SUV - Motorcycles Incident on Westside Hwy

[Steve 78]

I am sure most of you already heard about this incident in Manhattan on Sunday.

What I am not clear about, is that I read there were over 200 calls to 911 about this gang driving recklessly all over the city.

I was viewing video prior to the incident on the Westside Highway. This gang was driving reckless ( driving on sidewalks, driving in the opposite lane of traffic and not stopping at red lights, to list a few) all over the city way before this incident occured.

Why was there not more done by the NYPD to control this gang?

[thebreeze 194]

You think the NYPD doesn't try to corral these guys? I have seen officers try to stop a group of these guys, they all split off and took off in different directions. It's impossible to chase them as they can weave in and out through traffic. it's not like they are going to respect authority and just pull over when signaled to do so, these guys are on the other side of the law and they know it and they are going to run every time. I have even spoken to a friend who says they have used helicopters to try and pinpoint warehouses or garages where these guys all go back to and have been unable to do so even from the air. They are animals, and the NYPD has their hands full, especially now with one hand tied behind their back thanks to politicians, judges, and a nearsighted public.

[Rex_RescuePC 9]

They made a few arrests before the whole incident happened. It's not very easy trying to catch someone on a bike especially if they're willing to run. Some people don't realize, big cruises of bikes happen like this every weekend. Just depends on how some people participating want to act. I saw a group of probably 25 bikes go through white plains last weekend and stop traffic in every intersection on their way through.

[10512 214]

Steve wrote:

"What I am not clear about, is that I read there were over 200 calls to 911 about this gang driving recklessly all over the city.

I was viewing video prior to the incident on the Westside Highway. This gang was driving reckless ( driving on sidewalks, driving in the opposite lane of traffic and not stopping at red lights, to list a few) all over the city way before this incident occured.

Why was there not more done by the NYPD to control this gang?"

The city is a big place, while they met at Times Square, and were chased out of there, they came from all over, including from NJ. There were probably numerous incidents in numerous locations. There were bikes from all over coming from all directions. When they dispersed, they dispersed to all directions. As far as the number of 911 calls go, a big problem is evident in the video. Look at the speed they are travelling. A call will come in, but give it two minutes later, they are 25 blocks away, generating more 911 calls from every location in between as they go about their merry way. Where do you send the cars to? When you get there, what are the cars going to do, engage them in chases? By the time the RMP's get there, they are no longer there, the only way to possibly keep up with them is to chase them. This is not a group that will all pull over when you pull up behind them and turn your lights on. Get that thought out of your head.

Look at what happened last year when the NYPD chased one of the j*ckazzes in the Bronx, and the rider was killed, the cops were left looking at criminal charges. Would you be itching to chase these morons when your job and the DA's office are stuck in that mode of thinking?

These were not isolated incidents. This happens in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. I have never worked on Staten Island, but I am sure it happens there also. This has been happening for years, maybe not with this number of bikers, but groups of 10, 20, 50 or more are not uncommon. In the past, the powers that be decided they would rather not have the cops engage them.

They ignored the problem, hoping it would go away. It, very predictably, got worse.

Some bikes have no plates on them, some have the plates bent up so they are difficult to see. Many of these bikes to not have the proper plates on them, if you run them, they come back to other bikes, are expired, number altered, so just running the plate will do you no good, you have to catch the biker on it, which is a very difficult thing to do. They accelerate quicker, turn quicker, can make u-turns unto sidewalks and virtually any other maneuver they want, things a car cannot do. It is difficult to catch a single rider, imagine what happens when there are 10, 20, 50 or more, and they go separate directions. These azzhats are willing to run, eager actually.

The way they drive is self-destructive, they do not give a sh*t.

It would be great if the chase ended with the bike hitting an El pillar or a concrete bridge abutment (I have seen that happen, it was great!), but the problem with that thinking is that it is more likely to hit a pedestrian or innocent passenger car. I have chased a few and I have seen more than one incident where we gave up chasing due to safety considerations, and have seen the bikers stop or slow down to give us a chance to catch up to them again. Many want to be chased, I guess they think it is fun. That is a very difficult mindset to deal with. The cost are high, but they do not care. We have rules to follow and we have consequences to consider, they are not held by those considerations. The Department, in the past, has not been open to cops chasing bikes.

And, to add insult to injury, in the past, when we have caught them, they have been treated just like minor motor vehicle violations by the court systems. I have seen charges such as reckless endangerment, attempted assault, resisting arrest and so on reduced by the courts. It was not considered a big deal.

I guess now, with all the media attention, they will crack down on it now, but look what it took.

Edited October 3, 2013 by 10512

[everybodygoes 331]

Highway 1 has maybe 4 or 5 cars MAX on a day tour, less at night. Do the math, they cover Manhattan and the Bronx.

