and steal for drug money?

the problem is that police cannot catch these people in a safe manor not endangering the general public...many others will be injured in a pursuit. I have been driving up Whalley and had them coming at me head on in the wrong direction...The only way to catch them safely is to located the residence where they came from and confiscate the vehicle (most of which are likely stolen) and arrest them. Im concerned for the safety of the general public not these idiots. Building them a place to ride is a fantastic idea..try to get that one approved!

Westville420 and you have the option to move to a city without dirt bikes.

Mikelive the decriminalization of drugs and other harm-reduction efforts in other countries have provided easier access to rehab, cut down on overdoses, and almost eliminated drug related crime. So, not by my logic, but by verifiable data, what you mockingly propose about drugs, actually yields results.

In the same vein, other cities have started building parks and hold sponsored events to keep kids off the streets and it has resulted in fewer accidents, safer riding, and some kids have landed lucrative sponsorships from bike and equipment manufacturers. This is no different than skateboarding 25 - 30 years ago, and how bootleggers souping up cars to evade the feds during prohibition evolved into NASCAR.

@Eastrocker,

I agree with you. Kids used to ride skateboards and bikes on the streets doing tricks, to help curb the dangers for the kids and drivers skate parks were installed. I don't see why it couldn't also be done. I'm sure it would be a process, but that would really eliminate a lot of dangers on the roads.

@Mikelive

Your comparison isn't really apples to apples. Passing out free drugs and riding dirt bikes aren't nearly similar. One is highly addictive and you would need help to combat the addiction, the other is not.

It never surprise me to see somebody riding dirt bikes and 4-wheelers in and around New Haven. Especially when the weather is good or at its best, but it's rather unfortunate when something like this happens to people where they get badly injured because of it...

Eastrocker - And people have the option of not purchasing vehicles that can't be ridden legally or simply not riding in a way that endangers other people. While a track might be welcome by some (good luck locating and paying for it) I doubt it would offer the same thrill as terrorizing people in the streets.

I'm glad the driver of the car is ok but sorry his car got wrecked. It will cost his insurance as I'm quite sure the quad riders have none.

While I disagree that the police shouldn't be pursuing criminals who are endangering the general populace (and let's be clear, this is exactly what it is), the police of this and many other cities feel that they are at larger risk if they do try to chase these guys.
What I don't understand is how are the police serving the public good by letting this happen. By doing nothing, the exact feared scenario is happening.

There should be a significant and state wide task force to simply observe, track and confiscate the ATVs that are used on roads. Use drones, use good ole detective work, just follow them, document the activity and take them.

These aren't cheap machines, the second that large numbers of these start getting confiscated and destroyed, there will be a reduction of activity.

This is a national problem, not just a New Haven thing. I have been in other cities and seen this activity. And these aren't kids looking for ways to get around, frequently these are men in their 20s and 30s from all over, not just cities, but we can't just throw our hands up and let this happen.

NHI- can we please get statements from all of our mayoral candidates what they would do to address this?

@East Rocker: According to the very experienced police officers who attended Dennis Serfillipi's community meeting on dirt bikes, the bikers, of all ages and ethnicities, get a particular thrill in defying the law and the rules of the road. Dirt bikes are NOT allowed on city streets to begin with. Some of them like to ride the center strip down Whalley Ave., a heavily trafficked road, to show off.
There have been some private sites available in the past, but they have been closed for insurance reasons.
I, too, wish they would find locations elsewhere to enjoy their skills and thrills, but an urban area is the wrong place.
Police pursuits are limited because of the danger to others.
While many bikes are brought into town in vans from other areas, residents know if there is a dirt bike rider nearby and can speak up.
We have a right to be safe here and the noise is disruptive and stressful.
There might be opportunities for a one day closing of some streets to let bikers exhibit their skills, but no spokesperson for the bikers has stepped up to discuss a good solution.

Unfortunately, there will have to be a couple of deaths before we put together a PLAN to keep

them off of the streets!

Dennis, echoing neenahdee's post, you may want to check your e-mail list. I'm vice-chair of the East Rock CMT. The chair is very assiduous in letting folks know about meetings like these.

