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ATV, dirt bike 'ride-outs' in Pittsburgh under scrutiny amid complaints

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ATV, dirt bike 'ride-outs' in Pittsburgh under scrutiny amid complaints

Riders know them as “ride-outs,” the long unofficial parades of dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles and sport bikes that roared down Pittsburgh thoroughfares and through neighborhoods several times last year.

While supporters cheer the spectacles for bringing people together, city officials see something dire: dangerous assemblies that defy the law and disrupt traffic.

Addressing them in the new year will need “creative solutions,” said city Councilman Bobby Wilson, whose district includes much of the North Side. The convoys — many involving vehicles that are not street legal — sparked complaints over safety, noise, quality of life and the use of public property, he said.

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Witnesses have described up to a few hundred small vehicles snarling traffic as riders dash from one neighborhood to another, some popping wheelies, weaving among cars, driving the wrong way or traversing sidewalks or park grounds.

ividuals have been arrested in connection to using off-road vehicles on city streets, Pittsburgh police announced Friday, in addition to six that were charged last week.
Mick Stinelli
Four more arrested in connection to ATV, dirt bike 'ride-outs' in city

“It’s a huge issue, and we’re just hindered in so many ways,” Mr. Wilson said last week. “Whenever the police are called and they respond, by the time they get there, [riders] are gone.”

Further, he said, police practice is not to give chase. (Pursuits are generally seen as a risk to public safety.) Mr. Wilson worries that the ride-outs could intensify if the coronavirus pandemic lasts into the summer, he said.

The activity may be growing — in Pittsburgh and in other U.S. cities — during the pandemic, anecdotal observations suggest. News reports spotlighted similar gatherings last year from south Florida to Philadelphia, upstate New York and Connecticut.

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Locally, Pittsburgh bike mechanic Brian Sanders, 53, said the ride-outs “are breaking every single traffic law you can think of.” He warned it’s “very easy to lose control,” for instance, by popping wheelies on a parkway.

“Once you lose control of that bike, it could go anywhere,” said Mr. Sanders, a motorcyclist for more than 35 years. And it’s “only a matter of time before somebody is going to get killed.”

He’s not “some older guy who can’t stand the younger guys” — he just doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt, especially bystanders, he said.

Approached last week, the city Department of Public Safety referred to a statement it released Dec. 11. At that point, spokesman Chris Togneri said Pittsburgh police were “aware of the ongoing safety issue concerning the illegal use of ATVs and off-road motorcycles in the city.

“We are collaborating with our law enforcement partners to address the situation in a safe and effective manner, and we encourage the public to share any information that will lead to citations and arrests of individuals responsible for engaging in this reckless conduct,” Mr. Togneri said.

“These rides are creating serious safety concerns here and in other cities around the country, where large groups of illegal, unregistered vehicles are also creating traffic concerns and hazardous conditions.”

Several ride-out enthusiasts shared a different picture, saying that most riders aren’t trying to stir up trouble and many have limited outlets for their hobby. While some acknowledged that traffic violations happen, they said the informal rider groups foster close bonds and camaraderie, support community causes, and can help keep some riders out of more serious trouble.

Some agreed to be identified by name in print, then backtracked shortly before publication. One said police fostered a negative perception but that the city could work with riders to “turn [ride-outs] into something good instead of bashing it down to the ground.” Another said those who break traffic laws “do not represent the group as a whole.”

“The idea behind [the ride-outs] is bikes up guns down. [Substitute] violence with riding,” one Facebook user wrote in a message. “Bringing people together to have fun and enjoy themselves.”

A Facebook group known as Pittsburgh Bike Life lists over 4,500 members, some of whom post about local ride-outs. More events are likely in 2021 after the three major ones — on July 4, Labor Day and Halloween — last year, supporters said.

On the North Side, resident Sara Minder, 37, said she didn’t understand neighbors’ noise complaints over the Halloween ride-out. The Allegheny Center area, where she lives, sees perpetual noise from home remodeling projects and other sources, she said.

“People still need an outlet. They still need to enjoy their hobbies. I think it’s keeping a lot of people sane right now,” said Ms. Minder, who described the ride-out as “a little refreshing.”

Still, the Halloween gathering triggered a cascade of calls to emergency dispatchers, with some observers reporting wrong-way ATV traffic and wheelies. Mike Staresinic, 55, of Highland Park, said riders on Labor Day wove among cars traveling the opposite direction.

“Anybody could have been hurt at any time,” said Mr. Staresinic, who came across riders in Oakland.

Jeremiah Atkinson, 30, of Robinson, said the ride-outs last year did “so much damage to the biking community” that plays by the rules. He has a street-legal bike for public roads and a dirt bike for off-road riding, he said.

He’s considering whether to start a new Facebook group under the name Legal Bike Life Pittsburgh.

“I know it’s going to get a lot worse come spring,” Mr. Atkinson said.

Adam Smeltz: asmeltz@post-gazette.com and on Twitter @asmeltz

First Published: January 4, 2021, 11:00 a.m.
Updated: January 4, 2021, 11:07 a.m.

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