Kids Vandalizing Cars on Ebike

By an edhat reader

My neighbor posted this and I think it’s worthy to share community-wide:

To the parents of the kids throwing things at cars off the City College pedestrian bridge…It might be time to take the RAD bike away as punishment. I was driving up Loma Alta and heard a loud thud on my roof. After stopping, I saw two kids ducking down lift their heads up (fail) then duck again and then up again (double fail).

I told them it was mother’s day and I was going to call their mom and she’d be super mad (funny). Two minutes later they ride right in front of me on West Campus (fail) and through the pedestrian walkway towards Barranca. With two kids in the car, I am thankful nothing hit the windshield or another vehicle that would’ve caused an accident.

Might be worth talking to them about finding ways to have fun that don’t endanger the public, or at least talk to them about how to get away with something without being seen three times.

Person 1 Hair: light brown, Top: grey hoodie, black jansport backpack, Bottom: Black pants, grey blue socks, Shoes: Adidas black with white stripes and heel, Age: Teenager, Race: White

Person 2 Hair: Brown, dark green helmet, Top: black long sleeve sweatshirt, Bottom: blue and white checker pants, Shoes: white socks, black adidas with white stripes

Vehicle 1 Color: Dark green, Make: RAD, Model: Ebike with rear seat

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Written by Anonymous

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56 Comments

  1. I don’t think that anything will happen to these young boys unless they are caught by the cops “in the act” of doing something illegal. I’m guessing that the two in the photo are part of the group who throw things off the top of Parking Lot 9 (next to Marshall’s unknowing folks on State Street. “One of these days,” as they say, they are going to “F” with the wrong person(s).

  2. How is Rowse brought into this? Oh yeah, it’s GT again blaming the mayor for random stuff right and left. Cool. I agree w others here who are pissed at the lax parenting. It’s happening all around, but the wealthier areas may be the worst. Money doesn’t buy everything, that’s for sure. And yeah, one of these days they’ll learn their lesson by either getting caught in the act or fooling with the wrong person.

  3. I train my dogs at SBCC and am there every day from 5 to9pm (M-F). I know security there very well. My kids also go there during those hours. We are there weekends too.
    The kids on the mesa, ebike kids, have been a total PIA for months. This has nothing to do with ebikes, this has to do with several kids being little creeps. I have called security on them several times, have been called names, have had things thrown at me too.
    Two of them started a fire on campus with firecrackers last year and those two have not been seen since.
    I urge you to both call Campus Security, and SBPD. I’ve got a few friends there if you would like some help with this.
    I’m all about defending kids having fun when cranky old farts start barking at them, but some of these kids need to be disciplined. Which is the problem now….parents dont discipline their kids.

  4. It’s the Mesa ebike gang. There is a very known issue of 6th – 10th grade kids on the mesa with ebikes terrorizing the neighborhood. It’s not just kids being kids. These kids are little entitled brats that talk back and cuss out anyone who tries to say anything. Please, if you are the parents of kids in this age group living on the mesa with an ebike, take some control and learn about what your kids are up to and who they’re hanging out with.
    I’m sure there are a few good kids in the mix but there has to be a core group of bad apples leading this behavior. I’d be horrified to know if my kids were involved in this. I know enough people on the Mesa to know that it’s a close and well organized community. Someone reading this has to know who these kids are and who the derelict parents are of the ring leaders. It’s about time for someone to step up and address the problem before the police have to get involved.

    • BOSCO – good point. Out here in Goleta we also have young teen kids flying around on these things (I know a few), but I have yet to see them act aggressively the way those downtown do. I’ve seen them harass people by the beach, throw things at people and physically hit other kids with their bikes (happened to my nephew’s friend at a Forester’s game at Pershing last summer). Look, as a young teen we used to tease the tourists (tell them Santa Cruz was Hawaii and you could see the volcanoes on clear days) and goof around downtown, but the physical stuff is not cool. Most these kids are spoiled brats, meaning it’s unlikely their parents know or even care what they’re up to. My suggestion is, when they go beyond goofing around, call the cops. Put a little fear in them.

    • I have a lot of friends on the Mesa and it’s been a topic of discussion for some time. Even speaking with some of the teachers at Mesa schools have said there is a “bad batch of kids in the area”. I don’t personally know anyone with kids in this age group, but I certainly know that someone reading this probably does. Those parents need to recognize there is a problem likely caused by some lax parenting.
      I certainly don’t expect kids to be perfect and it’s nice to see kids being given some freedom. But these kids have gone too far for too long. I worry about how these kids are influencing the good kids and what this means for the next generation. It’s their attitude that needs to be addressed.

  5. These are probably the same kids bothering people in the Vons parking lot and acting up down at the waterfront and downtown. I hope people start video taping them and taking clear photos and posting them. Maybe then their parents will acknowledge that their child (who they think is never at fault) did something wrong. Right now there are many in denial and those who always blame the teacher, another kid, etc. It’s really bad at certain Mesa schools. Time for accountability and appropriate punishments.

    • Unless you spend all your time in the Vons parking lot, you might very well not have seen this. Bothering people is purposely blocking entrances and exits, blocking parking spaces, dumping frozen yogurt all over the floor at the yogurt place, and other behavior that we all well know is not socially acceptable. No one is saying it’s all kids, and no, all junior high kids and 6th graders do not look alike. Again, the denying that there is a problem and not wanting to call certain kids out is not doing anyone any favors.