WinchesterResident -- totally agree with you! We do the same in the Westville and Edgewood Park area and never a response from the police. The bikes are often in the park even by the playground, riding up and down Whalley, Edgewood, the Blvd and Chapel in large groups. There have been years when the police have confiscated the bikes at homes as suggested. This is the only way to do this and the police need to be vigilant as this is a major public safety issue. If I drove in this lawless way in my car, I fully believe that I would be pulled over and arrested and yet we allow a double standard for these bike riders to exist in our city. It is time for it to STOP!

DJKsMom We COULD build something like that, but it will never happen because it would mean people living in wealthier neighborhoods caring even a tiny bit about their neighbors in the poorer neighborhoods. Most people just want the problem to go away. NIMBYs only care about the issues that directly affect them, and could care less about the underlying issues of boredom, disempowerment, and disenfranchisement that kids in these communities feel. I have a suspicion that deep down inside, having these kids feel empowered is something that terrifies a lot of people in the wealthier neighborhoods in New Haven...

Control of one's streets should be a top priority of any police department. Every time somebody runs a red light, blows off a stop sign, rides free wheeling down the street, the effect is to say that it is okay, when it is not. It negatively affects the quality of life by leaving the perception that lawlessness is okay. I have seen folks do this on I-91 north at 55 mph. thereby putting his life and the life of others at serious risk of injury should he lose control. How we get control of the streets is the debate here.

Get control New Haven and get serious. Here is a link to New London's Dirt Bike Ordinance.

https://patch.com/connecticut/newlondon/dirt-bike-ordinance-will-be-enforced-immediately-new-london-pd

What is it going to take...some idiot doing a wheelie coming from the opposite direction and putting the front end of that heavy dirt bike or ATV through the windshield of mom driving her kid home from school? NHPD needs to pursue these characters as they would any other law breaking person. Confiscate, arrest and jail those "innocent" thrill seeking kids. Lets make the hard choices first and provide an area for them to ride safely and out of public danger. There are plenty of areas in some of the industrial zones in this City. After that, all bets are off...pursue, confiscate and prosecute.

@New Haveners,

I hope that everyone is alright, because I am sure this could have been much worse. Just like with ATVs, dirt bikes on the road have no place on city streets. In many states, it's illegal to drive them on roads. Short of putting the same kind of law in place, community awareness may be the next best measure on these dangers. But, I am sure dirt bikers know that already.

Growing up as a kid in the south, I remember this started to become an issue too. There were a few scuffles between local police and the teen riders. Law enforcement pretty much ignored the problem and let the offenders slide. When two of my friends lost their lives hot-dogging downtown, that's when the mayor forced a change to the standing orders; which later became precedent to changing the law.

Why does it have to take a disaster to change laws?

Take care and be well,
Urn Pendragon

Dirt bikes are dangerous and you want the City of New Haven to provide a safe place, until some gets hurt and sues the city. Who will be held liable if something were to happen? Pay for upkeep and insurance. Take from other services for a safe space to ride illegal dirt bike that are not registered or insured ?! I don't want my tax dollars going towards that. I would rather community gardens in every vacant lot. Teach the future medicinal herbs and pesticide free veggies and fruit instead. Have whomever is interested buy a lot( GOFUNDME) and charge a membership to join . I wonder where our Mayoral candidates stand with this topic? It stops being just for fun you put peoples life at risk. when it disrupts people quality of life and property . I wish i knew about the city meeting regarding this issue.

The summary of the Mtg held to address Dirt Bikes can be found here...

https://www.facebook.com/ournewhaven.org

Anyone interested in meeting and taking ACTION on the issue can reach me via the link above.
I will reach out to the candidates and ask them for their thoughts on this topic. No easy answers. A few things come to mind:

It's a fairly easy fix. Hire a subcontractor who knows how to ride (me), have them ride with the groups with a tracking device on their bike, and a GoPro recording (not uncommon among these riders to video). You can even have audio to the helmet of the rider.

Have the individual ride with the pack, record video, and when there is cop presence and they scatter back to their hiding locations the individual follows. It's fairly easy actually. Ride all summer and follow a group back each time and you could eradicate the problem fairly quickly.

I have other ideas that would work as well. It's not hard people, it's whether or not the city really cares enough to stop these kids. But believe me when an innocent bystander does die, it's with be hard for the city to not be at fault. I'm sure my ideas are cheaper then million dollar lawsuits that will come when something happens!

