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Police cruiser intentionally blocks off path to save hikers/bikers from fast ATV, resulting in ATV crash

nilbog

nilbog

Movie Aficionado
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Oct 25, 2017
16,475
Under the Silver Lake
This happened on Sunday on a pedestrian only road. The cops have been patrolling it after reports of dangerous driving by dirt bikes and ATV's.

It seems like a dick move to block off the road like this, but there clearly is a family with small children walking close by. I'm assuming the ATV rider had plenty of time to stop in this situation? The cop claims the cruiser lights were on.

Many on social media are saying the cop should be charged with attempted murder, while others say he may have saved lives. What say you, ERA?

Warning: Viewer discretion advised. ATV driver survived but is in the hospital.


View: https://youtu.be/VfDEnRqvJEg?si=e6IOFq2t3zm2sQk0

NEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) – Footage released Wednesday afternoon shows an ATV rider crash into a New Haven police cruiser.

Authorities said the crash happened around 3:40 p.m. Sunday on Farnum Drive.

Police were addressing complaints of people illegally operating dirt bikes and ATVs in the city.

"Officers responded to the area of East Rock Park on the reports of a group congregating there and used Farnam Drive to access the park," said New Haven police.

Farnum Drive has been open to just pedestrian traffic since 2020. A large number of people, including families with children, were in the area.

Officers noticed an ATV rider going down the road at a high rate of speed toward the pedestrians, police said.

"The officers slowed the cruiser and angled it to protect the families and pedestrians they had just passed while providing a point of egress to the side of them for the oncoming ATV to pass the cruiser," said police.

Authorities said the ATV rider lost control and hit the front passenger side window of the police cruiser.

"It's obvious that they're going too fast and they shouldn't be on the pedestrian roads in the first place," said Olivia Brinks, New Haven.

"They [the ATV] didn't have control over stopping the vehicle. If something was in the way, that could've been a person too," said Casey Wizner, New Haven.

The ATV rider was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Residents in New Haven say dirt bikes are a common sight on a path they're not supposed to be on.

"They drive pretty fast, it seems like they're racing or just playing around, but it feels a little dangerous."

While the video has received backlash on social media, Chief Jacobson said the cruiser's lights were on and the officers handled the situation the right way.

"They hear an ATV coming in their direction, they move over to the left side as a way to shield the people behind them," Chief Jacobson said. "The officer wasn't traveling at any speed when the incident happened and then the officer also gave an area of egress, meaning they could've gotten around the police car."

Chief Jacobson says there haven't been many patrols in that area in the past, but expects that to change going forward.

"We need to make sure the people, who are a large amount of people who walk and bike in that area, are safe. So you will see more patrols going forward," Chief Jacobson said.

Chief Jacobson says that the ATV driver will be charged in the incident but hopes he makes a full recovery.
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https://www.wfsb.com/2024/05/01/video-shows-atv-rider-crash-into-new-haven-police-cruiser/
 
Mcfrank

Mcfrank

Member
Oct 28, 2017
16,176
Can't say I see a problem with what the cop did. Cop is moving slow and deliberate while the atv driver is speeding and quickly loses control. Sucks for the atv guy but why are they speeding on a pedestrian walk way in a motorized vehicle.
 
The Smoking Man

The Smoking Man

Member
Nov 29, 2018
1,203
Cops suck but so do dudes with ATVs and Motorbikes. Some of these guys think any trail or road is their personal playground and drive like maniacs. And from the video this dude clearly wasn't driving at a speed he could safely stop at.
 
TEEPO

TEEPO

Member
Oct 25, 2017
131
that ATV was going full send, not sure how it's the cop's fault, especially since it's a MUP and they were patrolling the area as if it were one. the cop was nearly stopped from the start of the video.
 
NCR Ranger

NCR Ranger

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,183
The guy wasn't able to stop when a car got in his way, so yeah I don't doubt he also wouldn't have been able to stop if one of those pedestrians step out at the wrong time or place. The fact that he wasn't even supposed to be there means he gets no fucks from me.
 
NukeRunner

NukeRunner

Member
Feb 8, 2024
1,167
Gotta say, not a big fan of cops, but I'm also not a big fan of people who drive in this 'live free die hard' method on roads clearly not intended for it. Guy absolutely could have killed other people, and judging by how he was entirely unable to stop, kind of shows it could have just been a matter of time. I'd bet anything he feels no sense of obligation to his fellow man in any way.
 
RPGam3r

RPGam3r

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,537
ATV guy is lucky he survived, but it's his fault for driving a vehicle recklessly where pedestrians and cyclists are. If he can't even respond to a giant ass police cruiser getting in his way, wtf was he going to do with much smaller and vulnerable obstacles? Cop did the right thing.
 
