Motorcycle Event Q: ​“Chaos” Or ​“Joy”?

The organizers seem to be responsible and forthright, unlike Elicker. They changed the event date at the city request, only to be stabbed in the back.

If this was a BLM rally, which would destroy businesses, injure people, and cause disruption, everyone would be calling for the police to stand down and allow the event to proceed.

rolling endo ≠ free speech

Additional state police should be requested for enforcing laws on the
CT highways and state roads
in Greater new haven on Saturday.. New Haven police should enforce quality of life and safety for new haven residents every day and yes especially Saturday. Permits should not be granted for any motorized vehicle racing within city limits unless a safe track is built and noise and safety controls are in place. Many large lots of land and closed buildings are available all across the state.

Has anyone asked NHPD if the city has reached out to the State Police for assistance or support? Controlling this situation seems like a heavy lift for a modest and understaffed city police force.

Great call by the City of New Haven not to tolerate this kind of activity.

Regarding MOTP's repeated BLM comments...

MOTP implies BLM violence but this never happened at NHV's peaceful BLM rallies nor the majority of BLM rallies across the US.

This is exactly the kind of racist BS which has driven anyone except for middle age white guys away from the Harley Davidson brand....just sayin....bro.

"Motorcycles bring a lot of joy." As long as that's the case, these types of events will occur. This is a a whole subculture.

These guys have a lot of nerve and a lot of white privilege. They knew full well what it would take to get the event "legit" and knew that they wanted to keep it "illegitimate". They probably talked to a few cops they like but never did anything formal.

5 years is long enough for this "tradition".

Maybe if they had played ball last year I'd feel differently. They turned last year into some weird protest against Covid.

"New Haven is a place where people deserve to feel safe. They deserve to have a high quality of life. We are telling people: Do not come to this event. Do not come to this event if you care about New Haven's public safety. Do not come to this event if you care about the fact that we're devoting police resources to this event [that could be directed elsewhere.] Do not come to this event if you respect our city."

I hope the NHPD brings its decibel reader to Forbes Ave. In the meantime, all our streets can expect increased noise and disruption.

"The organizers seem to be responsible and forthright"

(LOL)

Yeah they are forthright about wanting to continue to do something illegal, unsafe and annoying to the entire rest of the population of the city regardless of whether they get permission to do so. Making the case that if you deny us we will just do the same illegal, unsafe and annoying thing anyway is laughably idiotic. Overgrown self proclaimed BMX hooligans (not my description check their website) with zero regard for the impact their actions have on the surrounding community. Why is this even a debate? Shut it all down. Arrest anyone riding like an idiot on public roads 24/7/365. Not just on Saturday.

Get out the popcorn

Inciting a Riot. A little more complicated then having a unsanctioned motorcycle event, the Nations Capital was attacked and person who incited the crowd escaped without any charges. In situations like this , the Mayor should be in the background not leading the charge. The Chief of the Police Department should always be the lead person in charge. His constant interference undermines the Department. The Mayor has kept the Chief as acting knowing that hasn't the courage to make a permanent appointment and offending some of his voting base prior to election. Since he has interest elsewhere ha will not do if afterwards. At least have a search committee or a plan , he is being outrageously unfair to Chief Dominguez and the Department. Experience shows that you have to know when to pick your battles, this battle is one that cannot be won without damaging the Departments integrity. Speaking of chaos has the Mayor been to College Street at bar closing time or tried to drive any street in the City without fearing for you life.

I appreciate the joy that these young people get from riding fast, making a lot of noise, showing off their skills, and taking risks. I wish they could be more responsible to their families and to society, though. This activity leads to brain death, the threat of death and injuries to them and others, huge medical bills paid by society, and environment- and life-destroying use of fossil fuels. It's a massive failure of themselves as human beings, of parenting, of the media, and of the public education that these people do this crazy and monstrously destructive stuff. Hopefully, the people who are alive 30 or 50 years from now will look back and scratch their heads at the thought that humans, with all of our advantages and privileges, were so profoundly stupid way back then--and will be grateful that this sort of stuff will have been relegated to the history books.

More great photos courtesy of Mr. Breen.

The residents and taxpayers are clearly on the side of the NHPD here.

I expect, and hope, to see an overwhelming police presence from other departments from towns and cities across the state as they come out to support the NHPD.

