Is Nocatee becoming a suburban Sturgis?
Local Facebook groups have exploded over e-biking teens rampaging across the community’s serene streets — flipping birds, cussing, and allegedly using racist language.
One prominent page has seen repeated posts from residents reporting unruly behavior — some of them featuring photos and videos of the adolescent offenders.
This week, one man produced several pictures of a crew he said made obscene gestures at him — and used racist language.
One of the images shows a teen trio hoisting their middle fingers in tandem while atop their bikes.
The pictures did not reveal their faces, but the resident said he hoped their parents recognize them and address their behavior.
“I was about to catch hold of them and call the parents directly about the racist comments and language they were using, but then let it go as they are kids, in hope that the parents will get into a good healthy discussions with them,” he wrote on a post.
Another user posted a video of a budding Barger challenging a motorist to a race.
A separate complainant wrote that he saw a group antagonizing a rival in front of his home and then riding away across yards after being confronted.
A convenient mode of transport, e-bikes have become increasingly popular in an area bereft of public transportation.
Hopped up on Prime and adolescent abandon, e-bike crews have become a fixture in Nocatee’s commercial hub known as Town Center.
While residents said most kids use them responsibly to visit friends, head to local pools and get to school, a rogue subset is wreaking havoc.
Some commentators assert that the issue should not be overblown, and that kids are rarely exemplars of decorum.
E-bikes — which can cost more than $3,000 and reach speeds of approaching 30 miles an hour — could soon face a reckoning.
Commissioner Ann Taylor broached the issue at a panel meeting this month, saying she’s been flooded by resident anger.
“There have been numerous reports from concerned citizens about children riding e-bikes through parking lots, streets, sidewalks, shopping centers in an unsafe manner,” Taylor said. “Some of these e-bikes can reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour.”
Taylor said the county should take action, relaying that she spoke to St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick and county attorney Rich Komando about ways to curtail irresponsible e-bikers.
Taylor plans to bring a draft ordinance before the board, but did not specify what steps will be proposed.
A crackdown, she said, should be implemented “before a young child is injured.”
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16 Responses
Some of these are capable of speeds much more than 28 mph. The Sur-Ron’s (electric dirt bike) that you see around can go up to 75 mph depending on model. Haven’t you seen them recklessly riding wheelies in the streets?
Surrons top out at around 45-50. They do not got 75.
“e-bikes” is a generic term. The electric bikes in question are actually e-dirt bikes. They look like motocross bikes. They have been seen going faster than traffic on Crosswater Parkway-45mph. -on the golf cart/bike paths. They are jumping moguls alongside roadways, careening down embankments to Nocatee Parkway, flying through parking lots and neighborhoods on streets challenging people just put for a walk. There are kids on e-bikes that do not speed around-those bikes look like a regular bicycle. None of them know the rules of the road and very few are wearing helmets. I am not against kids using e-bikes-they just need a course in road safety.
Everyone who just moved to FL needs a course in Driving safety. 80 percent of yall are driving incorrectly by speeding and not coming to complete stops. We do not enough enforcement to control this overgrown problem so drivers get to break the law and find something else to complain about like teenagers trying to have fun on bikes. Kids need a safer sidewalk and area away from the bad drivers. Seminole county did it right, they built away from the roads and not around the roads.
I’ve only seen a hand full of e-biker kids harassing wildlife several times. Every time I confront them they drive off, but they are throwing garbage into the lake at Lakeside…some of these kids have zero respect. Unfortunately, some parents just let their children do whatever they want…
This is article is BS clickbait…
How about you separate the bad seeds from the responsible kids instead of putting them all in the line of fire like this article is pushing..
Thank you!
we have the same problem in Palencia
You get what you vote for. No consequences for behavior, above the law…
Drivers running lights, not completely stopping at signs. Who is above the law now?
Same problem in World Golf Village. Too many toys, too much free time, and too little supervision.
Too many bad drivers.
I’ve seen the kids on e-bikes – they come across as teenage thugs. I was surprised because I am new to Nocatee and those kids give me the creeps. They are coming into the apartment communities knocking on doors to common areas claiming they are visiting their grandparents and then they wreak havoc in the common areas and gyms. I have also noticed reckless behavior of kids/teens driving golf carts – one girl was looking down texting on her phone while driving the golf cart! Another teen boy who always has a gaggle of kids in the golf cart screams at anyone who is on the path walking. He’s yelled at me and I’ hear him screaming all the time! These are not kids who are even 16 years old. Someone is going to get killed because of this….
Not all bike riders are criminals! Bigger problem is the DRIVERS!! I wonder why these kids are so angry. Go ride a bike yourself and then do this for about a month. Come back here and tell me how nicely you were treated by drivers. Your entire attitude will change. I have rode for hundreds of miles in 4 counties in FL and see alot. Drivers are the biggest problem. I see alot of drivers not following FL laws when it comes to pedestrians. Also when drivers approach stop signs they do not stop completely, they speed through right on red lights about 80 percent of the time and roll through stops never looking to the left or right, never completely coming to a full stop. I’m so tired of people pointing fingers at the pedestrians/kids because the biggest issue in our county is the drivers! Slow down, stop completely at the line PRIOR to the stop sign, look left and right, then proceed. It’s that darn simple.
Golf carts is an entire different discussion. Not the same as bikes.
What about the 100 plus bad drivers breaking laws every 10 seconds? Get yourself in order and start to focus on the real issues!