Greenwich Police Have Their Eyes Out for Groups of Youths on Bicycles in Cos Cob

On the popular Facebook group “Greenwich Connections,” a large, but private group, someone posted a comment Sunday about a group of young boys riding bikes together in Cos Cob and creating a dangerous situation.

By Tuesday there were 200 comments.

The initial comment said there were usually 7-10 young boys riding bikes together and taunting cars by riding slowly in the middle of the street.

“Last week they tied up the intersection on the Post Road (by CVS and Fairfield Pizza). And (on Saturday) they rode down Indian Field Road, blocking traffic on both sides, pulling wheelies and flipping off drivers,” he commented.

He added that he thought the boys were taking their cues from the bicycle gangs in Manhattan and Western Long Island. “Keep your eyes open in the area as I fear someone is going to accidentally hit one of them,” he said.

Another commented he’d seen the boys on River Road, “…riding erratically side by side popping wheelies in the middle of a double yellow road with busy traffic.”

“Keep your eyes open in the area as I fear someone is going to accidentally hit one of them,” he added.

Another person said, “Wonder if those are the kids I saw over by exit 6!!!! Zig zagging all between cars off the off ramp near Stamford diner going up towards Starbucks! Taunting the homeless man panhandling!”

Another comment said it was not a new phenomenon.

“Been going on for months with these kids riding their bikes in the middle of the road weaving in and out & taunting drivers. Daytime & nightime. Very dangerous,” she wrote.

“Saw them last week. Riding all messy on Putnam & through the fire department’s & library parking lots. 3-4 of them,” read another comment. “One barely in the double digits yet. Ride safe kids & obey the law. Period. End.”

“I think they are the same boys who are doing the same on Railroad Ave. No helmets and they don’t care about traffic. I told one this afternoon how dangerous it is. He just mocked me and laughed in my face,” someone else said.

On Monday someone added a comment to the thread saying, “There was a group of kids on bikes shooting people with paint ball guns in OG last week too!” She added that the police had responded to that incident.

Other people commented that the group on bikes had been riding up and down the Ave before and after the St Patrick’s parade on Sunday. “I did mention it to a police officer on the ave but everyone was so busy with the parade. I told the kid I was going to call the cops and he said ‘please do.’ 5 mins later they all disappeared.”

By Monday night it appeared some of the boys or their parents were trolling the thread.

Greenwich Police Lieutenant Martin O’Reilly explained on Tuesday that Greenwich police officers who patrol the areas in and around Cos Cob do pay particular attention to youths on bicycles.

“We hope that with some positive police contacts that we can change their behavior for their own safety and that of citizens around them,” he said. “Vehicular and pedestrian safety, to include bicyclist,  has always been of great importance to the Greenwich Police Department, and still will be.”

Asked what advice he had for drivers encountering the group of boys on their bikes, O’Reilly said, “Drivers should avoid reacting hastily when navigating in the area of youths on bicycles.”

He added, “We encourage residents to contact the non emergency numbers at Greenwich Police Dept when they see bicyclists riding in an unsafe or reckless manner on public roadways.”

Lastly, he said police encourage parents of youths who are out riding bicycles with their friends to ensure that they are riding safely, wearing the proper protective gear, such as helmets, and that they know that they are expected to obey the rules of the road just as motorists are. 

The GPD non emergency number is: (203) 622-8004