This is an opportunity for the City, NHPD, and Residents to make a statement that the lawlessness will no long be tolerated in New Haven.

Our forefathers did not build this county so that weak-minded officials could take away our God-given right to go vroom vroom

I understand no one likes these guys, but as long as they stay on the other side of the river, and there's a police presence, I don't see what the big deal is. Let them have their little fun for a day.

manofthepeople- we have had plenty of peaceful BLM rallies and marches all around the East Coast with no violence or property destruction. Get your facts straight.
MamaBear- " Permits should not be granted for any motorized vehicle racing within city limits unless a safe track is built and noise and safety controls are in place. Many large lots of land and closed buildings are available all across the state." -Yes, exactly my thoughts, the organizers need to work with the State and the city to find a more appropriate venue where it won't disturb the public and people who like this sort of thing can enjoy themselves safely.
YancyC- "Motorcycles bring a lot of joy." As long as that's the case, these types of events will occur. This is a whole subculture."- Yes, as long as we allow the sale of these vehicles we have to have spaces where people can ride these vehicles. It is a whole subculture and it needs a safe, appropriate venue to locate this activity.
stevehamm-" I appreciate the joy that these young people get from riding fast, making a lot of noise, showing off their skills, and taking risks. I wish they could be more responsible to their families and to society, though."- I agree, that's why the organizers need to find a more appropriate venue. There is a way that a venue could be profitable for the operators and could allow enthusiasts to enjoy these vehicles in a safe space. Much like monster truck events, demolition derbies, track car racing, motorcycle rallies or other motorized vehicle events there is an audience for this type of thing for riders and spectators. Of course with global warming fossil fuel vehicles will soon have to be outlawed and turned into quiet electric vehicles which won't be as much fun for this crowd. But until that happens and the culture changes, there needs to be an alternative venue to city streets and a less adversarial relationship with the public. There are plenty of enthusiasts that aren't hooligans.

Donaldo404 - if you lived on the east shore you'd know this event is a major problem. We're still a part of New Haven -- we pay the same taxes you do, so why is it okay for us to have such a disruption but not the rest of the city? I nearly got hit by motorcycles when I was walking my dog last year when this event was on. These people do not respect the road or others around them.

These people did not want to make their event legal. Even giving them the benefit of the doubt w/r/t New Haven being wishy washy about what the group needed to do to get a permit, this group would have reached out to every town in the surrounding area to see who would play ball with such an event after New Haven wasn't. There's no discussion of this because that they didn't try, or if they did, they were shut down so fast that they were embarrassed to share and lose their boogeyman of the City of New Haven. These people just want to have a big show and make trouble in front of a captive audience in a dense neighborhood.

Newsflash to everyone who says that this should be permitted -- no municipality wants people tearing up their roads or fairgrounds on dangerous vehicles to do tricks, even in a controlled way. This isn't a charity ride for cancer, or a legitimate sporting event. We should only inconvenience our citizens by shutting down roads and disrupting the peaceful enjoyment of one's property for activities of social value that don't cause life-threatening injuries regularly.

Well said, Dennis.

I sure hope you're right. NOW is the time for the NHPD and Mayor's office to line up law enforcement help with this. Not during or after the fact. I hope Mayor Elicker realizes how closely some of us are watching his response to events such as this. There need to be boundaries drawn and no compromise with organizers of an event cancelled by NHPD.

I will gladly donate one of these to the New Haven Police Department to use:
https://www.galls.com/spike-devil-standard-spike-strip

Once again the "old" and typical New Haven rears it's head. Does anyone working in city hall know about things like Sturgis, or the Key West biker runs? Or are they stuck in the 50's saying "I say, these ruffians and the motorbikes and clad in their leather apparel are not welcomed here!! I may drop my martini glass at the mere sight of such unruliness! Worse yet, they may frighten the Yalies who may refuse to sing Bula Bula at the next athletic event!".

Memo to Eastcoastin:

Get the greenies involved, and then everyone will be happy. Lay out a diagram that will show where each recycling station will be located. Glass bottles in this bin, scrap metal from crashes in that bin, and so on and so forth. Oh....and don't forget..... tell everyone not to adjust their mufflers before arriving. Some of us are shift workers who sleep during the afternoon.

If you give us Boy Scouts honor, it will be a piece of cake. (In your case, a piece of donut, like the donut circles you'll be creating on the asphalt.)

