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GARDAÍ IN LIMERICK arrested a youth for driving a scrambler bike on a footpath near pre-match rugby crowds on St. Stephen’s Day.
The young person was spotted by a Garda cyclist in the Thomondgate area of the city and was arrested for driving offences.
A Garda spokesperson told TheJournal.ie that the boy, in his teens, was arrested at 4.15pm for dangerous driving.
The spokesperson added that “there were a lot of people in the area at the time” for the Munster rugby game against Leinster at Thomond Park.
The Gardaí detailed the case on their twitter account with the warning “Use presents properly”.
Numerous warnings were issued ahead of the Christmas period, with the Road Safety Authority and South Dublin County Council among those joining the Gardaí to warn parents about the dangers of buying these bikes as gifts for their children.
They pointed out that quad bikes and small motorbikes are only allowed to be used on private land and are illegal to be driven on Irish roads.
Anyone who drives a quad or mini-bike must: be over 16, wear a helmet, hold a valid driving license and have the appropriate tax and insurance.
Selling such a vehicle to someone under the age of 16 could yield a fine of up to €3,000 or six months in prison.
At the time, Councillor Deirdre O’Donovan said: “Scramblers and quad bikes are an issue that communities have been struggling with for a number of years. We need to educate parents of the dangers of their children using these bikes.
We have had too many tragedies and parents need to be aware of the legal responsibilities especially as we approach Christmas.
The last thing anyone wants is a tragedy, especially at Christmas, involving one of these motor vehicles.
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Why is it that the poorest of areas produce teenagers with the most expensive (and irresponsible) gifts. Some of these vehicles are 3k +.
Cos they don’t pay tax….
They’ll be gone by end of Feb, sold off and trying to catch up with credit card debt or worse money lenders for rest of year.
Same around Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Lots of teens on scramblers, not paying attention on pedestrians at all. Too few gardai to spot them.
Santas kindness know no ends. Most are probably stolen mind.
My office is near Tolka Valley Park on the ballyboggan road. If you wanna see complete disregard for pedestrians, road users and the cops, there’s your spot. Will easily see a few motocross bikes Popping wheelies on the main road, driving on the paths, some not even wearing helmets yet if I as a much as clipped one of these scrotes I’d be taken to the cleaners.
I live nearby and you’re right, although the Finglas Christmas GP was not as well subscribed as recent years. I only heard about 20 bikes flying around. 2014 was a bumper year, there must have been 50 of them.
Should there not just be restrictions on sale but restrictions on the import of these bikes and quads, there lethal, the only good thing about them is their so noisy people hear them coming from a mile off, I’d say it’s that reason why we haven’t had a hell of a lot more collisions with pedestrians
@Liam O’Reilly: On Christmas day I happened to see what I assumed to be a father show a child of about 4 – 5 how to use a small scrambler bike on a small patch of waste ground. The kiddie had all the gear and a helmet and a few hours later was whizzing around the roads, like a wasp in a jam jar. The thing is when, not if but when, these wee kiddies end up in A&E their parents will be in front of a camera or microphone pulling their hair out blaming the poor driver who hit the kiddie and telling the world there’s “nuttin’ ’round here for kids”.
What kind of knob head sends their 5 year old out on the street on a scrambler…???
Ah yes the argument for selective sterilisation gains momentum!!
And jed. .. I have absolutely no doubt this father was a recipient of the dole and his mother on every single allowance known to man
Sure it’s against the law to drive them bikes on the road in his defence
@Chris Creagh:
It’s against the law for cyclists to cycle on the footpath too but you never ever hear of any arrests.
It’s not as if it never happens, any city footpath you will see them darting between pedestrians.
The little gomie could have done serious harm to an innocent pedestrian..
Whats a gomie
I thought some of the quad bikes were road legal, when taxed etc.?
Young gangster. Gangster/homie
@Alan Cooke: I know it’s against the law but I would prefer to see small children cycle on the footpath rather than on the road – our roads are too dangerous even for adult cyclists.Even cycle paths can be dangerous as they end abruptly in places and in other cases I have seen cars parked in them. Cyclists cycle at theiir peril.
@Aisling Brady:
To expand on your point claiming roads are too dangerous for cyclists, footpaths are too dangerous for pedestrians due to the dangerous behaviour of cyclists. I’m sorry aisling but cyclists have no regard for the rules of the road and this is being passed to the next generation by their ongoing disregard for the rules of the road. This story here is an extension of that behaviour. No regard for anyone else.
@Adolf Adams: cycling to work many years and think the ratio of stupid cyclists is pretty much the same as stupid drivers or pedestrians, had too many near misses with people walking out in front of me without looking or drivers going straight through roundabouts without looking while having a mobile phone tucked under their chin.And Aisling is right about cycle paths.They are pretty ugh unusable,what other country puts lamposts and Street signs smack bang in the middle of a cycle path!?!?
Living in Irishtown and have had to call the guards a few times in the past few days – scramblers in the park whizzing about through crowds. Utter disregard for locals and park users. The sheer noise of them as well is outrageous. Guards show up then all they want is a chase.
