Threats of a planned Sunday bike takeover in Ceres failed to materialize, according to Ceres Police Chief Trenton Johnson.
Ceres Police responded to social media posts about a planned starting point gathering at Smyrna Park and arranged to have the California Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Department and Modesto Police present in case things got out of hand.
“It didn’t materialize into something that big,” said Police Chief Johnson. “We didn’t want it to get out of hand. We have zero tolerance in Ceres.”
Approximately 30 bicycling teens – from Ceres and elsewhere – began congregating in Smyrna Park with officers stopping them from going into neighborhoods. A total of 12 bikes were confiscated and subjected to a 30-day impoundment. Some of the riders also received citations for reckless riding or not wearing a helmet, the chief said.
Word of a Ceres takeover stemmed from a takeover staged in Riverbank where kids were recorded on video popping wheelies in front of parked cars and deliberately hitting some parked cars. Some of the teens were interviewed by CBS 13 reporter Nina Burns and said they were doing it for the likes and views on Instagram. The culture, called Bad Bike Life, includes so-called “suicide swervers” who directly aim at approaching cars head-on and quickly swerve before impact.
Those who intentionally hit parked cars call themselves “bumper boys,” the group told Burns.
At least one of the teens admitted to the TV station that the Ceres event was jsut to troll police and tie up resources. He added that they are aware that police monitor their social media page.
“They lost public support in that interview,” commented Johnson.
“Our citizens deserve to live in a city in peace and not be accosted by kids pulling out in front of them doing wheelies and almost hitting them.”
Ceres Police Lt. Jeff Godfrey said bicyclists must abide by the same law subject of motorists, including coming to a complete stop at stop signs and red lights, going with the flow of vehicular traffic and not recklessly veering in and out of traffic lanes.
Law enforcement learned of plans for a bike takeover of the freeway, prompting a heavier than normal CHP presence but were only being trolled, said Chief Johnson.
In December the Ceres City Council unanimously amended Ceres Municipal Code to add title “Section 10.05.120 – “Organized, Planned or Street Take Over” and penalties.
Juveniles who are caught are issued a citation and their parents notified. The ordinance allows an officer to impound a bicycle for 30 days at fines of $250 for the first impound, $500 for the second, $750 for the third and $1,000 for the fourth or subsequent impounds.
Johnson said that some of the bikes will be claimed because they are expensive and worth the cost of paying to release them.
One provision of the code allows the Police Department to refer minors 16 years of age or younger who violate any part of the ordinance or a related Vehicle Code section to a Saturday bicycle safety course.
“It really comes down to all these kids have parents and they are not paying close attention,” said Johnson. “Their kids are out doing these things in the community and they’re not being stopped by the parents.”