@manofthewhitepeople...they can go to Sturgis to be with their people.

One might think that the bikers' rights are being taken away from them! They are not!

If you break the laws, you might get arrested!

Screw these people who cannot seem to find another way to amuse themselves. It's just pathetic!

It's NOT the same as BLM protests! But, with any protest(s), people need to keep their heads on straight, and not make a mess of people's lives/neighborhoods.

Aggressive actions in public streets, like illegal motor-cycle events - are just ridiculous!

Find a big vacant lot or field to run around in, and stay the hell out of my city!

By the way, the event happened last year under this same administration and in prior years, and when you allow this type of behavior to go unchecked it proliferates.

In many ways its not unlike the rest of the lawlessness in the city. There is a very obvious reason why this sort of activity takes place in New Haven.

If the city proceeds with a full force deployment to stop this rally will they also do the same thing with the dirt bike riders that have been terrorizing the city for years now?

Mamabear - This has nothing to do with quality of life. If u want to ensure quality of life then stop the clients coming from methadone clinics to the New Haven Green selling prescription drugs and clogging up the buses. This is a once a year gathering. Get a grip.

jms - You know nothing about what you speak of. Come down Saturday and wear jms on your shirt in large letters. I will show you around. In the meantime, say nothing.

Forget Sturgis. Connecticut used to have a rather sizable motorcycle gathering each Sunday.

In its heyday, the crowds at the old Marcus Dairy (and for miles around Danbury) were regularly in the thousands and could number as many as 25,000 on Super Sundays (or so the News-Times says). Despite the sheer number of riders, I remember the gatherings as being pretty tame and not too controversial. There was mutual understanding between the venue, the organizers, and local law enforcement to keep everybody on their best behavior, and for the most part, it prevailed. When some riders began breaking away to the mall and nearby streets to perform stunts, burnouts and trick rides, the whole affair got shut down for a bit and the organizers took the heat from the City government for causing the trouble.

In contrast, the EastCoastin event does not have organizers so much as instigators. They are happy to post on social media and profit from the merch, but they want none of the responsibility. The lack of ticket sales, concessions, portable restroom facilities, aid stations, paramedics, traffic control, security, insurance policies, and a legitimate venue is not an accident. Properly planning for these contingencies takes serious time and money, and the Hole n the Wall club has been allowed to foist it off on taxpayers for the past several years.

I disagree with the premise that this is a joyful celebration of motorcycle culture: it's puerile self-aggrandizement. The club needs to be held accountable for the anti-social and unsafe behavior that this event draws to city. We've tried doing it the "hands off" way previously. Maybe citations (or arrests) for trespass, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, unlawful assembly, and/or rioting will send a clearer message?

Adding another voice to the chorus of disgust at manofthepeople's slander that if this were a BLM rally it "would destroy businesses, injure people, and cause disruption."

And another thing we don't need is a superspreader event. How many of these guys are fully vaccinated and likely to wear masks indoors while crowding in bars?

When did the pandemic go away? What about the public health risk to our community? 3000 out of towners? This is wreckless to say the least!
Could the NHI get a statement from the public health director concerning the risk to the general public?

@ tonycna,

Thanks for the offer but no thanks. On Saturday I'll be doing what every other New Haven resident is doing. Staying as far away from this event as possible and putting up with the rampant noise pollution and spillover riders that will inevitably be terrorizing the city like complete jackasses. I saw some on my way home from work tonight getting warmed up for the festivities. It's like a plague upon the city. I'll echo what Dennis said...

"This is an opportunity for the City, NHPD, and Residents to make a statement that the lawlessness will no long be tolerated in New Haven."

And since there seems to be no other viable public outlet to speak up about it I'll do it here and say exactly what I want. Have fun poppin' wheelies and making vroom vroom noises on Saturday. I hope none of your friends gets a traumatic brain injury or loses control and critically injures or kills a spectator, pedestrian or bystander. That's not sarcasm sincerely I do for everyone's sake including yours.

Sheesh. Why all this hysteria over a one day bike event? Just let them have their day and move on. This doesn't hurt anyone at all.

If you visit the FANDUEL website, I'm pretty sure you can place a bet on the number of people who'll be arrested on Saturday, including side bets on demographic subgroups (e.g., number of men arrested, number of men with mullets arrested, number of men without mullets accompanied by women WITH mullets arrested, etc.).

