HARRISBURG, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The ranking member of the Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee hopes a change to state law could help Philadelphia crack down on illegal operation of ATVs and dirt bikes on city streets.
"This remains a serious issue in Philadelphia, which continues to jeopardize the safety of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians,” said Philadelphia Democrat Ed Neilson.
Neilson says Philadelphia had a city ordinance that allowed the seizure of dirtbikes and ATVs and carried a significant fine, but last year, Pennsylvania enacted Act 92, a law creating statewide penalties that are much lower than Philadelphia’s. That law supersedes the city’s ordinance, as there’s a maximum of $200 for a first offense and $300 for each subsequent offense compared to Philadelphia’s, which allowed for $2,000 fines.
Neilson’s bill, which unanimously moved out of the transportation committee, would exempt Philadelphia from the state law.
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It’s unclear if a higher fine would be a deterrent. Notably, ATVs are a problem in cities across the country. And law enforcement is prohibited from chasing illegal ATVs out of public safety concerns, which often emboldens riders, knowing they can get away without easily being traced.
ATV groups say there’s nowhere in the city for them to ride legally, and have asked for designated spaces or ATV parks, but location, cost, and other logistics — including how riders would get to and from the designated space — have been discussed for years with no solutions.
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