Teens performing bike stunts at Whites Road Park in the summer of 2011.
The issue of teens recklessly riding their bikes through traffic and popping wheelies down the middle of streets resurfaced during Wednesday night’s Lansdale Borough Public Safety Committee meeting.
Though not listed as an agenda item, the issue was raised during the public comment portion of the meeting, as West Main Diner owners Wayne and Dolores Sharp complained about the negative impact the bike activity is having on their business.
“I’m losing business over this,” said Wayne Sharp. “I got customers that see those kids’ piled up in front of the bike store, and they don’t want to come into the parking lot. I’ve done everything that I’ve been asked to do, and I can’t get rid of them.”
Sharp stated that the kids have been disrespectful towards himself and his customers, many of whom are older and reliant on equipment for mobility. In giving examples to the committee, Sharp spoke of one incident where a customer in an electric wheelchair could not exit the diner because the teens had placed their bikes in front of the door.
“I can’t even go out of the store anymore to say something,” said Wayne Sharp. “I have customers that come into the store, they’re older folks, they have walkers, they have canes. These kids have no respect for anyone.”
Lansdale Borough Police Chief Michael Trail stated that he was aware of the ongoing issue, but enforcement was difficult due to safety risks.
“We have 28 street cameras. We see them all the time. We’ve had interactions with them, we’ve cited some kids, we’ve spoken to parents, but it hasn’t abated,” said Trail. “It’s a very difficult situation because we’re talking about juveniles that won’t even listen to their parents, much less us. My fear is in regards to chasing these kids on bikes through traffic, as it creates tremendous amounts of liability for our police officers.”
“If we chase one of these kids doing a wheelie down Main Street and they get struck by a car, Lansdale is going to be sued for many millions of dollars,” Trail said.
Other members of the committee discussed their interactions with the kids, including committee chairman Tom Work, who said he almost struck one of the kids in the middle of Main Street. Mayor Garry Herbert also spoke of an incident that occurred last summer, when one of the kids was stopped during a public event.
“There was one moment I remember where police pulled over a kid doing a wheelie down Main Street on a First Friday,” said Herbert. “The crowd erupted and cheered.”
North Penn Now actually witnessed that event, which occurred during the August First Friday festivities. Mayor Herbert was volunteering at the intersection of South Wood and West Main streets, when a teen on a bike popped a wheelie down the center of Main Street and rode directly past a police officer on bike patrol. That officer immediately stopped the teen, and the crowd did launch into a cheer and applause.
As far as remedies and enforcement, Trail said he planned to add additional bike officers, and the committee discussed making the fine—which currently maxes out at $300—a substantially higher amount. Trail also said that he was going to speak with Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine in regards to keeping and enforcing the fines, instead of dropping their punishment to community service or something similar.
“We need to be cognizant of how we enforce this,” said Trail. “The best course is going to the parents and making the fine huge. We need to discuss that with our local court.”
In addition to the increased enforcement and police presence, Trail said he was also going to send a letter to the owners of Pedaller’s Bike Shop—located right next to West Main Diner—in an effort to reduce the kids from piling their bikes in front of the shop and recklessly riding them around the parking lot.
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