Building them a "safe place to ride" is not even remotely the answer. Their intention is to disrupt traffic and create fear among motorists and the public, and to taunt the police. Their "thrill" would be taken away if what they were doing was legal. Several area towns have dents in their cruisers because they (riders) pull alongside them and kick the doors. If the police were to take immediate action and one of these thugs was hurt or killed in a subsequent crash, the publics reaction would be the same as an unjustified police shooting..trust me. Gathering intelligence as to their identities, the location of where their bikes are stored and converging on them while they are stationary is the only current remedy.

Thankfully, no innocent people got hurt.

Let's do a thought experiment here, and before we do so, let me stipulate that I identify as a liberal Democrat.

Let's suppose some middle-aged guys leave Owl Shop, or Anchor, or another bar downtown in a car. They are slightly inebriated and drive a bit off. The NHPD will indeed chase them, charge them, and engage in a high speed pursuit. No one will say "Oh, poor drunk driver, let him go on and drive, chasing him puts more people at risk!" Def not. He should and would be pursued and arrested. And he is.

Now, if we change the idea to a dirtbike, people suddenly say "Oh let the poor kids have somewhere to ride! And don't pursue them because the pursuit might endanger others."

This is identity politics and liberal guilt run amok.

If someone is driving recklessly downtown, arrest them, pursue them, charge them. Period. If a boy doesn't understand "dirt" means dirt and not "tar" please send him to special ed classes - he needs to learn basic phonetics. They are 1 syllable.

Re: Dennis's meeting, I informed my Ward One alder - he couldn't bother to attend. And Pedro is also right: these riders will soon kill someone.

The DUI offender has no intention to break the law, but the dirt bike rider does, and gets a thrill out of it, and FLAUNTS it, and does it REPEATEDLY. He makes a DELIBERATE DECISION to disregard the safety of others - and gets a pass.

And WE ALL KNOW that's HOW THIS fifteen year saga ENDS: a rich Yalie, son or daughter of alum, will be mowed down and killed, and then both NHPD and the state will swarm in like paratroopers.

And isn't UNH a top school in criminal justice? Ideas guys?

These riders who need people to look between their legs and make noise there are compensating for what they know to be deficient. I think they notice few people look between their legs on a day to day basis, so they hop on a noisy and shiny bike to attract attention. Why not let this be known? They are overcompensating for something lacking down there.

@ JD - that is the best suggestion I've heard yet! But not sure how the City or even private citizens can hire a contractor to do work that is illegal (unlicensed and erratic dirtbike riding on city streets is illegal). I think a NHPD undercover operation is the only entity that can pull this off legally. But it is worth looking into.

Many people & some commenters who advocate for 'providing a safe place for the kids to ride' don't understand is that MANY OF THESE BIKERS ARE NOT CHILDREN!!! They are YOUNG ADULTS, many have the financial means & ability to transport their bike to & ride on designated trails.These bikes cost a couple of grand so we aren't talking about poor kids who have no after school activities. We are talking about street terrorists. If you've never been a 'near miss' or actual victim, you might want to reserve your comments until you talk to someone who has been. Like the driver of that car, or the 7 year old in Westville who was almost hit while at a bus stop, the woman from Orchard Street who was hit by a dirt bike while she was riding her moped, the kids on a school bus on Broadway that was hit by a dirt bike, or the kids, seniors & everyone in Edgewood, Goffe, Scantlebury, East Rock & other city parks who have to dodge the marauding bikers when they come thru. Or talk to those bikers like the one who went down on Grand Ave, the one who went down on Sheffield after hitting a car & his friends beat the motorist, the mother of the biker who died on Sherman Ave. But as Ofc. Jacobson said and MOST citizens of New Haven know, 'these bikers are thrill seekers who want to be seen doing stunts on the city streets & want the rush that these daredevil antics provide'!!! Google 'dirtbike trails near me (I live in New Haven) & find West Rock Ridge State Park in New Haven, Racebrook Tract in Orange, Milford Riders Motorcycle Club in Milford, Larkin State Bridle Trail in Naugatuck. They have somewhere to go. The streets of New Haven is not that place.