Just to make clear that Bikers are not against authority or disruptive. Apparently the leaders in the city have lost sight of all the bike rallies across the USA. Myrtle beach, Daytona, Sturgis,Americade Touring Rally, Lake George,Laconia Motorcylcle Week, Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, Durango Co,Bikes Blues & BBQ • Fayetteville, AR, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days • Lexington, OH, Roland Sands Moto Classic • Huntington Beach, CA, The Handbuilt Show • Austin, TX, Mid-Atlantic Women's Motorcycle Rally (Virginia), Women On Wheels Ride-In (various) and Im sure many others not so known...THIS IS NOT CHAOS,
and to quote ""Shame on these two young men" for going ahead with this event without a legal permit."
The permit was your attempt at stopping this as its the first year they were told they could not have it...SHAME ON YOU.. Carmen Rodriguez!!

Officer Dominguez has been acting chief for a while now. The inability to make decisions seems to be the real problem. Make her chief or hire someone else. Make an emergency request to the state police and shut this event down full stop. Or... embrace the revenue it will bring. Find a way to make it safe and successful. We shut down parts of the city for events regularly, it could be done. But you gotta commit. Maybe this Mayor is "too nice" for the job, and people feel bad for criticizing him?

Selfishness will destroy us. Freedom has to be balanced with responsibility. If your self-centered notion of freedom infringes on the general welfare then you are not honoring the principle of live and let live. This adolescent mentality is not unique to adolescents. Motorcycles can be very unforgiving. Not only are these macho men not thinking about the general population but they are not even thinking about the consequences within their own families if one of them is injured or worse. They will have to treated by the very first responders that they seek to defy. First responders rarely believe in tit for tat, but antics like this make you wonder. This is a blatant example of callous disrespect for the rights of others and Carmen, Heather C, robn, and the great majority of commenters have it right. Unfortunately as Batman's butler said: "some people just want to see the world burn." They are devoid of compassion and incapable of reason. They only comply when they are forced to. BLM had largely nonviolent protests, even though they disrupted major public thoroughfares. I did not agree with this either, but comparing them to this group is not appropriate.

@RobotShlomo - The 2021 Sturgis rally saw 4 motorcyclists die and 60 injured. Also 112 felony drug arrests and 122 DUIs. Maybe Sturgis shouldn't be offered up as an example. Interestingly, Sturgis is a town that has evolved to embrace this annual rally and is very much a planning partner. Sturgis is the rally. If you didn't like it you likely wouldn't have moved there. The difference is most New Haveners were here first.
When you mention the Key West biker runs, I presume you're referring mainly to the Poker Rally, it's (1) been cancelled this year (by the organizers, I might add) due to COVID concerns and (2) it's a ride, not an occupation. I know this because I've been to the Poker Run a dozen + times.

There's a great difference between the mayhem experienced in New Haven by this gathering and those 50-80 year traditional events. Last year, NHPD Officers were hit with rocks and bottles while trying to prevent a dam break that would result in thousands of riders flooding the streets of city neighborhoods. Because of the intense smoke created by burn-out after burn-out, Officers couldn't see and were targeted. An officer described the frightening ordeal to me last night. He said cops were trying to hit kill switches on bikes, as they could, to prevent other officers from being run over. Mayhem!

In that there are "organizers" for an event doesn't mean there is organization. Could such an event be organized to protect those not interested in being a part of it? Could such an event be held in a controlled space? I'd bet it could. Maybe these guys should connect with successful promoted events elsewhere in the country and come back to the table with a list of best-practices. Who knows. Until then, it's my right to enjoy a dinner out downtown without enduring hours of nonstop engine revving and straight-pipes setting off every damned car alarm in the city.

No one's pleasure can come at the price of anyone's peace (and that includes Yalies singing Bula Bula)

stevehamm: Yes. medical folks have a technical term for these folks: organ donors.

Sturgis 2020 and 2021 were both superspreader events. In both years, after the rally, case and death rates surged in widening circles from the center point of South Dakota in the weeks after the rally.

I welcome the tourism and support to our local economy. I will be setting up a hotdog, hamburger, sausage and peppers stand along with cold drinks(non alcoholic) and snacks stand out in my front yard in Fair Haven Heights for this event. I have multiple grills, coolers, and all the fixins ready to go. Will open Saturday 8 AM with breakfast sandwiches and tacos, hot coffee. This is a great event for the Fair Haven Heights Community!!!

