Dirt Bikes Seized by Boston Police

[Garandman]

Fourth Amendment
Main article: Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.[71]

The Fourth Amendment guards against unreasonable searches and seizures, along with requiring any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause. It was adopted as a response to the abuse of the writ of assistance, which is a type of general search warrant, in the American Revolution. Search and seizure (including arrest) must be limited in scope according to specific information supplied to the issuing court, usually by a law enforcement officer who has sworn by it. The amendment is the basis for the exclusionary rule, which mandates that evidence obtained illegally cannot be introduced into a criminal trial.[86] The amendment's interpretation has varied over time; its protections expanded under left-leaning courts such as that headed by Earl Warren and contracted under right-leaning courts such as that of William Rehnquist.[87]

Now this here is a Stromper classic. Clipboarding the 4th Amendment [without attribution for the notes] to demonstrate that essentially any police action is "unreasonable." You must be a ball of fire when you get stopped for speeding.

I'm curious so bear with me. Does your town have a law that requires vehicles on your property to be registered? Does the town or state require the payment of sales or excise taxes on vehicles?

[Garandman]

Thats why I don't typically carry around large amounts of cash. I do however lean bikes against my house on a somewhat regular basis.

Hey, you never know when a girl in a bikini will need a place to sit down!

I saw a bumper sticker on a truck last week:


Maybe tomorrow BPD will run another headline: "Thousands of motorcycles leaning against stuff in Boston not confiscated today - again."

[breakdirt916]

Thats why I don't typically carry around large amounts of cash. I do however lean bikes against my house on a somewhat regular basis.

is it your driveway, or a paved parking spot?

The City of Austin’s Restricted Front Yard and Side Yard Parking ordinance prohibits parking a motor vehicle in the front or side yard of a residence except in a driveway or a paved parking space.

Front Yard Parking | Planning | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin

so if it's just the grassy area next to your house, no you technically can not park it there.

[Stoneman]

Bike Life Massive! Yo...

[number9]

Can we go just one thread without turning something into a Constitutional he-said, she-said?

kthx..

[Garandman]

is it your driveway, or a paved parking spot?

Front Yard Parking | Planning | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin

so if it's just the grassy area next to your house, no you technically can not park it there.

Unmöglich! Stromtrupper, begrenzte freiheit gefunden!

[Garandman]

2 zumas, neither are mine

One thing we do to all our bicycles is to add strips of reflective tape in various places on the frame and wheels. The thief has no way of knowing it uniquely identifies the bike, and shining a flashlight at a group of bikes will single it out.

[PhilB]

Can we go just one thread without turning something into a Constitutional he-said, she-said?

kthx..

Well, probably not. When the government, at all levels, routinely operates so far outside of its Constitutional boundaries, the subject is bound to come up a lot.

PhilB

[Garandman]

Can we go just one thread without turning something into a Constitutional he-said, she-said?

kthx..

Only with the judicious use of Ignore!

In Boston it's illegal to park an unregistered or in inspected vehicle on the street. The only good news is that the Registration ticket isn't a moving violation I was actually glad we got a ticket for expired Inspection once and expired Registration another time, because we hadn't noticed and you get hammered for DWU.

[SteveM]

Rights, right, rights, but no responsibilities.

The "owners" of those vehicles rights stop where they infringe on the rights of their neighbors to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Shall we bemoan the governmental overreach perpetrated against these fine, upstanding citizens and ignore the government's role in protecting the neighbors and the public from them?

The world must be so easy to see, all the issues so clear, all the answers so simple, when everything is black and white (no racial pun or commentary intended).

Here's the bottom line, any responsible owner of dirt bikes or ATV's in this area were in no way impacted by this action. The neighborhood got at least a temporary respite from the "bike life" crowd and the "victims" of this unconstitutional confiscation of property must now get busy stealing new stuff to replenish their stable.

So if you live anywhere they might be able to prowl, lock up your horses!


p.s. perhaps we should "pay them to not commit crimes" or maybe a "illegal vehicle buy-back program"


p.p.s. in the "old days" in Dot, when the criminals weren't armed to the teeth, I'm pretty sure a group of neighborhood dads (dads, that's a novel concept!) would have left the inventory with flattened tires, missing spark plugs, sugared gas tanks, etc. and put a quick and quiet end to this. Today, the responsible are expected to live in fear of the criminal.

[cdovego]

Here a victim, there a victim - everywhere a victim. Take action, own it - move on.

[Garandman]

in Dot, when the criminals weren't armed to the teeth, I'm pretty sure a group of neighborhood dads (dads, that's a novel concept!)

sad but true.

As far as guns go, many of our friends consider the idea of telling the government you have a gun, registering and getting a permit to be a tax to be avoided.....

[aldend123]

Rights, right, rights, but no responsibilities.

The "owners" of those vehicles rights stop where they infringe on the rights of their neighbors to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

I haven't seen much concrete info, but did they know these bikes were involved in infringing people's rights? Like "we saw that bike on video doing XYZ" or a person reported that bike doing XYZ? If they were going after these people for infringing on others, why were they confiscated as a "fire hazard"?

I believe these guys are probably the asshats we think they were. But that's not how rights work. The hunch supports watching them, but I don't see how it should support seizing them, and not even on the grounds that they were being asshats, but that it was a fire harzard?

