Dirt bike hoons running red lights and pulling off stunts on the main streets of Mandurah have once again caught the ire of the public.
Residents took to a local social media page to share their encounters and vent their frustration at the "disrespectful" and "dangerous" riders carving up the roads.
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Those encounters included hoons dashing through red lights at the busy intersection of Pinjarra Road and Sutton Street, and others "screaming" along the Novara Foreshore Reserve bike path.
"I can't understand how they've got away with it for so long? It's everywhere!" one commenter wrote.
"These are the type of riders that give the majority of dirt bike riders a bad name," another added.
But the hoons themselves defended their actions, saying there was "no where else to ride" in Mandurah.
"Maybe give us somewhere to ride then? Until that happens, catch us if ya can," one commented.
The Facebook post sparked debate over whether Mandurah needed an off-road track for local dirt bike enthusiasts, a possibility the City of Mandurah said they are exploring after conceding hooning was an "ongoing problem".
"Illegal use of off-road motorbikes is an ongoing problem, and we continue to work with police to prevent illegal riding on roads and reserves," a statement released by the City read.
"To be effective, information provided by the community is essential.
"The community is encouraged to report incidents to rangers or police, including the locations where bikes are housed, descriptions of the rider and bike and days of the week and times where the riding is occurring and any footage that is taken if it is safe to do so.
"It is a challenging issue as off-road motorbikes are often not registered and pursuing bikes increases the danger to all concerned. If offenders are caught the vehicles can be seized and impounded.
"The City is exploring opportunities through its the Yalgorup Recreational Master Plan process and seeking updates from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries on progress in the identification of potential sites."
The Mandurah Mail reported in December that City councillors had approved a motion to "crack down on off-road vehicles".
In the 2018/19 financial year, the city received 400 complaints regarding off-road vehicles, up from 372 the year before.
Have you had a bad experience with dirt bike hoons around Mandurah? Email justin.rake@mandurahmail.com.au
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
