Does your town/city have a problem with teens in bicycles?

[legofansmum]

I live in a small city, would be a town if we didn't have a cathedral (size wise)

Over the past year or so there has been a lot of trouble with boys aged 11 ish-16 ish causing havoc on bikes. They mainly go around in large groups. They like to do wheelies, pull up in front of in coming traffic, circulate cars and buses. Swear and abuse the general public.

Today a group of them cycled up to a lady and for no reason at all knocked her phone out of her hand - smashing it in the process. They continued to be a nuisance, shouting and swearing abuse.

Last month a huge group of them had to be escorted by the police as they all rode their bikes dangerously down a dual carriageway. There were at least 60 of them!

They also like to ride their bikes and perform wheelies in the city centre in pedestrian only areas- really dangerous , especially for anyone infirm around them. They also cause havoc for local shopkeepers.

Is this a nationwide thing or a local phenomenon? Baffles me why they put their own and others lives at risk . I was on a bus earlier in year where they kept riding in front of it. The driver had to slam brakes due to it. Could've caused a nasty accident.

Worries me greatly as my son grows up, what society is becoming.

If it's the city I think it is- it is not as small as we all think it is! It's 12 miles from L near GV to Q!

But I agree- absolute nightmare even up near USL which I assume is near you, op.

I am in Leicester and had one incident where I was caught up behind a massive group of young teens on bikes and they were just generally riding erratically / doing wheelies / wouldn't let any traffic past them and just general dangerous behaviour but not really threatening anyone. There is also a massive nuisance of kids and adults on the pavement coming up very fast behind people and not knowing they are there and just generally being very dangerous in that respect because of the speed that they are riding at.

Cannot remember who posted it but the B is not a Home County Town

Oh it don;t really matter to name it , Its Bromley.

Maybe if the police were allowed to give the little shits a clip we'd see less of it.

@cloudyweewee

I’m in Birmingham too and have the bikes, scooters, mopeds and super fast cars driving down my fucking road (and pavement) every fucking evening. One time I heard an almighty crash and drew back the curtain and saw one of them had come off the moped and there was loads of blood. I shrugged and closed the curtain. There may have even been a glass of celebratory wine. Didn’t stop the shits from carrying on the next day. The sad thing is these don’t even look like teenagers but young adults. One of them ran over someone’s dog and the owner was distraught I felt so sorry for her. Dog was injured but survived. I rang 101 and was waiting for about 15 minutes to get through before I gave up

Hmm...do the expensively educated, reassuringly wealthy teenagers need a curfew too? Or would it only apply to the riff raff?

I guess there isn't much need to ride around on your bike if your spending the Summer in the South of France (again).

Moon is it really 12 miles? Wow! Though tbf I often take the motorway to get to Q for shops and it is a considerable distance to skirt around the city. Going through takes ages!

@honeysucklejasmine
Yup! I only know as I had to put L to Q in Google maps. It's 5 miles from A to Kings Square! Had to walk it once due to the snow!
The motorway from Q to B is the longest piece of road in the world....well it feels like it!

Also live in an outer London borough and it's a problem for us too. I refuse to stop or swerve though. I put my hand on the horn sand keep going - once they know I'm not stopping, they move out of the way.

Shartnado and Op I live here too and it’s a nightmare at the mo! I’m in bwth and was coming out of the Q last weekend when they darted in front of my car almost ending up on the bonnet, absolute idiots!

Sorry Nerrsnerr and Honey thought it was you I was local too!!

We have it here. All over local fb pages. They have also taken to riding in and out of shops. There appears to be one culprit repeatedly spotted (he is apparently quite distinctive) cue lots of comments around his parents must know (after its been splattered over all the local groups) then lots of discussions on whether it is right or wrong to post photos of them!

I'm in Yorkshire and we get it too, often until the early hours of the morning -God only knows where their parents think they are

They are incredibly intimidating but if you hit them with your car you'd be the one in bother and they know that

confused you are close to me - I live in B too.

You must live where I live OP.
A complete joke isn't it?
How they're getting away with it, I don't know. I know a post went round on Facebook naming and shaming the kids and even saying what schools they're at.
I even read that they were shouting abuse at a police van and the police didn't say anything to them so they got away with it.
Makes me feel unsafe in my own city and I've had to tell the kids and my elderly parents to keep an eye out and stay clear.

Same here, but also off-road/scramble bikes. Last week one overtook me at about 40mph whilst standing on the seat. He looked about 14 - shorts, t-shirt, no helmet.

Just this afternoon there were two racing in the bus lane, going in the wrong direction, laughing their heads off.

This has been going on for years round here though. Every so often, one of them is killed and their families are all over the local newspaper talking about how they were “loveable rogues” with “hearts of gold” that were “loved by everyone”. I can assure you they are not loved by me when my children’s lives are endangered by their wrecklessness.

honey I’m so confused lol!

S.E. here. Same problem.
Earlier this year one of these kids did this and met a bus. He died.

Nope we have nothing like this (SW small semi rural town). Teens have bikes...but mainly use them as intended.

The worst they do round here is smoke weed in the park/nitrous oxide.

There are lots of huge gangs of adults on v expensive bikes though, matching Lycra, taking up the entire carriageway...particularly on a Sunday morning. No wheelies though

It does make me wonder what the hell is going on elsewhere though, this is the first I e heard of such a phenomenon.

It baffles me why the do it
Theee are plenty of places to ride bikes around here. I think what annoys me equally is the mum's sticking up for them on the local rag's Facebook page. Apparently it's because there are no youths clubs

I can guarantee that even if there were , most of these kids would be 'too cool' to use them.

I don't get how they can find it ok to endanger other people's lives.

Gosh, wishing we could move there Dangermouse!

Saw about 20 of them doing this in the middle of Oxford Street last week. They brought traffic in three directions at a junction to a halt then jeered at drivers and banged on their vehicles.

It’s a miracle that no one was hurt.

...aah we do have quite a lot of different things going on for young people here, and still have youth clubs/centres too so maybe there is something in that @legofansmum...