Description
The Lark St. area is under siege by hideously loud and dangerous motorcycles/bikes/ATVs, including some mask-wearing drivers. It's inexplicable that APD has stated they don't know how to find them. Anyone who spends even minimal time in this area sees and hears these vehicles any given day up until 4:00 AM. They are in the parking lot of Dunkin Donuts. They are ripping their motors, speeding and doing wheelies on Lark, Madison and in the park. They are racing down sidewalks, menacing cars and pedestrians, and destroying the quality of life. While APD is not pursuing these violators because that could result in injury, innocent citizens are put at risk for injury or worse multiple times a day/night. At least videotape these noise and safety violations, take down license plates, follow them in plane cars and ticket when they are stopped, install free-standing speed bumps, etc. Please address this deadly situation.
31 Comments
City of Albany Admin 3 (Verified Official)
Garrett (Registered User)
David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
クローズド David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
Contrary to the assertion, APD and Mayor Sheehan's foremost priority is ensuring the public's safety. APD has been actively working to address this situation, and have been making progress. Attached is a press release and photos regarding the impounding of two illegal bikes that also details the specific actions APD is taking to ensure more illegal vehicles are taken off our streets.
In the future, when you witness this activity, please call 911 or (518) 438-4000 immediately so APD can investigate further.
David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
Chip (Registered User)
Neigh (Registered User)
An anonymous Seeclickfix user (Registered User)
Stephen (Registered User)
I would like to add the press release does NOT detail anything the police or the city is doing in their effort to put an end to this. So, perhaps, you should re-read, David. Additionally, those two bikes were confiscated nearly a month ago. It was a good catch at the time and is not without appreciation; however, it does not a solution make.
Perhaps, they should race through Ms. Sheehan’s neighborhood on a nightly basis.
Dan (Registered User)
ng (Registered User)
Stephen (Registered User)
Stephen (Registered User)
With all due respect, Dan, the community has been doing more than their share. We pay a police force and our elected officials to solve these problems for us. If we didn’t mind helping, nobody would be here posting or calling. Truth of the matter is this is a 2+ year old issue. So, quite frankly, I’m sick of the excuses.
The community has gone to the council; to the mayor; to the police; to neighborhood associations; to their Assemblymember; and, to the press. What more would you like us to do? Nobody cares. Nobody is willing to think outside the box or propose a change. Just look around you, the entire city is filled with lawlessness. I sometimes wonder if we even have a police department.
Unfortunately, people don’t seem to realize these issues are only symptomatic of a larger issue – uninterested government and out of touch politicians.
Dan (Registered User)
Watching out for Our Citizens (Registered User)
Two bikes out of how many? Then there are the 4 wheelers. I would be embarrassed to call two bikes progress. How many arrests and tickets have been made/handed out? I think people have had enough of public relations in Albany. How about doing something?
About a week ago I had a 4 wheeler flying up and down my one-way street, while at times going around the block... A few minutes later the police drive down the street. The 4 wheeler was about 7 or 8 seconds behind them. Right behind the 4 wheeler was another patrol car slowly following behind. We could hear the 4 wheeler zooming around neighboring streets for about 20 minutes afterwards, no doubt, before going on to terrorize another neighborhood. So there was clearly a call reporting this, yet only a country drive, so to speak, by the police. It was like they were getting a police escort. It would be comical if it weren't so dangerous and annoying.
I have yet to see even a light or a siren go on when these vehicles fly by or go on sidewalks and such. Can you even charge them for evading police when you don't even give them an opportunity to pull over? What kind of tragedy is it going to take to get action? The bikes impounded are illegal? Not all bikes doing these things are illegal. Their actions are, however illegal. No cameras have picked them up? Obviously, there are a lot of people trying to help, but the people who aren't helping are the ones who know who these dangerous individuals are. Have you tried to get anyone who actually has information to assist by offering a reward or anything? Or would offering that draw attention to the problem? Can anything be proactive instead of reactive?
Despite the "2 bikes" that have been impounded. This problem has gotten worse. People now know that anything goes in Albany and it is likely not just people from Albany now involved. Other places enforce laws and that helps discourage people from breaking other laws. When a city only enforces a fraction of violators involving things, such as snow removal, garbage disposal, or excessive noise, what do you think is going to happen? The same offenders will add more ways to disturb and endanger our citizens. And they clearly have.
Watching out for Our Citizens (Registered User)
Reopened An anonymous Seeclickfix user (Registered User)
ADIは、 David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
Watching out for Our Citizens (Registered User)
An anonymous Seeclickfix user (Registered User)
H (Registered User)
David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
I believe a few different issues are being thrown into one SCF issue, but in regards to noise, that's something that needs to be witnessed in real-time and APD has let neighborhood associations know that as recently as last month. APD is also aware of other VTL violations like driving on sidewalks, unsafe operation, etc., and has upped the presence in the area however we also know that working closely with residents and visitors alike when they witness these actions is extremely helpful to identifying and apprehending the individuals.
In regards to drones, that is something that has taken time partially because we have made a concerted effort to hold community meetings with ACPAC to ensure that APD's acquisition of drones is something that the community is a part of and can provide input on.
Plain clothes officers are engaged in the area and APD will continue to do so.
If you experience a situation where you reach out to APD and you feel as though the response is not what you expect, please reach out to me directly at dgalin@albanyny.gov
Stephen (Registered User)
David, I appreciate you engaging, but you continue to read from the prepared text. Let me be the first person to tell you that an increased police presence might be what you’re told is happening, but it does not translate into reality. Please do not discount the word of citizens who live and work in this neighborhood every single day. I am not oblivious to my surroundings and you’d be lucky to find a police presence at any time of day here. I strongly dispute any suggestion that patrol has increased. And if it indeed has, then I’ll let you figure out just how absence it was to begin with.
I know the Mayor’s office is hoping to prolong the issue so that citizens will grow tired and weary. But we’re not going anywhere. So somebody better start getting creative.
David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
Boofah (Registered User)
Note that I'm not saying I think the Police are doing everything they can, just that there may be good reason they're not going at it as aggressively as some may like.
Watching out for Our Citizens (Registered User)
Dan (Registered User)
An anonymous Seeclickfix user (Registered User)
Watching out for Our Citizens (Registered User)
クローズド Neighborhood & Community Services (Verified Official)