[Chkpoint 131]

Department policy is do not pursue motorcycles. These motorcyclist do this everyday through the city. If you did pursue them 1. Public is at risk and guarantees someone is getting injured /killed. 2. Lawsuits. In order to catch them you have to do raids of chop shops and warehouse garages where they are stored. Raids have been done it's just that there are so many of these bikers and before this incident it wasn't a high priority. And lastly manpower is so short with the PBA saying one job at a time in effect central has jobs holding and reckless motorcycle is not a priority.

[lad12derff 283]

I almost started crying this morning after I read the interview from the Journal News. These were Doctors and Lawyers and really good people who took part in the menacing of NYC and the citizens of the world enjoying a nice Sunday drive with their family. The riders were law abiding citizens and just enjoying the weather as well. The stars were misaligned when these 2 different worlds met and havoc created on the West Side Highway. Ok I am only being sarcastic here my friends. Live by the sword, die by the sword you skells!! I would have ran over 50 more of you if you surrounded me and my family!!!!!!!!!! ( side note that I ride a Harley and don't condone the actions of these " Bikers" )

[10512 214]

I liked the Journal News quote by Front Line Soldiers president Peter Douglas: "“It was a great miscommunication,” Douglas said."

"A great miscommunication" Huh? What planet is he on?

I really think he has no comprehension of what actually happened on Sunday. Unfortunately, there are people who made him president of their group.

Edited October 4, 2013 by 10512

[Officer Ed 59]

My understanding is that over the past few years this group has had something like 40 of their rice rockets impounded and numerous arrests made. The instigator of the road rage incident was driving on a suspended license.

As "10512" wrote, these punks rarely stop for police. They'll take off between cars, down sidewalks, through yards, etc. They know that department policy is not to pursue for traffic violations.

Personally, if I had been the driver of the SUV, I might still have been beaten up, but the ricers would have had to climb over the bodies of 15 of their pals to get to me. That's all the ammunition I carry.

[TFD141@aol.com 26]

Ed from Arizona, here in NYS the new "SAFE" law prevents us from carrying more than 7 bullets...Thanks to Emperor Cuomo and worse his minion Bloomberg won't allow any guns to be carried in NYC by legal owners..(only criminals are allowed to carry as they don't follow any laws now do they?)... these bikers look like they were shutting down the highway and stopping cars like they do everywhere so they can perform their "stunts"..I guess that's the reason for the name "hollywood stunts"..and so it went terribly wrong when an innocent person became scared of a wild mob...I agree they should all lose their licenses, bikes and it's a shame only one of that group is crippled and i have no sympathy for him or his gangsters after scaring a family out for a nice day in the city..that could have been anyone of us in our cars with family...I would leave them on that El or abutment they hit as others suggested as a sign to crotch rocket riders to heed...takes the cuffs off of our police...and put them on those scum-bikers...and I know many real bikers are outraged... but all bikers need to drive like a car..one bike in each lane and not passing in between cars when traffic is slowed..I see way to many using the size of their bikes to get around everyone else rather than follow the rules.. this leads to many to just keep upping the ante until you have these wild "flash gangs" taking advantage like this... there are rules..follow them..

[WAS967 97]

You can only carry 7 in the gun. Carry more magazines. =) And technically you aren't allowed to CCW in NYC anyway unless LEO or other special conditions (from my understanding). [Links for clarification appreciated]

[everybodygoes 331]

Well I would rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6. I know a lot of guys who carry a gun without permission in NYC. I also only know of one Lt in the Bronx who would force an arrest for such violation. I highly doubt though that if this guy was carrying a gun the confrontation would have escalated the way it did. He would have felt no reason to flee, he would have probably been in control of the situation.

[AJU 39]

Really? It wouldn't have escalated if the victim was carrying a gun? You're saying that he would have felt more confident and secure against the 200 peaceful, law abiding citizens that were trying to gently get him to slow down for his own safety? Of course they wouldn't have guns themselves - not a single one of them had a prior, right? I'm not going to argue the gun rights issue, but I think the idea that a solitary person might be safer against a gang of any substantial size because they are carrying is ludicrous and can certainly increase the risk of and severity of any injuries sustained and/or dished out.

[10512 214]

Everybodygoes wrote:

"Well I would rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6. I know a lot of guys who carry a gun without permission in NYC. I also only know of one Lt in the Bronx who would force an arrest for such violation."

I am sure there are a lot of Lt's, Sergeants, Detectives and Police Officers that would force an arrest for such violation. Depending on what the person was carrying, it is a felony. Are you saying the Police enforcing the laws is a bad thing?

The point of your post is not exactly clear.

[everybodygoes 331]

I guess you forgot, its called discretion. And yeah, when the guy cuts me off and wants to wave his hand in anger cause I am not doing 1000mph in the middle lane I don't get upset, nor do I get upset when someone feels like giving me a menacing look or any other situation you could think of that would warrant one being worried about their own safety.