Bike group accused of hitting cars in Riverbank advertises next ride in Ceres

A large bicycle group accused of riding into traffic and damaging vehicles during a weekend meetup in Riverbank is now advertising another ride in Ceres, prompting law enforcement agencies to warn that the education period on a new ordinance is ending and enforcement is beginning.

Videos posted to social media from the July 12 ride show bicyclists flooding Riverbank streets, surrounding vehicles, riding into oncoming lanes and, in some cases, appearing to strike cars.

Riverbank Police Services said it received multiple calls related to the gathering, including reports of damage to vehicles and other property.

"There's just a general lack of respect for, you know, your community, people's private property," Stanislaus County sheriff's Sgt. Nathan Crane said.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for Riverbank.

The group advertised the Riverbank meetup on social media before the ride. The same page is now promoting another event scheduled for Sunday, July 19, in Ceres.

Crane said the larger concern is the potential for a deadly collision.

"Property can be replaced, property can be repaired, but a loss of life cannot be," Crane said. "That's really what we're looking to focus our efforts on, is to prevent a loss of life, prevent that heinous car crash that could result in death or injury."

Ceres police said the city already has an ordinance allowing officers to seize bicycles and issue fines when riders violate traffic laws or ride with reckless disregard for public safety.

On a first offense, police can seize a bicycle for 30 days and issue a $250 fine. Penalties increase for additional violations and can reach $1,000.

"The ordinance allows us to seize their bike if they're in violation, with the monetary fine associated with that," Ceres police Lt. Jeff Godfrey said.

Godfrey said bicyclists riding in the roadway are considered vehicles and must follow the same basic rules as drivers, including stopping at stop signs and remaining out of oncoming lanes.

He said the ordinance is not intended to discourage lawful bicycle riding.

"We don't want to discourage lawful bike riding because we think it's a great outlet for our youth," Godfrey said. "But we strongly encourage the parents of these youths and other community members to take an active role in what their children are doing."

Godfrey said Ceres police have received complaints from residents about large groups of riders entering the city and creating hazards for drivers.

"We have gotten a lot of feedback from our community," Godfrey said. "They're tired of these bicyclists coming into the city."

Both agencies said officers have spent time educating riders about traffic laws, but warned that future violations are more likely to result in citations, fines or bicycle seizures.

"Education in this is probably coming to an end," Crane said. "And now we're going to be looking at maximum enforcement efforts."

Godfrey said Ceres police updated the city's bicycle ordinance last year and worked to inform the community about the changes.

"We have kind of exhausted the educational component," Godfrey said. "At this point, our community has spoken, and they expect us as a law enforcement agency to go out and enforce these rules and these laws, and that's exactly what we're going to do."

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office said it is investigating who was involved in the Riverbank incident.

Residents and business owners with home security footage, cellphone video or information showing reckless riding, vandalism or property damage are asked to contact Riverbank Police Services' nonemergency line at 209-552-2468.