I’d imagine they will do themselves some serious damage or a passer by!
Gardai have to enforce this!!
Same every year here!
Proper order
I used to cycle on the footpath, most of the time, because, er , yes, I wanted to stay alive. As you can see, I’m still alive or thereabouts, which points to the effectiveness of cycling on the footpath. I have yet to hear of a pedestrian being killed by a bike. Granted, it could happen. But, I never heard of such an occurrence. Yes, for anyone who has cycled on a regular basis, and for those who haven’t, most of us know just how dangerous speeding cars are to our health and wellbeing. Riding a bike on the open road is bloody dangerous. Even fairly quiet roads can be death-traps. Cars whiz by just feet from you; margins for error are minimal. When confronted with an overtaking speed freak coming at you on the wrong side of the road, you suddenly realize that life can be even shorter than expected. The common sense thing to do, therefore, in these circumstances, is to get on to the footpath and stay there…to be arrested ! Yes, cycling is good for your health, once you stay safe on the footpath !
We’re not talking about cycling Richard FFS!
Peter> I cycle most days. Your behaviour of cycling on the path effects me as people are aggressive and accuse all cyclists of doing the same regularly. Drivers and pedestrians are incredibly aggressive towards cyclists because of bad cyclists. I can only be responsible for my behaviour but we are seen as group
Don’t know whether you’re trolling or stupid, but never cycle on the goddamn footpath. Have confidence on the road and in your own cycling ability. Communicate with other road users using your arms, voice, ears and common sense and if you’re worried about a crash wear a helmet at all times. Just don’t be that guy who cycles on the footpath.
Pedestrian in his 50s was killed recently by a cyclist whilst out walking in the Phoenix Park. Many other injuries go unreported. There’s one tool who regularly wheelies it through crowds up and down O Connell st day in day out without ever being challenged by more than a dirty look.
David> You got that wrong a cyclist was killed by a pedestrian who walked into the cycle lane in the Phoenix Park. There has been a pedestrian killed by a cyclist once in the last 15 years extremely rare for it to happen
I stand corrected…..
Jayo> the cyclist was killed by the pedestrian walking into a cycle
http://www.thejournal.ie/phoenix-park-cyclist-dies-in-hospital-2751811-May2016/
Avina> That isn’t Ireland
What makes you think it would be vastly different here?
Avina> The fact that the report is for a country with a vastly larger urban environment with a larger cycling infrastructure. It also does nothing to mention who is to blame for an accident. Pedestrians walking in cycle lane or not looking when crossing them get injured just the same. How come car insurance is cheaper there? Why so vastly different?
@Peter Martin:
@Peter Martin: my nan was put in hospital by a jackass like you cycling on the foot path, and the only thing she had to say for herself was “did she not hear me approaching?”
And in other serious news in Limerick…a young man was questioned by Gardai after he kicked his ball into his neighbours garden!!
Kicking a ball into the neighbour’s garden generally isn’t going to kill or seriously injure anyone.
Depending on whose garden you kick it into
There are always loads of 12 -17 year olds carelessly driving these bikes in the moyross area, this is the only time I’ve seen something done about it. And if you say anything to the clueless, dole queing, pyjama wearing parents, they all have the same response…..”shur they could be doing a lot worse.” Idiots.
Just to add to what I have said already. There is a case to be made for legalising the use of a footpath for those using bikes. I’m sure that this law was made originally to prevent such use when the volume of traffic on our roads was a fraction of what it is today. Then, it was relatively safe to use the roads and mix it with cars, buses and lorries.Today, it’s the complete opposite. I’m not referring to semi-professional cyclists but ordinary bike users such as children, middle aged and elderly people who are still fit and able to cycle. Speed limits and right of way limits and conditions could be devised to enable everyone, pedestrian and cyclist to co-exist and use the available space on the footpath to get around. Nothing is impossible.
@David Mac Shite: they’re not expensive if they’re stolen.
But seriously the area in finglas is ridiculous, the cops turn a blind eye to it yet it’s supposed to be a public park.
Should all be clattered be us law abiding citizens. Dirt
I would advise anyone to cycle on the footpath in preference to making yourself a target for some absent minded or careless driver. Obviously, I would advise anyone doing so to be careful and stop, giving pedestrians the right of way. The average speed of a pedal bike is about 10/15 miles per hour whereas that of a car is 40/50 plus miles per hour in built up areas. Clearly therefore, bikes are not the killing machines which cars are. Every year the number of cyclists who lose their lives on Irish roads are hit by cars and lorries. To avoid this, it’s commonsense to cycle on the footpath. In many areas around Dublin in particular, there are literally miles of empty footpaths, running parallel to busy roads. Not to use them when cycling and place yourself in harms way on the roadway is idiotic. Ok. COMMONSENSE.
This guy didn’t kill or injure somebody either…this wouldn’t warrant reporting in a local newspaper let alone a national news website…
Madness. Just look at all the grey “blind spots” on that bike. He can’t see a thing!
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