Cops confiscate 29 more ATVs, dirt bikes
Philly police enter the third week of their crackdown on illegal ATV and dirt bike racing in the city streets and parks.
Cops confiscate 29 more ATVs, dirt bikes
Philly police continued their three-week-old crackdown on ATVs and dirt bikers racing illegally around city streets and parks with a weekend sweep that netted 29 four-wheelers and dirt bikes.
Officers working in uniform and undercover confiscated 18 ATVs and nine dirt bikes in the 24th, 25th and 26th police districts and two ATVs in Southwest Philly's 12th district, police said.
Combined with seizures made during the previous two weekends, the grand tally of the three-week crackdown: 95 ATVs and dirt bikes. Many riders will get them back; those who can show paperwork proving ownership and registration are legally entitled to retrieve them, once they pay traffic fines and storage fees. Unclaimed vehicles will be sold at auction by the Philadelphia Parking Authority, a controversial practice that the Philadelphia Police Department has called on city officials to end because most of those who buy the auctioned ATVs and dirt bikes are people who ride them illegally on city streets and parks.
The crackdown has irked hundreds of riders, who say the city should create a place for them to legally ride. Some riders have also complained that police seized their vehicles from garages or when they weren't riding them; while it's illegal to ride them anywhere in the city except on private property with permission, it is legal to own them.
But ATV and dirt bike critics are just as adamant in their complaints that riders create intolerable noise, damage property and drive dangerously. Nearly 800 people have signed a change.org petition urging city and state lawmakers to do more to get illegal ATVs and dirt bikes off city streets.
Oh, so it's the city's responsibility to create a place for them to ride? So if my friends and I like to paintball, the city should set aside some land for us?— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver- This comment has been deleted. — Lttim76(2)
- Shut up and stay in New Jersey — foodog
- My response exactly. Its not the city's responsibility to provide an outlet for everyone to play with their toys.
An ATV is for riding in the woods or rough terrain. If you want to ride a non-automobile in the city get a bicycle or a motorized scooter if exercise isn't on the agenda.— Phils_World_Champs 
Comment removed.- Move to the country if you want to play with these toys. There's no place for them in the city. The people out there would love to have you as neighbors.— OldCityJoe
- This could easily be solved with piano wire.— 1972bline
- Good riddance!
- good news— raynesrock
- These guys are complete idiots thinking the city should provide a place to ride. there are plenty of trails and motocross courses in the counrty and in NJ. fools. confiscate all of thier illegally driven bikes and ATVs.
— Tyrone Biggums - We should totally send all of our problems to NJ. Dirtbike riders. Muggings. Oh, and people from New Jersey, especially the friday-saturday night old city set. — foodog
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“Many riders will get them back”
If that’s the case for legal reasons,
then maybe the fine should be 1,200 CASH.
How are the plans for the ATV park coming along folks ?— Redwoodser - Huge number are from families on Welfare, food stamps and the riders qualify for free lunches in schools. How can they afford dirt bikes and 4 wheelers?? City should not sell, they should be destroyed. Go COPS!!!— thepaguy
- I think these guys make it worse on themselves by blowing through stop signs, going wrong way down a one way street, not wearing protective gear, etc. Rightly or wrongly, it feeds into the whole Third World string of comments that show up here. Some of them are pretty funny. I do have a problem with the people who ride around like mental patients with no medical insurance and also family members of the deceased or maimed rider angry that the Police chased them. Lastly, big ups to the guy who rode a 20 mile wheelie up I95 as reported on Philly.com a couple of weeks ago. The Ancient Romans used to recreate sea battles in the Colosseum. Maybe you can have the Highway cops chase a couple of these guys at the next Thrill Show. Or have whatever the equivilent of a dance off would be.— dutynco
- Stop, drop, shut 'em down open up shop
Oh, no
That's how Ruff Ryders roll— gordon7
