Cranston to power-down ATV menace in city

At a press conference on Friday, Mayor Ken Hopkins and Chief of Police Colonel Michael J. Winquist, announced a plan to curtail the use of illegally operating ATVs, mini-bikes, go-carts, etc. The plan begins with an Executive Order by the Mayor, which goes into effect immediately.

Cranston’s action follows closely behind Providence Mayor Elorza’s announced intent to legalize these vehicles – requiring licenses, license plates, insurance, and on-road possibilities. In his February announcement, Elorza said, “I am interested in exploring enabling legislation that would allow cities and towns to require owners who operate these vehicles to register them, purchase insurance, and make necessary modifications such as turn signals, side mirrors and mufflers to make them safer and quieter. All traffic laws and other regulations would of course still apply to these vehicles and those who drive them in our City.”

Winquist said that most who are apprehended do not have licenses and are on unregistered vehicles – he noted that riders like to be anonymous and will remove any plates or identifying items from their bikes.

Mayor Hopkins announced a four step plan to curtail the use of ATVs illegally in Cranston. All steps take effect immediately.

1. Enforcement of ordinance 10.40.030 that prohibits the illegal vehicles – vehicles are immediately empounded and ownership forfeited.
2. Any service station licensed by Cranston to refuse service to unregistered or illegal motorcycles, ATVs, recreational vehicles, etc.
3. Service stations must also notify police immediately for enforcement.
4. These orders take effect immediately.

10.40.030 – Riding of mini-bikes, etc., on public property:

No person shall ride, drive or otherwise use a mini-bike, non-street legal or unregistered motorcycle, go-cart, or other like vehicle on or upon any public property of the city. Registered vehicles only shall be allowed on public streets, parking lots or other areas designed for regular traffic, unless prohibited by the chief of police.

At the press conference, a photo was shown of a rider with a large handgun and it was noted that many who are stopped either have weapons or drugs on their person, or some outstanding criminal issue. Chief Winquist noted that these are not young people out for fun, and that most are adults.

Mayor Hopkins noted that civil fines will follow in conjunction with additional initiatives to come before the City Council.

It is expected that vehicles taken will be destroyed, most likely using DPW front loaders to do so. At this point, with the way the law is, vehicles confiscated have to be returned to the owner, so new regulations will be a “helpful tool” to enforcement of the ban on illegal ATV-type vehicles within Cranston city lines.

Mayor Hopkins noted that as the weather gets better this activity will increase and this will allow a proactive approach to start now.

A few warmer days last week already saw these vehicles coming into the city, with one incident where they were circling a driver in a car, doing wheelies on Cranston streets and circling cars and coming up behind autos and individuals. Some conservation land has been damaged by off-road riding as well.

Last summer Mayor Fung and the Cranston Police stood a line at the Cranston border while Providence dealt with nightly issues with off-road vehicles and incidents primarily in the Elmwood Ave/Park Ave area. They utilized DPW vehicles to block travel over the Providence border at some points. Blockades into Cranston gave a strong affront that these incidents would not be allowed in the city of Cranston.