@RetiredGuy

This whole East Coastin' thing is a mess. These characters terrorize the city. Last year, a pack of these idiots surrounded my car at a traffic light and did burnouts and revved their shitbox motorcycles over and over, scaring my 9 year old daughter to death. Bunch of big tough guys taking over the streets of New Haven. I'm glad Dominiguez is taking a strong stance, good for her. I just hope it doesn't go sideways on her because this gutless mayor will leave her hanging out to dry for sure. There will be many confrontations with the police, I hope our cops are ready for it and handle these characters professionally. I hope they keep their composure and remember that every move they make will be recorded by a number of sources. Total shit show about to happen, get the spike strips out...

(Glad to see I'm clearly not the only one who finds this whole thing repugnant on every level)

I'll add this last thought...

The whole self defined image these guys project as outlaws or rebelling against authority trying to repress their "right to have fun" (albeit at everyone else's expense) is such a ridiculous false narrative it is hard to even fathom. Guess what if you want to do something stupid, loud, dangerous and illegal on public roads then or course there will be forces at work to shut you down. This is not repression. It's the law and common sense. Don't try to glamorize what you do. You are not rebels. You are just annoying traffic criminals. Nothing more.

And the BLM comparison is the worst false equivalency since tofu hotdogs.

Enjoy the weekend everyone. Stay safe.

JohnDVelleca - Thanks for reminding everyone about last year. Last year we had COVID and the same administration. So, why is it different this year? I think the answer is obvious.'

It seems to me the city will need an overwhelming display of enforcement to discourage the event from taking place. How would you handle the situation?

Carmen Rodriguez needs to stay in her lane. This is an Annex event and has nothing to do with her.

No one complains about the massive food trucks by Long Wharf and the traffic problems every day there, as well as the massive tax evasion that was uncovered there last year (and ignored by the state). So stop complaining about a few thousand law-abiding free Americans who will be having fun, and spending a lot of money in the Annex (to tax-paying companies), and not burning or looting either, btw.

BeaverSam : It's a crime to block a road without a permit. Those who do so, whether they are bikers, BLM protestors, anti-Trump protesters, or NHPD union members, are not law-abiding but criminal.

Getchen Pritchard: What data do you have to support your claim that Sturgis 2020 and 2021 were super-spreader events? I know a lot of leftist reporters have fabricated allegations that they were, but the data I have seen shows a lower death rate among Sturgis attendees than the general population, and no spike in Sturgis itself. Similarly, I feared the BLM protests, with no social distancing and a lot of shouting/chanting, singing, spewing pathogens about (New Haven's patient zero was a choir director). However, neither Sturgis nor BLM caused any spike in cases. As for the traveling, people are traveling widely today anyway. A motorcycle has more social distancing and fresh air than an airplane.

Hey organizers, there is a go cart race track on the Berlin turnpike in Berlin for sale that is already zoned for racing activity and it has a building that the club could relocate to just off the highway. It also has lots of land behind it you might be able to buy for expansion.
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/1762-Berlin-Tpke-Berlin-CT/23010596/
There is also a truck yard for sale in Union just off the highway with a truck repair garage and an office and a residence, it looks like it has lots of land around it that might be able to be bought for expansion.
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/37-Holland-Rd-Union-CT/20973923/
With the economic crunch of the pandemic, I'm sure more commercial and industrial properties around the state may become available for sale that would be more appropriate than the city streets for a venue for this type of activity as well as dirt bikes, atvs, snowmobiles in winter and other types of activities that have trouble finding places to ride, race and practice tricks. If you started a Go Fund Me to get all your fans and members to donate towards purchasing such a site, you could start up a venue and charge money for riders and spectators to cover the cost of running and maintaining the venue as well as insurance costs. I'm sure you could get food trucks to pay a fee to come to events and rallies, and there are hotels and restaurants nearby these locations who might sponsor events and rallies, and you could have a repair service garage for participants that could bring in income.
Why not look into becoming a professional and responsible venue site owner and create a place where enthusiasts can have a safe and fun place to ride away from residential areas and in industrial and commercial zones where the noise won't bother anyone?

It was all good and fun until the neighborhood kids threw caltrops into the path of the roving bikers.

