Hunter residents are voicing growing alarm as teenagers on e-bikes and unregistered dirt bikes transform suburban streets into hazardous playgrounds, with dangerous antics including wheelies, burnouts, and reckless weaving through traffic putting both pedestrians and motorists on edge.
Residents Document Escalating Danger During School Holidays
Throughout the recent school holidays, locals across the Hunter region have been documenting a surge in perilous riding incidents. Reports detail pack rides taking over roads, riders performing stunts in children's playgrounds causing damage, and blatant disregard for traffic rules.
Courier Driver Witnesses Terrifying Scenes
Phil Iles, a courier driver residing in New Lambton, has observed a significant increase in young riders acting dangerously, particularly around Lake Macquarie. He notes that most are on unregistered dirt bikes rather than e-bikes.
"I am witnessing and experiencing some pretty scary stuff on the roads around Lake Macquarie. Everyone driving would be seeing this," Mr Iles said.
"I see these kids all the time, they take off down the road doing wheelstands at 60 to 80kmh, they are doing really dangerous things two abreast, four in a row. I've had one pass me on the inside doing 80 on the back wheel."
He recounted an incident where two young riders weaved through traffic, with one performing a wheelie and high-fiving a bystander, highlighting how easily such behaviour could lead to tragedy.
Police Confronted with Aggressive Riders
The situation escalated recently when police faced a horde of illegal e-bike and dirt bike riders who pelted five police cars with projectiles at Wamberal, injuring one officer struck by a rock. Authorities are searching for approximately 20 young people involved in the confrontation on Ocean View Drive.
Community Frustration Boils Over Online
Port Stephens residents have taken to social media to share their harrowing encounters. Karlie Wilkinson described a terrifying game of chicken where riders purposely headed towards her vehicle, forcing her to swerve off the road.
"I just had two out of the three purposely ride head on, in my lane laughing and yelling like it's a game," she posted online.
Julie Walker expressed concern after spotting a young boy on a fatboy e-bike keeping pace with traffic at 50kmh on Salamander Way, overtaking her on the inside lane without registration or mirrors.
Damage to Public Property Adds to Woes
Another Lake Macquarie woman reported an altercation with teenagers riding e-bikes who were damaging public property, performing burnouts that tore up grassed areas near a children's park late at night.
"The grass was wet so they were doing burnouts tearing up the grass and digging it up really badly," she said.
Regulatory Gaps Under Scrutiny
While e-bikes have surged in popularity nationally over the past two years, so too have reports of dangerous incidents. In New South Wales, privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally ridden in public areas, and e-bikes face regulations including power limits and a requirement that the motor cuts off at 25km/h.
However, e-bikes do not require registration or licenses, and there is no age restriction. Under the Road Transport Act, non-compliant e-bikes that can travel at higher speeds without pedalling are classified as motor vehicles and are prohibited on NSW roads or paths.
Mr Iles reflected on the changing times, noting that while riding dirt bikes on roads was also wrong in his youth, it was typically limited to short trips between homes and tracks.
"When we were young we would ride our dirt bikes on the road, which was wrong, but it was just between the house and the tracks, but these kids are using the streets as their playground," he said.
"They just don't care, they blow through red lights, ride up onto footpaths and come in and out of traffic."
As the community grapples with this escalating issue, residents continue to call for greater enforcement and awareness to curb the dangerous behaviour turning their neighbourhoods into risk zones.
