Trail bikes in Illawarra

[Colette]

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news ... 17459.aspx

Police to target trail bike riders

Police have launched a major offensive in a bid to catch illegal trail bike riders in the Illawarra's bushland and suburbs.

Unregistered and uninsured riders will be targeted, together with the unlawful use of pocket rockets and motorised scooters.


Wollongong Highway Patrol's Senior Constable Rob Ham said the Illawarra crackdown followed widespread complaints from the public, particularly in the Bulli, Bellambi and Towradgi areas.


This included concerns about dangerous riding on walkways, cycleways, parks and beaches.


"We find that a lot of unregistered bikes have been travelling up and down the beaches and coastal areas ... thinking they can avoid detection on the roads by using the footpaths and cycleways instead," Sen Const Ham said.


"It's a specific problem; we're getting complaints from other users of the cycleways in regards to dangerous riding behaviour of these individuals.


"I had a complaint the other day of a trail bike rider riding between a parent and a pram."


Pocket rockets, which cannot be registered by the RTA and are restricted to use on private property, were also being ridden on public streets.


"It's not just a safety matter, the bikes are generating noise complaints," Sen Const Ham said.


He said it was also illegal for trail bikes to enter National Parks and Wildlife Service land, private property without the permission of the owner, and fire trails, beaches and parks.


Police patrolling these areas, particularly rugged bush, will use DRZ400 Suzuki trail bikes.


Sen Const Ham said the penalties were heavy - up to $2000 for riding an unregistered, uninsured and unlicensed bike, and higher for those without helmets.


Parents who allowed children to ride pocket rockets and similar bikes could be fined and the vehicle confiscated.


Bellambi resident Lenko Baresic said he was tired of noisy mini pocket rocket and trail motorbikes being ridden on cycleways and roads near his home. He said the number had increased significantly since the start of summer.


Two years ago he saw a serious accident outside his home when a 22-year-old man crashed his mini motorbike into a telegraph pole and was seriously hurt.


Mr Baresic said the combination of inexperienced riders and deceptively powerful machines was a recipe for disaster.

[Cwidova]

has been happening for a fair while in vic....in my area there are 2 ktm exc520's that go around looking for that sorta stuff!!!!

[fireyrob]

Ive raced a few of the supposed pocket rockets whilst riding my pushie along the Cooks River Cycleway... Seems as though they top out around 35KPH which gives me some time to laugh at them as I ride past giving the

[*Rach*]

I'd like them to catch the pocket rocket that does occasional 1am laps around my suburb