"Google 'dirtbike trails near me (I live in New Haven) & find West Rock Ridge State Park in New Haven, Racebrook Tract in Orange, Milford Riders Motorcycle Club in Milford, Larkin State Bridle Trail in Naugatuck. They have somewhere to go. The streets of New Haven is not that place."

Neither are West Rock, the Racebrook Tract, or the Larkin Bridle Trail, all of which are non-motorized multi-use paths.They're accessible to regular bicycles but not motorcycles.

"What is it going to take…some idiot doing a wheelie coming from the opposite direction and putting the front end of that heavy dirt bike or ATV through the windshield of mom driving her kid home from school?"


Unfortunately in my opinion that or something equally horrible is EXACTLY what its going to take before anything meaningful is done... and its only a matter of time.

Ah, dependable as the cherry blossoms and Yale graduation gowns, dirt bikes causing mayhem and injury mark spring time in New Haven.

Urban dirt bikes are a national (international) phenomena, with a very strong social media network. The networks are intercity and interstate. You can be sure riders from Bridgeport and even the Bronx in some of the mass rides through new haven this summer.

Law enforcement in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Nyc etc have tried just about every trick in the book (helicopter surveillance, pack police pursuit, confiscation, banning of gasoline sale, banning of sales of bikes in city limits etc etc etc). No real success.

And several years ago a very strong group of community advocates lobbied the city and then the state to change laws regarding confiscation of bikes. Now new haven can charge a significant sum (forget the exact number, north of $1000) to individuals seeking their bikes back after confiscation.

And so each year NHPD sends out the call for intel on where the bikes are. And then a press conference with a truckload of confiscated bikes to prove concern,

Then, magically, next Spring, they appear again,

Seems like it's only illegal on paper. If it's not enforced, what good is the law or ordinance or whatever is supposedly prohibiting them from riding on city streets, disobeying traffic laws, and endangering the public.

Track them with drones or cameras, confiscate them and auction off (or donate) them. Maybe there's a rural community that could use some dirt bikes? We could fix our problem and help some rural kids in need!

I am surprised that people think a fatality will solve this problem. Did the death of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary resolve the gun problem or result in effective gun legislation? Just curious.

This is another issue that has been problematic for years and has been ignored by police and the mayor. Can't wait for the next election!

I lived in East Haven for 20+ years and never even saw an ATV till I moved to East Haven. At one point parents drove their kids and their ATV's and dirt bikes to my street to ride - hours of them tearing up and down our street, calls to the police department brought no results - we can't pursue them. Nice these parents could enjoy peace and quiet where they lived while leaving their kids to tear up and down our steeet making all that noise. The wanted to move, but worried I might move near other dirt bike or ATV riders. I eventually moved to another state and never saw or heard one till I visited Ct in April and saw a bunch of them on the road where I lived. Interesting other states and cities can stop these horrible actions.

Are you guys serious? Get tough on the dirtbikes in our cities? Do you guys not remember the videos of the cops in new haven and surrounding towns trying to run them over? Or do you not recall the no chase policy? Or how about when the officer did chase the male on the dirt bike who ended up crashing due to the chase and lost his life a couple days later?

I was just driving down Whalley Avenue and encountered a group of around 10 pedestrians jaywalking against traffic and not in a crosswalk. In the other direction, I saw an ATV pop a wheelie.This sense of lawlessness on New Haven streets has to stop. More people will get hurt or worse. Visitors not expecting all of this are especially vulnerable, and they may decide not to return. I too want to head where our mayoral candidates stand on this issue.

Discomforting to think that city policy is to not enforce laws if they exceed a risk threshold. Guess if you want to get away with something...just do it dangerously?

If "Don't chase" is the policy, fine, there's some logic in that. However, there has to be some kind of alternative enforcement plan. There have to be urban communities somewhere across the country that have mitigation this problem. I doubt the NHPD is tasked with reinventing the wheel here.

To New Haveners,

I've been doing some reading & research on the endemic problem of dirt bike & ATVs on city streets. There are some disfuctions with the legal penalties that don't match the severity of the crime. Not to mention the severe difficulty with enforcement. Fines & misdemeanor charges are not sufficient.

