There have been seven incidents reported, four separate vehicle collisions and seven fleeing-driver events, as well as the incident last month in which the 78-year-old was “intimidated” by a group of three riders, being sprayed with dirt and shingle and having his foot run over.
“Thankfully the victim was not injured,” he said, but added that while one person has been prosecuted and a bike impounded during the spate of incidents no offender for the incident last month has yet been identified.
Incidents have occurred on parks, pathways such as those on Napier’s Marine Parade, and streets, including on at least two occasions a group of up to five throttling through the Emerson St pedestrian precinct in Napier’s CBD, in one case early on a Friday afternoon narrowly missing people, trees and other fixtures.
“If you ride your dirt or off-road bike where you shouldn’t and/or in an anti-social manner; you can expect that the Police will do everything in our power to firstly identify you and then take appropriate enforcement action which could include seizure/impounding of the bike,” Vining said.
“The majority of responsible dirt or off-road bike owners are aware they can’t ride their bikes in reserves, sports grounds and footpaths,” he said. “They transport (trailer etc) their bikes to areas where they have received permission to ride such as private farmland, forests; where they don’t impact on the wide public.
“The issue for us and the community are the riders who know they are breaking the law but in effect don’t care. They are driving at speed through parks, tearing up fields, riding in an anti-social manner including with no helmets and put themselves and others at risk of harm.”
It is illegal to ride a dirt bike on the road unless it is roadworthy, and has a current warrant and registration, but the “time for educating” dirt bike riders about their responsibilities is “diminishing,” he said.
“Those riding illegal bikes on roads and in community spaces who are just there to rark things up can expect to be targeted, fined and prosecuted.”
But he said police need public assistance, including immediate reports of illegal activity, and evidence such as photos, video, identities and descriptions, and descriptions.
Police have established an email address (HBDirtbikes@police.govt.nz) especially for information but also advise calling 105.
“There are no immediate short-term fixes but we are looking to ensure our response to this issue, along with the councils is co-ordinated and effective,” he said. “This includes looking at the environment including access points into reserves and parks where many of the bikes are being ridden.”
Hastings District Council Flaxmere Ward councillor Henry Heke said people have talked of blocking access to parks with chains, but it should be steps that affect other users, saying people have to help solve the problem.
The Napier City Council says parks and reserves, including Marine Parade “are for everyone to enjoy, but motorbikes and the like make it unsafe for all users.
“To keep kids and pets safe it’s really important we keep these bikes off reserves,” staff said. “It is illegal and it’s really important we get the message out to everyone that Marine Parade is not a place to ride motorbikes or dirt bikes. It’s a community space, for the whole community to enjoy and this activity makes it unsafe and unfriendly for other people.”
