Baltimore Police Will Continue 'Traffic Calming' To Deter Dirt Bike Riders
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Baltimore Police are continuing their traffic calming approach on Sunday in an effort to put an end to dirt biking activity near the Druid Hill Park area.
Police were in large numbers last Sunday to deter a weekly gathering of thousands of riders along the 3300 block of Reisterstown Road.
It's what the police is calling a "traffic calming" approach so that dirt bikers don't have the opportunity to ride up and down the street recklessly.
"From a police standpoint we have a public safety role and that's to keep our citizens safe, that's to keep the riders themselves safe, and that's to keep the community at some sort of peace because they've said they don't want this type of activity," said Baltimore Police Spokesperson TJ Smith." "The dirt bike riders want to use this roadway to perform tricks and ride up and down the road recklessly. This is just not the right area for that."
As police cleared the scene last Sunday the dirt bikers could be seen flooding the area once again, leaving many questioning what's the point?
"We recognize that it's not going to go away. We recognize that last week, after the cones were up, the riders came back. We recognize that. We don't want the people from outside this area converging on this community and the hundreds and hundreds of people thinking that this is some sanctioned event," said Smith.
Police say Sunday's traffic diversion tactic is not a long term plan, but something they're employing as a strategy to tackle the problem at this time.
They say there continues to be a huge dialogue about a solution for the dirt bikers and that dialogue will continue.
"All the stakeholders are coming together, to find some way that this can appease everyone," said Smith.
Smith said cars are being slowed down, but moving though in an orderly fashion on Sunday. No traffic delays are expected during this time.
According to authorities, a majority of these dirt bikes are stolen and encourage people to report them when spotted.
