Residents, council, mayor discuss erratic ATV, motorbike use in town
SHENANDOAH – Shenandoah Borough Council, along with residents and Mayor Andrew Szczyglak, discussed a recent rise in erratic ATV and motorbike use in town at last Monday’s council meeting.
“We have to do something. When I was driving up here to the meeting tonight, there was a motorcycle that pulled out off of West Street the wrong way onto Centre Street, no license [plate] on the motorcycle,” Szczyglak said. “We have to curb this. This has to stop.”
During the first public comment portion of the meeting, resident Charlie Vascavage spoke at length about recent hazards.
Vascavage said he was told by a neighbor that someone had a bike on a porch revving it.
“That’s a fire hazard,” he said. “That bike catches on fire, that’s a house catching on fire.
He also said that he’d witnessed kids doing wheelies on motorbikes, riding the wrong way on Coal Street.
“Somebody’s going to get hurt and who’s going to be responsible? The borough, for letting this s–t happen,” Vascavage said. “Popping wheelies on four-wheelers, 2:00 in the morning they’re out there.”
“These bikes have got to stop. Somebody’s going to get killed,” Vascavage said. “I’m tired of it. All the neighbors are tired of it over on Chestnut Street.”
Council Vice President J.P. Dombrosky agreed with Vascavage.
“We did ask the public to call this kind of stuff in,” Dombrosky said, asking Szczyglak, who, as mayor, supervises the police force, if they were called in.
“They [residents] tell me they’re getting called in, but when I ask the police, they tell me no calls have come through,” Szczyglak said.
Vascavage also spoke about motorcycles being parked illegally, on pavements, porches, or otherwise.
“I’m getting ashamed of this town,” Vascavage said.
Szczyglak said he would speak to the police force after the meeting.
“I know they can’t chase them, but we have to do something,” Szczyglak said. “Something needs to be done about this.”
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Make them have insurance on atv, I have atvs in Shenandoah heights and I have insurance on it,
On any given day or night ATVs dirt bikes at all hours fly up and down south chestnut street, not to mention the vehicles that run the stop sign at cherry and south chestnut. It’s becoming a very dangerous intersection. It’s only a matter of time before an accident to occur. I hope we can prevent it.
Hi. Im sorry I missed the town meeting. I would also like to speak about the dirt bike and quad issues. I have lived in 400 block of Atlantic st for the past 30yrs and in the past 10 dirt bikes and quads fly up and down the alley and surrounding streets more than ever. One day they are going to run over a child playing in front of his or her house. There is an illegal motorcycle parked on the corner of Catherine and Oak. South Gilbert St has an automotive garage working right on the street. It seems like a lot of the borough residents do not know the traffic laws or just do not care about them. The streets in this town are so bad you need and ATV or some kind of 4×4 to get around but laws are being broken and not being enforced, mainly because this borough can not afford to protect its residents or improve the living conditions.
I understand people’s gripes about atvs and dirtbikes ripping through town acting like idiots. As an avid rider who rides if not daily weekly and as someone who has respect for people both on and off the trail I understand both sides of the argument. Personally I would love too see certain streets or sections of road opened for atv use for access from one trail to another legally and or be able to access gas ,food,etc. From the trails. I would love to see more lands opened up to legal riding and I also understand the strain it puts on resident police fire ems especially when they are having to buy and build or call in a special atv unit for the ability to react to calls on the trails but I think through proper regulation and some give and take from everyone on both sides the offroad industry could be a huge benefit to the local economy . As a local I see the death of industry in the area the blight the collapsed houses the crappy roads but I also see opportunities and an industry begging to move in and spend money. The choice is ours stand your ground stay stuck in the past and let everything continue to collapse or seriously look at other major trail systems and towns they impact as well the rules and regulations they put in place and the positive impact on their economy. Open trails open a few streets to gas stations and food impose a curfew to be off of said streets by a certain time and enforce it like I said give and take from both sides. Just one riders opinion