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Sunday, April 10, 2016

OUT OF CONTROL

Illegal ATV's on Albany Avenue at Sigourney Street Sunday afternoon. Note the reckless Quad on the left going against traffic head-on

More quads and ATV's up on I-84 near Flatbush  Avenue on ramp Sunday Afternoon. Do you think we have a problem. Who will be the first to die in a  crash? An innocent motorist going out of control on 84 or a quad operator doing a wheelie on Albany Avenue?

This one of those things that I am not sure what the solution is, but there has to be a solution.

Hartford's ATV problem. The warm weather is here so the ATV's are back out. Sunday was a near constant rumbling of the obnoxious operators and their illegal vehicles on Hartford's streets. It  is not only a quality of life issue, but also a safety issue for both the illegal reckless operators as well as the legal vehicles using Hartford's streets competing with the ATV's.

Most of these operators have no regard for their own safety as well as those on the streets. The wheelies and weaving in and out of traffic  with no regard for anyone else is unacceptable. Do we need to wait for some fools death or them causing someone elses death before we make a serious attempt  to curtail their use?

The police  are pretty much rendered helpless under their current orders to stop this nonsense. The vehicles aren't registered so there is no plate to trace back to an address Police are forbidden from chasing the vehicle, but in the mean time they are allowed to tear up our parks and jeopardize our streets.  The ATV's were even up on I-84 this afternoon.  This is a recipe for disaster when one of them goes head to head with a tractor trailer or cartwheels out of control at 50 MPH .

Are we the only City facing this , or how is this problem dealt with in  other locations?

UPDATE: 7:25PM: Here is a news article I found from this past Thursday. This is how Washington D.C. is dealing with the problem. It sounds like it would work here also http://dailycaller.com/2016/04/07/dc-police-crack-down-on-illegal-atvs-on-city-streets-and-sidewalks/

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Last year these idiots assumed they would be able to act uncivilized like this in the town of Newington,Newington police formed a task force, arrested some and I guess they figured to stay on their own lawless turf to avoid trouble. I'm comfortable stating that most riders are black and Hispanic and worse yet adults. Where are the community leaders ,church leaders ,black lives matter leaders on attempting to halt this dangerous activity? These punks are keeping these dirt bikes and quads somewhere and I doubt its in or on property they own. So why don't the people who say they care so much about community go after the parents ,grandparents,neighbors,friends or anyone else that is knowingly taken part in the demise of this city by allowing these vehicles to be hidden on their property? They are as much of a nuisance as the riders themselves. I could just imagine what my old man would have done to me if I were to behave like them,and as an adult no less.

Anonymous said...

The partial solution is for police to give chase and run them down. They know law enforcement won't do this which makes them more brazen. The only solution is to use devises designed to immobilize the atv and arrest, confiscate a nd destroy said atv.

That is the solution. Next problem, please. And please, let us not argue that giving chase increases the danger. The danger is already there.

Anonymous said...

In my town the PD will chase you, arrest you, and impound your motorcycle, ATV, etc. We do not have this rampant problem. I don't know if it's due to smarter people, or knowing you will be caught. I have heard that most of these ATV's in Hartford are most likely stolen, so impounding is pointless. HPD is way to busy to be chasing ATV's around the city and arresting these fools. Many of the Hartford riders are adults, which is disgusting. Only a matter of time before a tragedy occurs in the city. I don't know the solution but something needs to be done. Other cities must have found a way to deal with these fools, why can't Hartford?

Anonymous said...



It was just on the news

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/nypd-puts-flat-tire-atvs-dirt-bikes-article-1.1457617

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/nypd-puts-flat-tire-atvs-dirt-bikes-article-1.1457617

KEVIN BROOKMAN said...

6;44pm

Thank you for that link. I would imagine if we started to set that tone here, the problem would shrink quickly, but we need to start . to do nothing only empowers them to do whatever they want and wreak havoc on our City

Anonymous said...

Welcome to my world. I live on Wethersfield Avenue, a couple of blocks from Main Street. And it is no exaggeration to say that my street looks like the above photos about 8 months out of the year, from morning until very early morning--2:00 or 3:00 a.m. Today, I was assaulted by the noise of 30-40 riders at a time, all doing wheelies, in heavy traffic. It's still going on now at 8:30. Soon, the younger kids will be out doing the same thing with bicycles. Noise isn't an issue with them, but they also ride in large gangs, also doing wheelies (no helmets) and have fun weaving in and out of traffic and sometimes bringing it to a dead halt. They even do this on Main Street in the heart of downtown. The ATV riders tear up the terrain in Colt Park, while a couple of cop cars are parked there. Nobody cares. The noise level is excruciating. If you want to have your windows open for fresh air, the you'll pay the price of not being able to watch TV, listen to music, have a phone conversation, or even get a few hours of unbroken sleep. I'm a peaceful person but--forgive me--I've reached the point where I almost want to see one of the SOB's break their damn skull on the pavement, and say "Good!"

John said...

Police will chase someone holding a cell phone but not these dangerous idiots?

Right said Fred said...

These people think they are invincible until one of them gets killed then they might learn a thing or two about a thing or two

Anonymous said...

Hopefully the new Mayor will let the Chief address this issue, unlike the last two Mayors who probably have cousins riding in this pack.

peter brush said...

