Thanks for reporting this. I've asked the police to pick up the pressure again on these folks. We need to make sure we're on top of this so keep reporting where/when these incidents happen and, as FairHavenRes said, a description of the individuals.

Justin Elicker
Candidate for Mayor
justin.elicker@gmail.com

how about giving these people some place legal and local to ride????

Thanks for the feedback and advice.

There are options in East Haven (possibly, don't know details), Milford & Rocky Mount that they could use, but they are not interested. They prefer the thrill and rush of illegally riding in the streets, against traffic, breaking laws and dodging the police. That's much more of a thrill to them than anything off road. And before you say 'that's not local enough, think about the fact that they manage to get their bikes to Bridgeport & NYC for various BikeLife gatherings. They are more than capable of making it to East Haven/Milford/Rocky Mount if they wanted.

There are only 2 PUBLIC legal riding places in CT Thomaston Dam and Pachaug State Forest and they only allow street legal dirt bike "something that does not exist" all other places are private. Complain all you want but unless you offer public alternatives it will never stop :)

Even if you offer "public" alternatives, it will not stop. They like the thrill of the illegal ride on the streets; even members of BikeLife have admitted this. They would lose a big piece of their identity if they were provided with a local, public off-road site in which to play; they aren't interested. Somehow thousands of other kids and young adults manage to live in New Haven without creating this kind of mayhem; it's a paltry excuse at best for their illegal behavior.

It seems to me that building public and legal areas for riding would be just one part of a larger solution. It makes sense that some riders might still prefer the "thrill" of riding against traffic, on streets, etc. How do we address that in a way that goes beyond cat and mouse? And of course building a riding area would require planning and funding; what to do in the meantime? Are there any open channels of communication between the riders and local government and law enforcement?

closing for now.

Thanks for fixing this issue!

Re-opening this to keep it active, as the problem certainly hasn't been solved yet. Thanks.

Mark, building a riding area also would need to address the fact that riders cannot legally drive there. I suspect that relatively few of them have pick-ups or trailers to transport their bikes legally.

Categories are for internal City of New Haven use to bring the issue to the correct person or department's attention, and we are re-categorizing this issue to 'Policing' for that reason.

This issue was recategorized from Traffic/Road Safety to Policing Issue.

If you know where dirt bikes, quads and ATVs are garaged, report it to the New Haven Police Criminal Intel Unit. The officer in charge is:

Sergeant Karl Jacobson
New Haven Police Department
Criminal Intel Unit/Narcotics
One Union Ave, New Haven CT
phone: (203) 946-6098
Fax: (203) 946-6293
e-mail: kjacobson@newhavenct.net

He will respond to emails and calls. If you report a known ATV or dirt bike location to him, he will investigate and confiscate the machines.

Thank you for your support in improving Clinton Ave Park. We are closing old reports of Illegal Dirt Biking and Illegal use of ATVs. If you notice any new activity please open new issues with any details you can give about the vehicle or clothing or which direction they were coming or going. Parks will have a part time "permit enforcement" staff out this summer and will use these reports to guide our scheduling.

Your new district manager also does a terrific job of monitoring new reports to SCF, but its difficult to find the old ones!