While quad bikes, three-wheeled bikes, trail bikes and some other two-wheeled vehicles are built for off-road use, it is against the law to ride them in public parks or on publicly-owned land without permission from the local authority.

As with unlicensed powered vehicles, these can only be used on private roads or land with the road or land-owner’s permission.

Some people regard this kind of vehicle use as harmless fun. However, regular antisocial vehicle use can have a wider impact on a neighbourhood or community than simply nuisance noise.

The effect of dangerous or reckless use of a vehicle can lead to criminal damage of roads, other vehicles and surrounding property.

Drivers and riders also risk injuring themselves, other road users, cyclists and pedestrians as they do not have full control of their vehicle and their full attention on their surroundings.

Driving or riding in this way can also be used as a form of intimidation, either to other road users or the community. Loud noise from engines and music, and deliberately creating large amounts of exhaust or tyre smoke can also be seen as an aggressive act.

Finally, the use of motorbikes and mopeds to rob (or ‘snatch') mobile phones and valuables from pedestrians on pavements is a key concern to the police. So anyone acting recklessly on this kind of vehicle is likely to draw police attention. 

If you know the people involved, or they seem approachable, our first advice would be to talk to them calmly or leave them a polite note. You might find it hard to believe, but they may not be aware they’re causing a problem.

However, don’t take the law into your own hands by intervening, such as turning off their music, making physical threats or attempting to confiscate items. You may make the situation worse and even risk committing an offence yourself.

If talking hasn’t worked, or you would prefer not to talk to them, there are two ways you can get in touch:

Call us via 101 if it is not happening then and there.

Call us on 999 if it is happening then and there.