The ATV riders tear up the terrain in Colt Park, while a couple of cop cars are parked there. Nobody cares
-----------------------------
Some years ago a cop told me that there were too few cops to go after the ATVs in Pope Park, but there's clearly a policy in place for some other reason. My guess is that the lawyers have determined that the liability to the PD and the City is less if there's an accident than if there's an accident during a police chase. It's a matter of time before we have a major incident.
A couple of years ago I asked two cops how they managed to capture the quad they were towing away. Easy; the guy didn't flee, actually stopped when the cops told him to. Unfortunately, guys like that aren't common.

rick be said...

C'mon,they are just having fun & will pay the price when it comes due.

Anonymous said...

HPD #1 does not pursue cell phone violators #2 CT state policy and HPD policy on vehicle pursuits is obviously more stringent than DC policies. HPD is not allowed to pursue these idiots. When tracked to a residence they are arrested. But again the citizens who see them gather need to report them. When Rob Allen was the South Lt. some inroads were made, but the no pursuit policy makes it difficult. The liability factor discourages even the best officers from engaging. Listen to the HPD radio traffic, officers are frustrated by the policy. But who wants to be sued in civil court over the death of one of theses clowns. Or Charged BY CSP is a pursuit results in a death, because CSP will file on an HPD officer
Superviser

Little Brick Road said...

Kevin, just saw on the news the city is replacing ALL the bricks on Pratt St!!!! The entire street is almost vacant! Aren't we in a fiscal crisis according to Bronin? How much is this costing and where is this money coming from. This has got to be a multi million dollar job. This could have and should have waited, we're a broke city, right? What is the matter with this mayor? Now is NOT the time for projects like this. Please report back Kevin.

Anonymous said...

We almost got run over by one of these idiots yesterday. We were walking under the highway overpass before Pope Park when one of these things came up behind us on the sidewalk no less. He thought it was funny. Later a pack of them came down Laurel Street taking over the whole street. Some on has to do something and do something soon as the idiots seem to be gaining more and more riders. Hopefully they will take themselves out before taking anyone else. I am amazed though how they can do those wheelies and not fall off.

Anonymous said...

@Little Brick Road

Hey, go find the info yourself and stop depending on others for all your information. Are you really so lazy that. You cannot go and make a few phone calls to find the answer? Hard to believe that you went begging to Kevin. Go find it yourself you lazy bum. (Said in humor. So you're not a bum.) Just lazy. My guess is that this is not a city budget.

KEVIN BROOKMAN said...

Little Brick Road.

I did make a call to Mayor Bronin's Chief of Staff Thea Montanez and your question were timely. I guess a meeting was held recently in the Mayor's Office and many of the question's you were asking were brought up in that meeting. The project actually began design work in 2014, well before the Bronin Administration. The total cost is expected to be around $1.3million and a large portion of that, close to $400,000 is being funded by a "grant" from AETNA. Comcast is also underwriting some of the infrastructure repair required to upgrade underground systems. The project and contracts and materials had already been purchased and Bronin's people weren't in a position to break or breach those contracts now. I would hope that serious consideration will be given to turning the renewed Pratt Street into a pedestrian mall , free of vehicular traffic and find businesses willing to take a chance on Hartford to occupy the numerous vacant restaurants and make outdoor seating and entertainment a priority, very similar to what West Hartford Center has to offer, and make the Pratt Street pedestrian mall an integral part of a revamped downtown. Northland investment is a major impediment to that happening though. If you notice, most of the north side of the street that they own is vacant due to exorbitant rents that they charged and forced many of the restaurants out of business. Thank you Thea for your prompt response on this one.

Anonymous said...

Pia vs Gizzie (-1)

Only on paid per view!!!

The undercard will be for the 2 star spot!!

Anonymous said...

Maybe we can get Freeto's Mercedez to chase some of these guys...I mean he parks it in the front visitor/vendor lot (every night he works), so I'm guessing it has to be HPD property anyways, since no one's personal cars are supposed to be parked there, right???

Anonymous said...

No, I'm not lazy 5:10PM, and Yes, I am to busy to research myself. I'm working my J a day and my regular then sleeping. Thank you Kevin.

Unknown said...

Northland keeps those properties vacant by inflating their value, charging too high rents, then when the billings remain vacant due to said excessive rent they sink their taxable gains into their htfd properties. Just my theory.

Anonymous said...

@Neil

That's plausible. It is a shame that they do this. It degrades the commercial environment. If I owned the buildings, I would fill up with vibrant businesses by giving them several months rent free. Northland is not very civic-minded are they?

Anonymous said...

The DC practice of destroying the offending ATV's once apprehended is a plausible solution. Might be something worth looking into.

DonnaSwarr said...

Lack of a sense of community - wearing of masks - I know this sounds over the top, but it reminds me of the terrorists we see on TV. That is what they are trying to do - terrorize people and defy and provoke law enforcement. UConn wrote this report - http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/PDF/UConn-Report-UDBE.pdf it offers some 'new' technology solutions. Yes, drones/helicopters are effective, follow them home. BUT with all the cameras that were put up, these folks can be followed to within a few streets of the parking location- I am hoping that they help. I just found out that you can 'report' them via Twitter. Kerri Provost told me about it. Let's get the word out now that we are in season. https://twitter.com/HartfordATV I read quite a few articles and reports about the illegal ATV problem and whoa, I didn't realize that this phenomenon started in Baltimore and spread up and down the east coast. Atlanta has had a huge problem that escatated onto the highways.

Unknown said...

AL Sharpton, Chris Hayes and all the other MSNBC crew say that's a RACIST comment.

Anonymous said...

What adults? All I see were morons.