Some actions & ideas taken by larger cities have been deploying officers also on police bikes modified to be similar to dirt bikes so they can actively pursue offenders. Using cameras around the city to read bike liscence plates & identify faces of offenders. Requiring gas stations & convenience stores to report dirt bike drivers while fueling. And having an online tip line for pictures taken by smart phones from people who have witnessed dirt bike operators.

Taking a tough stance on this issue by holding press releases might either help or exacerbate the problem. I am willing to take that hard stance, because even 1 life lost or an injury caused by this is too much. But, we need to understand the psychological motivation for why people are doing this in the first place. Is it due to poverty? Is it just "cool"? Is this what people can afford? Is it an act of rebellion? Is it because of deep social divides?

Write me, because I think it's a solvable problem & pitch me your ideas.

Urn Pendragon
[email protected]

Iwearvans: Sounds like a good plan. Bring it back. After being surrounded by speeding, lane jumping riders last night while out with my family - I prefer them to be put at risk rather than us. And this was on Elm Street at State - just blocks from the cop shop. It's out of control.

"the bikers, of all ages and ethnicities, get a particular thrill in defying the law and the rules of the road. Dirt bikes are NOT allowed on city streets to begin with. Some of them like to ride the center strip down Whalley Ave., a heavily trafficked road, to show off."

This, exactly. Build a "dirt bike park"? Right, and then what? Expect these macho idiots to drive a car to the park with the dirt bike in a trailer? Come on. That would take all the fun out of it, as far as they're concerned.

I like JD's suggestion of infiltrating them. These are mostly not "kids." They are irresponsible young men doing the typical young-male reckless competitive display behavior ("hold my beer and watch this") that has caused so much damage in so many different ways ever since there were young men. Yes, boys will be boys ... and an intrinsic part of policing is to try to disrupt that crap, because it is dangerous and antisocial.

Another point in this great discussion- I think that the Police Department's attitude to these ATV riders is also exacerbated by the fact that most of our officers don't live in the city.

I don't think they understand how terrible living with these things are, and how legitimately scary and dangerous it is when you are either walking or driving and a gang of ATVs starts driving the wrong way on traffic or onto sidewalks and through city parks. I have had all 3 of these things happen to me, and I'm sure many people have had worse.

This isn't a nuisance or noise issue, this is a legitimate public safety issue that is being minimized people the people enforcing feel otherwise and don't have to live with the repercussions of their inaction.

I'll reiterate what I said before- this is a fixable problem. It may not be easy, but the city can and do something to stamp down Bike Life.

I'm hard-pressed to blame the police on this issue. I've seen the bikers 'flip-off' the police and even kick police cars because the bikers know there is a no-chase policy. The police are not happy with the dirt bikes. But, it's up to the COMMUNITY to assist in solving the problem, "The police are the community and the community are the police".

I would be glad to pull together another meeting with the police and the community, but only if people are willing to participate and attend. The mtg will be on a weeknight, and somewhere centrally located close to downtown so convenient to all neighborhoods.

So, who is willing to step up and help me organize and publicize the event? Please respond here or below on Facebook.


Dennis Serfilippi
https://www.facebook.com/ournewhaven.org/

@Pedro Soto: Since I sat in on Dennis Serfillipi's community meeting with the police, I want to say that the police who spoke about the dirt bike problem were highly experienced and motivated. They laid out the restrictions as to pursuit, but also laid out some strategies that had been successful.

Have any of you ever talked to a cop?

They love engines just as much as these ATV riders. Many of them own ATVs, motorcycles, and oversized trucks. That's the main reason nothing will ever change regarding enforcement. Because motorheads will always fly together, shitting on everyone else.

So, who is willing to step up and help me organize another mtg with the police and the community?

Apparently nobody! Despite more than 1,200 people reading this story, not one has come forward to express an interest in a meeting to try and put an end to the illegal dirt bikes.

Dennis Serfilippi
https://www.facebook.com/ournewhaven.org/

@Dennis

I'm in, because of the problems and endangerment that this issue has escalated to. Let me know what I need to do Dennis; I'm behind you on this. Either phone calls, showing up at the police stations or making a statement via the media, in order to draw out the people needed to address this problem.

Take care and be well,
Urn Pendragon
[email protected]