OK, so we've probably all seen/heard the news by now so what did you think about the events in Leeds, Birmingham and London
Personally, I was firstly stunned, then appalled followed quickly by enraged.
I was stunned that these things happened with very little consequences to those taking part. Appalled that anyone would even consider taking part in such an act and then enraged that yet again the word 'biker' has been attached to a bunch of (let's be honest) t*ssers, who don't even come close to being bikers.
I hope all involved gets exactly what they deserve ... be that fines, points or bans
Oh yeah, before anyone points it out, I don't actually ride a bike but after 36+ years of being around bikes and bikers as a pilly I qualify to comment.
I was wondering how many of those bikes were actually owned by the perpetrators, how many of them were taxed insured and MoT'd. I saw a group of youths in the Harehills area about 1700 yesterday, at least one on a quad and the rest on small learner machines heading in the general direction of the city centre. Their lack of regard for lawful and proper entry into and crossing the path of traffic was evidence enough for me to come to the conclusion that none of the machines were regularly used on the road, probably used as field bikes. They certainly didn't look fit to pass an MoT anyway. I would like to know why the Police closed Kirkstall rd but didn't actually move in to try to apprehend any of the offenders. Surely they could have got hold of a couple of them and squeezed the identities of many more of them for later prosecution. I must admit I didn't hear about Birmingham or London, but it seems to be a bit too much of a coincidence if similar rampages took place on the same evening.
Hmm, its shocking that no one got stopped in Leeds; WYP need to actually get off their backsides and start Policing if you ask me. I see them regularly .. outside KFC, the local chippy, Greggs oh yeah and loading a rabbit hutch and run into the back of a patrol van! It seems that they are just too busy to actually sort out the sc*mbags out there. **IMHO**
We have four young lads on scooters in G-Town who ride without care, skill or consideration, often riding on the bumpers of cars in front of them, passing on the left, over pavements and generally trying to get the front wheel in the air whilst travelling at speed through the 20mph housing estates. Gawd, I sound like a really old woman but I have seen too many close calls by these idiots, children scattering across pavements and into the roads to avoid being mown down. Total numpties, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if they were involved in the Leeds debarcle.
The police stood by and did nothink a few months ago in solihull when they were doing the same. Everybody saying the police did nothing to stop them. Untill 2 weeks later when they called round for a chat at 6am on a sunday morning and snached a shit load of bikes and the riders.
Apparently they have stolen the name Reckless Ryders (its originally a US skateboard group!!!) and are campaigning to allow trials bikes and quads to be able to be used on public highways and anywhere they want to go without having to pass a road legal test!!!
Personally i think they are just knobs who want to feel like the big i am by causing chaos. Sad part is most folks think its all teenagers and the fact is the majority are late twenties !!!!!
PMSL ... oh the picture I've now got in my head !!!
A numpty on a scooter this evening wearing a pair of red pumps, some little white sports socks (with red stripey tops), red and white (porn star) shorts, t-shirt, no gloves and an open face helmet. Btw it was freezing cold and raining. WTF?!?!
His style was not much better than his riding. He was 'filtering' (I use the term very loosely) between three lanes of traffic, with little more than an inch to spare, from left to right and back again, weaving at speed between the traffic. He then proceeded to ride across a 2+ lane, up and over a pavement edge, in front of a very large wagon!
His response to the sound of the horn? a cheery wave and off he went down a pedestrian lane!
I thought I would have a look to see whether the local constabulary had actually managed to identify anyone involved in the Leeds debarcle.
This is about the only info I can find
Six men, ranging in age from twenty-two to twenty-six, and one twenty-nine-year-old woman have been detained.
As part of the ongoing investigation into the incident, four motorbikes and some motorcycle equipment was confiscated.
Force detectives stated that they would “identify those involved and take strong action against them”.
Seems like there are lots of (so called) 'bikers' out there still riding around enjoying their freedom!
Interesting to note that Leeds City Council came up with 'an injunction outlawing certain behaviours which could cause alarm, nuisance, harassment of the public or property damage' fairly quickly (9 December 2016). The injunction covers the whole of the Leeds Metropolitan District Ward (which is huge).
MAG have urged a 'joint approach' to anti-social behaviour involving bikes;
Still loads of em freely tearing round Birmingham on all sorts of bikes, and some expensive modern ones obviously stolen, no number plates, no helmets, no brains. Even Christmas day.
Yes there are a few dickheads still around the Birmingham area but there well know to the old bill. I cant help thinking that there giving them enough rope to get a jain sentance
It is still a big problem in the north west area, there has been a 36 year old male pedestrian killed while crossing the road in Kirkby Merseyside, one bike with two helmet less males injured and arrested at the scene! and a teenage girl mown down in St Helens Merseyside and in hospital seriously injured !! The police claim 175 bikes have been confiscated!!! and I've seen some since that statement!!!
One day last week they were tearing round the local park for hours, nobody intervened because one lady in a block of flats nearby phoned the cops some weeks back when they were at it and they came back and bricked all her windows in, I took a walk over there yesterday and its been destroyed looking worse than ploughed field.
Trouble is they just go out and rob more bikes. Until the courts start locking them up for long term to show them that they are not untouchable it will continue. On that note to all Police forces start looking at some other means to stop them. 1. Run them off the road 2. Drive over them 3. Reverse over them. (Saves walking back) 4. Arrest and lock them up untill there court date. 5. Post there names and adresses on facebook so we can all help the Police with there inquires 6. To all the do gooders out there boohoo 4.
What we need to do is build them a dragstrip, only instead of a finishing line there's piano wire stretched out across the finish line.......at neck height.