Video shows group of teen riding bikes on Manteca freeway, sparking safety concerns
A group of teens was caught on camera riding their bicycles on a Manteca freeway on Friday afternoon.
"There are about 100 to 150 kids on bicycles on the slow lane of 120 Eastbound just past Union approaching Main," said Joe Snow in the dash camera video as he made a call to 911. "There's cars that are going to ram into them, so if they can hurry."
Manteca Mayor Gary Singh responded to the video, calling out parents on Facebook.
"This is a lack of supervision and accountability," his Facebook post read. "What is it going to take for this to register? a child being struck by a vehicle? a life lost? Because that is exactly where this behavior leads."
People in Manteca said the kids have no care or fear of consequences.
"The craziest thing is if we were to hit them, we're at fault," said Alisa Laverne, who lives in Manteca.
Kleigh McMillen was not surprised when she saw the video.
"I've seen those kids before," McMillen said.
She said her brother got hit by a car while he was riding an e-scooter and is terrified one of these kids could be next.
"He went completely up over the car and fell on the floor and hit his head and everything," McMillen said.
Bad behavior on bicycles has been happening for years in Manteca. In 2023, the Manteca Chief of Police crafted a first-of-its-kind local ordinance specifically to stop swerving.
"They don't realize how at-risk their life is really at," Londyn Randele said.
A community is asking for more crackdown from law enforcement as they feel terrorized by the teens, knowing all their lives could change in an instant if they do not curb this trend.
Singh said if you saw your kid in that video, it is time to step up and set some boundaries with them before something tragic happens.