Dozens of teens and adults gathered for a rally at Worcester City Hall Friday night, supporting youth riding bikes in the city.
Many say they have been getting a bad name because of swerving, a dangerous trend police are cracking down on, involving cyclists – typically teens – riding recklessly in the street toward oncoming cars and swerving away at the last second. The Worcester Police Department created a task force to target the trend that is happening in cities across the country.
“It startled me at first,” cyclist Mike Foley said of witnessing swerving, “but after that, I thought they were just showing off. They weren’t scaring me or intimidating me or anything like that. They’re just kids.”
But police have received many reports of teens swerving in the city, endangering themselves and others on the road. Officers arrested a 13- and 15-year-old for swerving on Wednesday, and police have confiscated several bikes.
Advocates who attended the rally Friday in support of the youth handed out free bike lights to keep the kids safe on the streets at night. They say arresting teens is not the way to handle the issue, telling Boston 25 News riding is a great way for kids to get around the city, have fun, get exercise and stay out of trouble.
“We just want to be out here and reaffirm that the streets belong to everyone,” said cyclist David Dayan. “We’re allowed to ride a bike in the streets. We don’t need to criminalize people to make sure people are safe out here.”
Cyclists also used the event as an opportunity to discuss what they say is a need for more bike lanes and a city that is more bike-friendly.
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