Could more trails curb illegal vehicle crime?
Off-road riders say having more places to bring all-terrain vehicles could take them off the streets.
TIVERTON, R.I. (WLNE) — As South Coast communities continue to grapple with dangerous drivers on ATVs, dirt bikes, and scooters, officials all over New England have taken strict measures to keep the off-road vehicles just that.
“It’s dangerous as all get-out,” said Mayor of Fall River Paul Coogan. “The problem we have is people just jumping on a bike, with no plates, no license, and no identification just bombing down Broadway or Eastern Avenue. It’s not safe.”
To address the issue, Coogan said the city is considering adopting a new ordinance that would make it more challenging for riders who break the law to get their bikes back.
“We’d bring them to a secure facility, assess them for all the costs involved in the work, and then add a fine for driving an unregistered vehicle on the road,” said Coogan.
To get them back, owners of seized vehicles may also be required to bring a truck or trailer to pick them up once they are released and cover any storage fees.
In Cranston, a unique initiative would send seized off-road vehicles as far as Santa Domingo in a partnership with the local police department overseas. Paying only freight costs, Santa Domingo Police Department could then use the repossessed property to patrol a larger portion of the country’s rough terrain.
So far, Col. Michael Winquist said it’s working: Cranston police seized less than five of them last year, and have not had to send any so far in 2021.
Yet, some say there’s an easier way to solve the problem that would not only reduce crime, but bring in revenue for states like Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“You can’t stop all of it, but I think if you had a place for them to go there’s definitely no excuse,” said Philip Deduca, owner of The Scooter Palace in Tiverton. While the Freetown-Fall River State Forest is a good place to go, Deduca said having more space would mean more options, especially for those living in urban areas.
“You’re creating a criminal out of inner city kids who can’t get to somewhere. So in other words, if you don’t have the baseball field, they can’t play baseball,” said Deduca, who has been riding off-road vehicles since he was a child and supports his own children’s desires to follow in his footsteps in doing so.
The shop owner said he’s even seen it serve as a crime deterrent, taking up both money and time from riders to focus on the hobby that involves buying parts, finding new places to ride, and establishing relationships with fellow riders.
“It keeps people from doing illegal things. The majority of people that have these ATVs and dirt bikes have jobs, they have money. These are not inexpensive toys,” he said.
With summer around the corner, officials said they hope riders will take to the trails that do exist. “We’re not against it. We want people to have fun. We just don’t want them to have fun going down Eastern Avenue or Broadway in the middle of traffic.”