[Garandman]

I haven't seen much concrete info, but did they know these bikes were involved in infringing people's rights? Like "we saw that bike on video doing XYZ" or a person reported that bike doing XYZ? If they were going after these people for infringing on others, why were they confiscated as a "fire hazard"??

There have been a number of confiscations, not just one. An earlier one was at a public housing project and were charged differently.

If you don't live in the city (let alone reality) you may not realize that everyone is sick of these little fuckers - that's why they are getting dimed out. Another yesterday.

BPD in the News: BPD Auto Theft Unit with MA Environmental PD Continue Crackdown on Illegal Motor Bikes in Boston — bpdnews.com
Boston Police vow crackdown on illegal use of motorized scooters - Metro - The Boston Globe

The scooters and mopeds were tied to one shooting death, two nonfatal shootings, six assault and batteries, three robberies, and one carjacking, said Boston police Sergeant Dan Humphreys, who heads the department’s Auto Theft Unit. About half of those off-road vehicles — 152 — were stolen.

‘We’re starting to see somewhat of an organization behind it . . . it’s almost like a cult following.”

Since May 26, the police department has seized 39 dirt bikes, motorcycles, and scooters and four dirt bike engines from homes in Dorchester and Mission Hill.
Police have a do-not-chase policy similar to other cities like Philadelphia and New York when it comes to such vehicles because to do so could pose a serious danger to the operator, other motorists, and passersby.

Instead, police have counted on tips from the community to learn where the bikes are being stored, Humphreys said. Groups of youth on the all-terrain vehicles have been spotted throughout the city.

My latest idea is to find a way to get these kids involved with cycling in a legit way. I've run into lots and lots of sport bike riders and clubs and they are real enthusiasts and don't ride like asshats. They treat old white guys on Triumphs like celebrities, which is amusing.

[e30addict]

Today, the responsible are expected to live in fear of the criminal.

Pretty much sums up MA in a nutshell.

[aldend123]

There have been a number of confiscations, not just one. An earlier one was at a public housing project and were charged differently.

If you don't live in the city (let alone reality) you may not realize that everyone is sick of these little fuckers - that's why they are getting dimed out. Another yesterday.

BPD in the News: BPD Auto Theft Unit with MA Environmental PD Continue Crackdown on Illegal Motor Bikes in Boston — bpdnews.com
Boston Police vow crackdown on illegal use of motorized scooters - Metro - The Boston Globe

I might not live there, but it's easy to believe these guys are problems. And what they're doing is going to be indirectly bad for me too. Those other two articles, especially the first one, seem a bit different in that it seems inline with reasonable, rightful police action.

[butcher bergs]

Rights, right, rights, but no responsibilities.

The "owners" of those vehicles rights stop where they infringe on the rights of their neighbors to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Shall we bemoan the governmental overreach perpetrated against these fine, upstanding citizens and ignore the government's role in protecting the neighbors and the public from them?

The world must be so easy to see, all the issues so clear, all the answers so simple, when everything is black and white (no racial pun or commentary intended).

Here's the bottom line, any responsible owner of dirt bikes or ATV's in this area were in no way impacted by this action. The neighborhood got at least a temporary respite from the "bike life" crowd and the "victims" of this unconstitutional confiscation of property must now get busy stealing new stuff to replenish their stable.

So if you live anywhere they might be able to prowl, lock up your horses!


p.s. perhaps we should "pay them to not commit crimes" or maybe a "illegal vehicle buy-back program"


p.p.s. in the "old days" in Dot, when the criminals weren't armed to the teeth, I'm pretty sure a group of neighborhood dads (dads, that's a novel concept!) would have left the inventory with flattened tires, missing spark plugs, sugared gas tanks, etc. and put a quick and quiet end to this. Today, the responsible are expected to live in fear of the criminal.

If this isn't top to bottom truth I don't know what is.

Fuk-ing-a bravo, Steve!


As far as the dads comment, we still exist though most of us are rural now where there is a mutual respect amongst neighbors that renders such actions unnecessary (and frees up more time for us to be dads).

[number9]

What's this white bike on the right? I can't identify it from this picture alone.

[SwiftTone]

What's this white bike on the right? I can't identify it from this picture alone.

Looks like a Street Triple on slicks?

[Garandman]

As far as the dads comment, we still exist though most of us are rural now where there is a mutual respect amongst neighbors that renders such actions unnecessary (and frees up more time for us to be dads).

There are plenty of dads in Boston. You don't read about good ones.

[SteveM]

CTV News | News Video - Top National News Headlines - News Videos

Bike life NYC style

[nt650hawk]

hmmmm.... I wonder ..... did these "victims" of the seizure try to reclaim "their" property... LOL.....

[Falko]

Reminds me of that hijacking of the bike in Brazil or Columbia or where ever it was. But this has a less than stellar outcome.

[Garandman]

Don't think much of this will be happening until after the 4th week. The latest was an unlicensed service garage with some stolen bikes.

[Stromper]

Progressives

To progress beyond the governmental restrictions of the US Constitution

Happy slippery Slope on the Independence Day Weekend

King George knew how to handle punks