West Haven to Crack Down on Dangerous Stunts by Seizing Bikes

The West Haven City Council has approved an ordinance aimed at curtailing dangerous bike riding by youth in the city.

After complaints about teens doing dangerous bike stunts on city streets, the council’s new ordinance is meant to curb that kind of behavior by seizing the bicycles of teenagers who behave badly.

The ordinance states that minors under the age of 18 who are caught doing things like popping wheelies and trick riding in traffic might have their bike’s “seized by any member of The West Haven Police Department and impounded. A bicycle or motorized bicycle so impounded shall be surrendered to the owner, or if the owner is a minor, to the parents or guardians of such minor….There shall be a storage charge of twenty five dollars $25.00 per day for each impounded bicycle or motorized bicycle.”

West Haven residents tell NBC Connecticut they support the city doing something to stop kids from endangering their lives and the lives of others on city streets.

West Haven resident Lorraine Davis hopes that teens who are issued fines will learn a lesson on their first offense. She also believes the city should offer classes to teens who are caught riding dangerously.

“To them, a bicycle is like owning a car. So they get out in the street and try to act like they’re driving a car. They just need to be taught some safety classes,” she said.

Levi Jordan, a stylist at Golden Bladez barbershop on Campbell Avenue, sometimes sees the dangerous bike riding that’s the subject of the new ordinance.

He said that while the new fines could work, he’d rather see more places for youth to ride their bikes safely without endangering themselves or impeding traffic.

“Kids are kids and they love to ride. f they don’t got a place, then they’re going to find a place. Create more environments for them to ride up and down in West Haven” he said.

Under the terms of the ordinance, the police department can hold seized bicycles for 30 days. If the bikes are not claimed within that period, they become property of the city.

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