I'd kick in for that GoFundMe, Heather. NIMBY funds all day.

Hartmann and Velleca, glad to know that NHPD alum see this as a real problem as well. I hope no officers or non participants are hurt.

I'd support that GoFundMe and the whole idea of a safe private venue where this kind of stunt riding could be performed safely away from public roads, traffic and pedestrians. In a heartbeat. My issue is not with the activity itself. My issue is with the activity on public roads and the cavalier reckless cluelessness of the riders. Get off the public roads and all this public outcry and resentment goes away or maybe even transforms into support. Like magic.

D'uh.

I am not a motorcycle rider but I know people who have attended in past years and all throughout the year they have tried to go about this event the right way. They have requested the proper permits and then at the last second got hosed by Elicker. They also requested/suggested a different location, a large vacant or gated lot somewhere else and were similarly turned away. Why are we denying these hobbyists a chance to celebrate something they love?

I live literally a minute away from the rally and I am affected firsthand by the increased traffic and loud burnouts but also... its ONE day and these are human beings and they aren't actually hurting anyone and they tried to get a permit and an alternative location. I am a crazy dog lover. What if there was a huge gathering of dog lovers, loud parking dogs, increased traffic, etc.?Would it be met with the same glaring implications of questionable safety? There are definitely some stereotypes at play here and that's not totally fair. Like anywhere else in the world, there are sometimes bad apples which do NOT represent the whole. Just like there are some jerk-dog-owners and intolerable coworkers and more serious iterations of bad-apple-ism.

If you live in the Annex like I do you probably suffer more from the constant loud music which plays especially on Sundays which the local police do diddly about despite numerous calls and complaints from local residents. Again, I like to sometimes nap on Sunday's but even still I am not the one on the phone with the police because for the most part I figure, unless its doing serious and tangible harm, live and let live.

Dog ≠ 800 lbs, 100mph, 150dB

ThoughtsandIdeas: I am not a fan of motorcycles and loud noises in general, but Elicker's position does reek of cultural and political discrimination. Yes, disruptive and illegal BLM demonstrations were allowed and channeled with no permits. Parties at Criscuolo Park are allowed to go late into the nightlight after night at sound levels that keep people at exit 54 in Branford, ten miles away, awake. NHI and New Haven's elite gleefully engage in loud disruptions by Grand Cafe. The biker hooligans that terrorized Mr. Velleca, and others, are free to do so everyday. We are told that wanting to control them is racist, and would be asking Fair haven residents to lower the music volume. Yet, this event, which brings a great deal of money to New Haven, is disfavored.

@robm the dog comparison was more an exercise in thought versus an apples to apples. But hey, 3000 dogs would pose certain risks I'm sure. If we want apples to apples what about the car shows? Car shows (sans permit or with permits easily granted) are cool but motorcycles are out? Nearly every Wednesday over the past couple months near the Branford green people drive their loud show cars up and congregate and walk around and take all the parking spots devoted to the churches and businesses in the area and peel out when its over and... that's okay. I suspect a large part has to do with the people driving the cars are wearing their crisp golf-shirts and have no tattoos.

If I wasn't certain that this group of people went through the proper channels and got denied, I likely wouldn't be commenting at all probably. Had a permit been granted then there could be some regulations to be held accountable to. I would think the city would prefer that.

@ robn,

"Dog ≠ 800 lbs, 100mph, 150dB"

Bingo. Exactly. Thank you.

So many false equivalency arguments being tossed around here. And regardless this is not a good apple vs. bad apple scenario. There is no good apple or justifiable version of dangerous, illegal and excessively loud motorcycle stunt riding on public roads PERIOD.

@ ThoughtsandIdeas,

It's not about this one weekend or live and let live. If it were only this weekend I bet most people wouldn't be complaining. It's about living in New Haven and suffering through years of year round noisy dangerous illegal riding in and out of traffic with little to no enforcement or end in sight. And so when someone wants to organize what amounts to a huge celebration of this kind of behavior with thousands of participants this is what you get. Pissed off residents who have simply had enough. Myself included.

Wow, the opponents of this one-day peaceful, fun event which hurts no one at all are sure bringing some vicious HATE and bigotry to the comments section.

And now faux GAY-BASHING too, courtesy of "ShadowBoxer "?
You people are truly despicable. Is THIS who you stand with, Mayor Elicker?

