Are Cyclists The New Biker Gangs?

The concept of “bike parties” where a group of people on bicycles take over a stretch of road in a city has enjoyed some media praise and even the blessing of municipal authorities over the past few years. Supposedly, those are to get more people riding and socializing while establishing that the roads are for more than just cars. But there’s a new trend with bike parties that is far more troubling, including violence and other illegal activities.

Say goodbye to horseback patrols in Seattle.

Just a few days ago there was an incident in San Jose, California. As covered by the local Fox affiliate, dozens of teens and young adults on bikes descended on a grocery store parking lot, causing chaos. Some were reportedly harassing people just doing their shopping, throwing items at them. Others reportedly stole items from the store and some are accused of blocking the store’s entrances.

That incident ended with a police response and plenty of outraged community members. But this sort of thing seems to be increasing in frequency.

For example, back in August a driver in Los Angeles was surrounded by a gang of cyclists. They dragged the man out of his car, beat him, then stole whatever they pleased from the vehicle. The attack was sudden and brutal, leaving people shocked. But it’s not as uncommon as some might be led to believe.

In another incident, cyclists took over an entire four-lane road in an unspecified city. They wouldn’t let cars through, threatening anyone who tried to drive along the road, even throwing items at the cars. Yet we could find zero media coverage of this takeover event. And there are others which happen and are posted on social media.

Call these flash mobs, organized crime, or whatever you want, the problem seems to be getting worse. With e-bikes growing in popularity, many of these bicycles are also quite fast and agile, allowing suspects to get away easily.

Plus, unlike dirt bikes, they’re essentially silent and thus harder to track. We see this problem worsening and yet there seems to be little response from municipalities so far. It might sound ridiculous, but we wonder if the emergence of bicycle gangs isn’t happening right now.

Image via San Jose California/YouTube