    • SBEDUCATOR – no one is “denying that there is a problem.” This seems to be a constant problem here and I’m surprised to see it coming from a supposed teacher. When someone doesn’t jump on the “arrest them for murder” bandwagon and puts forth other possibilities based on scant facts, they are condemned as “defending criminals” or saying there’s no problem or issue at all. It’s an absolutist and fallacious way of thinking to say someone is defending or denying when they simply suggest the narrative might be flawed or missing facts.
      For example, when discussing drug cartels, one person says they should be treated as foreign terrorists. When another person mentions that, given the definition of terrorism, they’re not likely to be treated as terrorists, but rather treated as criminals under criminal law, the first person lashes out saying the other is “defending” deadly cartels.
      The accuracy of assertions/facts/statements should be able to be questioned without being branded as an attack.

    • Define “bothering people in the Vons parking lot”. On occasion, I see kids on E-bikes in the Vons parking lot. Aside from dodging cars and occasionally riding on the sidewalk while coming to a stop – I have never seen them bothering anyone. In fact, recently a kid dropped a take-out cup on the sidewalk and stopped to go back and pick it up.
      So, recognize that there are a TON of kids on E-bikes, and you can’t paint all of them with the same brush. They could very well be different kids – don’t all junior high kids look alike? 😉

    • The majority of e-bike kids are fine. The group who is not fine, in my opinion, is the same group who has been causing the problems on the Mesa, downtown, and the waterfront. I am making an educated guess that they are part of the same group and using the fact that people I know think they know who they are. It’s a small neighborhood in a small town.

  6. CC should have security cams all over the place, including each side of that bridge. Those kids should be dragged into court with the parents (and lawyers), then charged with something like “propulsion of missiles onto a roadway.” Attempted murder is a bit of a stretch, but if these kids did the same thing in some countries, they’d be swinging from that bridge. I certainly do not want to see that happen, but as I said in an earlier comment, one of these days they are going to get busted by some not-so-nice folks who won’t be so forgiving. Many of us did stupid things like this when we were younger. I personally was chased a couple of blocks by a guy whose car I’d thrown rotten peaches at. Scared the BUH-G-ZUSSSSsss out of me….. never/ever/ever did that again! Back in the day a guy I went to high school with was arrested for squirting a fire extinguisher into the car next to him along State Street…..Uh-Ohhh…..surprise…..undercover cop!!!

    • GCHEADLEY – yes, but dropping things on moving cars from a bridge is beyond childish pranks, it can cause fatal accidents. This is the kind of thing the police need to be called for, not ding dong ditch or TP’ing. Well….. unless you’re a Solvang City Council member haha!

  7. The RAD e-bike is the teenage (and younger) ‘bike du jour’ apparently…. kids all over town are riding these, very often 2 aboard and helmet-less. Some of these bikes are capable of pretty fast speeds. Not entirely sure what their parents are thinking, buying them what amounts to a mini motorcycle. Sigh.
    We did a LOT of stupid sh*t when we were kids, with zero supervision and somehow we survived…I hope the same for this new crop. I own an e-bike, they are fun as hell, so I get it, but I would never have purchased one for my adolescent boy at 13 years old.

    • Aqua, the Rad cargo bike is the base model and cheapest. It’s a cargo bike and has a 350lb weight capacity. It’s meant for double riding. They are heavy too. It’s not marketed or designed as a kids bike. It is a one size fits all bike. I own two of them and also have a Super73 ebike that looks like a motocross dirt bike. Rad bikes have an age of 16 i believe. Could be wrong. There are many other brands out there but Rad is one of the best overall. I know more adults that own the RadRunner than kids. I see kids all over town on them, sure, but i also see about 10 other people commuting on them every morning on my way into work. Most have helmets, fact. They aren’t buckled ever which is the same citation as not having one on.
      Did you ever have a big wheel as a kid? I used to fly down the hill (street) and hit a jump ramp with it, catch air and eat it hard on the road. Then i’d go back and do it again. Good times. Problem with ebikes is there is an age restriction on it but it’s not being enforced and I don’t personally think enforcing it will do much. We’re talking about a two year difference and really that’s pointless i thnk. I mean, i remember being a reckless kid. Age limits never stopped me from doing what i wanted. Shoot….i think i drank less once i turned 21 than prior lol

  8. UPDATE**** while K9 training at SBCC last night, I came across two younger dudes on their ebike. I talked with them, showed them the photos (because they looked like the kids in the photos and even they said hey that looks like us, but it wasn’t, different bike and different kids), but they were able to tell me who they thought that was and recognized them. I’ve sent some info to a few friends i have at SBPD. Ive been told they are very aware of this incident and are actively looking and handling it. I know one of the cops on the case and he’s a bulldog. These kids will be dealt with, guaranteed.

  9. I thought everyone knew you were supposed to ambush cars with rotting fruit in Hope Ranch going 30-35mph.
    That said if they get real unlucky, cause a crash that kills or paralyzes someone, there are charges for that that will go into years. The parents will be sued by insurance companies. Kids that go into the juvenile system may come out worse than when they went in.
    Everyone loses

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