Riders break the rules

By Tania Martin
RESIDENTS of Cockatoo are calling for police to help control a group of young people who are riding around the streets on unregistered trail bikes.
Township committee president Dot Griffin said people fear someone will be seriously injured if something isn’t done soon.
Ms Griffin said there is a small group of kids from Cockatoo, Emerald, and Macclesfield riding around on unregistered and licensed trail bikes and causing trouble.
“There are over 700 kids in Cockatoo who are being responsible but it is a small group that is causing the trouble,” she said.
Ms Griffin said that on several occasions she has nearly hit children who had come racing around corners on their trail bikes.
“They are riding dangerously on the road, not obeying the road rules and now we are starting to see a build-up of vandalism,” she said.
“It is a small group of kids who somehow think they can break every rule.”
Steven McInnes, 18, of Cockatoo came face-to-face with one of the riders on Saturday, 23 December when his car collided with a trail bike on Pakenham Road.
Mr McInnes was driving along Pakenham Road just after 6pm when the accident happened.
He said the trail bike rider came out of Bailey Road and he didn’t have time to stop.
“We tried to dodge each other but we collided and I went off the road,” Mr McInnes said. The bike rider was injured in the accident.
“I jumped out of the car and called an ambulance.”
At the time of the accident Mr McInnes said he didn’t think it was really happening.
“It’s something that happens to other people, not you.”
Ms Griffin said something needs to be done before someone else is injured.
“We need to make these kids aware that they are not riding around on a racing track,” she said.
Cardinia Shire police District Inspector Chris Notman said it is illegal for people to ride unregistered trail bikes and urges people who see it happening to contact police.
“All we can ask is for the general public to dial 000 and call the police,” he said.
“Or if people in the community know who the perpetrators are they should tell police or talk to the parents if it is a young person.”