Hundreds of off-road vehicles were spotted on streets around Pittsburgh Monday, police said.
Officers fielded numerous complaints of as many as 300 motorcycles, ATVs and dirt bikes riding in large groups, some of which were driving dangerously. Many of the vehicles were not legal for street use and some drivers were running red lights and stop signs, police said.
A female driver was cited around 4 p.m. when police said officers pulled her over near Fifth and Frankstown avenues in the city’s East End. Dozens of others got away.
Pittsburgh public safety officials in March created a tip line to crack down on what they described as “flash mobs” and “ride-outs” of groups using off-road vehicles on city streets as part of a trend nationwide. Authorities are using education and community outreach, collaboration with other law enforcement agencies and investigation of reports to keep those types of vehicles out of town.
Police estimated then that between 50 and 200 off-road vehicles can be found riding on city streets and sidewalks at any given time. Tips about off-road vehicles can be sent to 412_TIPS@pittsburghpa.gov.
The number of ATV and off-road vehicle permits has been rising. Allegheny County has the second most permits in Pennsylvania with 12,977 registrations as of February, according to state officials. That number was topped by Westmoreland County’s 13,886 permits.
Those types of vehicles are typically prohibited on public roads but permitted on designated trails in Pennsylvania’s forestland. The state Department of Conservation of Natural Resources announced in November it was examining options to add land for ATV use.
