Mob of bikers invade Crown Heights

You probably should have named the thread "Mob of Bikers". All I could think of when I first read the title was of a gang of Critical Mass riders congesting traffic in the wrong hood on the wrong day of the month.


I changed the thread title to make it more clear. -- Mod.

By the time the 911 call is recieved by the Police, usually the group has dispersed. If the Police happen to chase one of these idiots and they crash and get killed, they'll probably be little support for the Police officers getting indited.

Sounds like bikers having summer fun. It's pretty normal in the hood.

Nah, this isn't kids having summer fun. There are a couple of older teens/young adults, with a bunch of non-street legal motocross bikes and atvs in addition to regular bikes. I've seen them around the neighborhood a couple of times (including the day that I saw a guy turning off Nostrand onto EP at twilight almost hit a woman because his bike had no headlight or turn signals).

They are pretty loose with the traffic laws (I've seen them come down the street the wrong way, and riding on the sidewalk). They seem to appear and disappear, so I don't think they are local but come through every once in a while to visit. Last summer they had a pocket rocket which they rode through the block for about two weeks before it disappeared.

I know there isn't much the cops can do unless they catch them in the act of doing something stupid, so I just hope that their shenanegans don't lead to someone else getting hurt and that the law of averages catches up to them.

Oh get over it. The have to ride somewhere [redacted]. The cops have more important things to do, such as catch the murderers and drug dealers. Choose your battles wisely people.

MOD EDIT: name calling removed. (See THE RULES at the top of the page, guest.)

They do have to ride somewhere, but the point is if they are on a pocket rocket going the wrong way down the street near the corner at 30 or 40mph without a helmet and someone in a van or truck turns onto the block they will be road pizza pretty damn quick.

So who's dumb then?

I don't care if they ride. I do care if they ride recklessly, on crowded streets with kids playing, without insurance or a proper motorcycle license because they got a bike or an atv for their birthday from grandma.

Subject: Re: Mob of bikers invade Crown Heights

Late last year I saw a pack go speeding through the left-turn light (which was red) on Atlantic and Kingston and one got hit. Some members of his posse stopped, an ambulance was called, there was blood everywhere... It was terrifying and I just hope he wasn't killed (he wasn't moving), and I also hope that he and his friends learned something, and that the poor driver who hit him wasn't hurt.
Earlier this year I saw a pedestrian on his back in the crosswalk on Atlantic and Nostrand, convulsing with lots of bright red blood coming out of his mouth in spurts and one leg twisted the wrong way. I almost started crying, it was so horrible. A crowd was gathered (and I overheard comments about how the pedestrian had the walk signal), including some police, so I walked on and a few feet away I saw the motorbike that had hit the pedestrian. The biker was on his back on the sidewalk, his bike had smashed into the building near the post office. A small crowd around him (including another police officer) were telling him not to move his head. I walked on and saw and heard ambulances, sirens on, coming to the scene.
The young, testosterone, show-off, Japanese-made bike riders don't just affect the quality of life in the neighborhoods they drive through (though I do consider that serious). They act stupid and get hurt. And if they chose that then fine, but they hurt other people, car drivers and pedestrians, and I respect those other people's rights as much as the bikers'. There is a responsibility you take when you get behind these vehicles, and while I agree that they have to ride somewhere, they have to ride somewhere RESPONSIBLY. Or go to a track in NJ or something... (I also agree that the Harley riders, while loud, are less dangerous, more respectful of traffic and other people.)

ATVs and dirt bikes used by urban kids? What's next, mullets, deer hunting, and Iron Maiden?

Its not only bikers that ride recklessly. You have cars, trucks, and more. So if you are going to target recklessness that go all the way.

"What's next, mullets, deer hunting, and Iron Maiden?" - Jack Krohn

That's definitely next. But I ain't gonna lie - when that happens I might just have to laugh my ass off. And I'll take Iron Maiden over Raggaeton any day.

I was on St. John's Saturday afternoon at about 6 or so when I heard an ATV and road bike came ROARING down the street doing at least 50. The ATV was popping a wheelie with the driver standing up on the seat. His friend was so in awe, that he wasn't watching where he was going and got to maybe 50 feet from Franklin when he jammed on the brakes popping a straight up front wheelie to not go through the red light and hit a car in front of him.
No helmets. Geez......... I said a quick prayer for them both....
And after we left, we say a pocket rocket and all we could think was, I hope a truck doesn't stop fast in front of them or they'll definitely lose their heads. These were guys that looked like they were in their 30's.
I don't suppose there are any tracks anywhere close for these guys to play on?
:shock:

I wasn't certain what it was called, so I just used the term from the message a few above. Whatever this thing is called, it looked like the driver would lose out in any accident.
And maybe it would take a D battery instead...

I kinda figured what the second reference was when the AA batteries were mentioned...
Actually what I saw wasn't a pocket rocket. It was a bright green thing with a full body and roof. It looked like it had a motorcycle back end and a VW front end with a rocket type body to it. Most likely fun, but not safe in a city street

Hal wrote: I Googled "pocket rocket" just to see. Indeed one usage of the term is a common reference to these mini-motorcycles, generally with a displacement under 50cc. The other usage refers to my wife's second favorite toy.

I always thought the slang term for motorcycles was "crotch rocket." Which your wife might like as well.

apollonia666 wrote: [quote=Hal]I Googled "pocket rocket" just to see. Indeed one usage of the term is a common reference to these mini-motorcycles, generally with a displacement under 50cc. The other usage refers to my wife's second favorite toy.

I always thought the slang term for motorcycles was "crotch rocket." Which your wife might like as well.

Pocket rockets are a particular type of bikes. They are the really tiny motorcycles that look like they were designed for 5-year olds. Difference is that they can go as fast as 70mph (for the high performance models) and are as cheap as $200 bucks. I don't believe that they are street legal anywhere as many of them lack things like headlights, turn signals, etc. Also there is the fact that the person riding them is only 3-4 inches off the ground.

I'll defer to you guys on the other meaning