Last year's unsanctioned event according to articles in the NHI was attended by multicultural, multiracial, multi generational and multi subculture background motorized toys and motorbike enthusiasts. Lots of different kinds of people like to go to rallies, races or shows for all kinds of motorized sports and motorized vehicles. Lots of the commenters have said racist, homophobic, sexualized, and derogatory comments about the riders and the spectators of the riders. Just because you don't like the small percentage of negative attention getting idiots who misbehave while riding, or the loud noises, or you don't understand the appeal of these vehicles, doesn't mean that everyone who likes these vehicles is an irresponsible idiot. This venue is not an appropriate location. In the Northeast there are far fewer places to ride any type of non-automobile/truck vehicles than in the south or out in the west. If the riders in the northeast had a really great and relatively inexpensive venue to ride in and to hold rallies and practice their tricks and spectators could go to watch, then the activity could be moved off city streets or unsanctioned property like farmland or nature sanctuaries. The cities around the state have struggled with illegal riding and they should be asking the state to encourage a venue operator to locate in CT in an area that would be appropriate for this type of activity. If all the riders had a great venue to go to with a good audience and accommodations and amenities like restrooms and food and beverage and repair shop, then it could become a great attraction and tourism draw for the Northeast, and it would encourage this activity to move off of crowded city streets and farmers fields and other inappropriate and damaging locations, and it could increase economic activity in business that cater to its audiences nearby, like hotels, campgrounds, restaurants and bars, and it could fill up an empty and abandoned industrial or commercial site.

@HeatherC

I usually agree w/ you on most issues but the mantra that the city should "provide venues" for these riders, and dirt bike riders is misguided on so many fiscal and philosophical levels.

The internal combustion engine is the cigarette of the planet and now we are suffering the consequences. Just like one will usually get a dirty look now downtown if one smokes a cig, and rightly should, so too should joy-riding these atmosphere and noise polluting vehicles be discouraged. The city is perennially strapped for cash as it is, why is it our responsibility to indulge these riders at tax payer expense w/ "provided venues"?

You know, fishing is a hobby of mine, but I only fish where I am allowed to and with my permit. I like sports cars, but I don't demand you, or anyone erect a race track for me: I drive responsibly even though I arguably may get more "joy" doing 100 mph weaving in and out of traffic on 34 or on a venue subsidized for me.

These are a menace to the earth, the community, our lungs, and our ears, and just like we look back on Romans who took "joy" throwing humans to lions and in gladitorial combat, we look back now and see those actions were immoral and ignorant. I think dirt-bike riders and these East Coastin' people ARE immoral, ignorant and inconsiderate, and the city should not have to indulge every petulant "me want."

If these riders want to take up the habit, then have a game plan where to ride. It is not society's job to coddle their privilege - and yes operating a motor vehicle is one. And to want to do so in a city, w/ mad pedestrians, churches, colleges, hospitals, etc. just to "show off" and get "joy" is very much a reflection of the rider's moral and intellectual character and development. People are dying in the hospitals, trying to study and worship and we we must endure this, here? Give me a break.

Heather C.: CT has racetracks: Lime Rock and Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson . The neighbors near Lime Rock don't all enjoy the noise, but racing is allowed every day but Sunday. Lots of private groups use the venue.
https://limerock.com/rent-the-facility.

Rev up your engines!!! Fusco's Sausage Stand is Open Folks in Fair Haven Heights. Look for the Balloons and Squiggly Fan Creature Bee Bopping up and down in the front yard.
Hot Dogs $3, Combo $7
Hamburgers $4 , Combo $8
Sausage and Peppers(Sweet or Hot) $6, Combo $9
All proceeds go to a kid's in state college fund! Feeding and Educating!

A real piece of work, Gabe Canestri…
" Gabriel Canestri Jr., 21, was charged with 15 counts of reckless endangerment, 23 counts of reckless driving and 24 counts of operating a motorcycle without facial protection after a months-long state police investigation."
https://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/Connecticut-State-Police-Instagram-helped-track-11329913.php

Old Timer,

As far as I know, I am the last person who was actually arrested for 'inciting a riot' in New Haven, and put through the court system, and that was at a small, permitted Arts Festival that I co-organized!!!!

Well, Old Timer -- It looks like I spoke a little too soon!!!