Hella

Hella

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Oct 27, 2017
23,788
It seems pretty open and shut to me; the ATV driver barely reacted to a total obstruction, I shudder to think what could've happened if he continued on his way. I also don't see what other options the cop had if he wanted to slow the driver down.

It's unfortunate that the ATV driver got hurt but like, it could have been so much worse. This was a best case scenario.
 
NukeRunner

NukeRunner

Member
Feb 8, 2024
1,167
Hella said:
It seems pretty open and shut to me; the ATV driver barely reacted to a total obstruction, I shudder to think what could've happened if he continued on his way. I also don't see what other options the cop had if he wanted to slow the driver down.

It's unfortunate that the ATV driver got hurt but like, it could have been so much worse. This was a best case scenario.
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I think all that needs to be said is, if the driver got passed the cop and resulted in the death of pedestrians, people would be wondering why the cop didn't do what he just did.
 
Selbran

Selbran

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,610
Inclined to think that if the ATV was going so fast it couldn't stop to avoid colliding with the cop than it wouldn't have been able to avoid the stroller or pedestrians..
 
LProtagonist

LProtagonist

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
8,126
We've got a huge problem in CT (and I have to imagine in other states too) with masked people taking ATVs and motorbikes out on the streets and popping wheelies and driving in and out of traffic. The cops are unwilling to pursue, which I sorta get... or even try to find out where they're coming from.
 
Neutron

Neutron

Member
Jun 2, 2022
3,078
100% in the right, this time.

If he couldn't react to a stationary car, he can't react to children.
 
Coyote Starrk

Coyote Starrk

The Fallen
Oct 30, 2017
56,575
Yeah in this instance the cops were right. The asshole was riding recklessly in a place that he's not supposed to that is frequented by families with small children. He could have killed someone.


Stupid games. Stupid prizes.
 
Jobiensis

Jobiensis

Member
Oct 28, 2017
501
I really hate ATVs, Utvs and dirt bikes. I know there are a lot of responsible people, but they are a nuisance on streets and they tear up dirt roads showing off. And it isn't just kids when it's $50k+ can ams.
Also notice a lot of e-bikes going 25+ on mups.

People can be such assholes. This is a rare time the cop was in the right.
 
zashga

zashga

Losing is fun
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Oct 28, 2017
4,439
Neutron said:
100% in the right, this time.

If he couldn't react to a stationary car, he can't react to children.
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Agree with this. Dude was going way too fast for a pedestrian and cycling path; he could've easily killed someone if he couldn't even stop in time to avoid ramming a parked car.
 
Jobiensis

Jobiensis

Member
Oct 28, 2017
501
Also ATVs handle like shit on asphalt or concrete. There is no way this person was in control at all.
 

Deleted member 8831

Oct 26, 2017
6,240
The officer was 100% right in this scenario. That ATV driver is an asshole.
 
Smash-It Stan

Smash-It Stan

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Oct 25, 2017
5,488
ATV driver had all the time in the world to slow down. There is a COP in front of you, you wouldn't slow down just by default?
 

Blank

Member
Oct 27, 2017
554
honestly surprised this thread will get to two pages before someone defends the ATV driver. Very un-ERA.
 

ErrorJustin

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,603
The reason what the cop did is fine is because his cop car could have easily have been a stroller.

The ATV couldn't stop or get out of the way fast enough.
 
Dyle

Dyle

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
31,027
Cop was right, the road has a speed limit of 25 and the ATV looks to have been going 40 with no attempt to brake
 
banananahammock

banananahammock

Member
Aug 15, 2022
968
all it takes is a child to dart a few feet over and that asshole would likely kill them. no reaction time doing how many mph with baby strollers on the same path? in a heavy ATV? nah
 
poklane

poklane

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
30,264
the Netherlands
0 respect for people not respecting pedestrian only areas, that's just waiting for a deadly accident to happen. And looking at this video, it's not like the cop swerved into his path at the last second.
 
Alucrid

Alucrid

Chicken Photographer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,929
i feel like a helmet would conceal your identity just as well as a balaclava while also protecting your head in case you run face first into a cop car
 
CatAssTrophy

CatAssTrophy

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Dec 4, 2017
7,956
Texas
LProtagonist said:
We've got a huge problem in CT (and I have to imagine in other states too) with masked people taking ATVs and motorbikes out on the streets and popping wheelies and driving in and out of traffic. The cops are unwilling to pursue, which I sorta get... or even try to find out where they're coming from.
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They're a scourge all over the country at the moment, from what I understand. I see gangs of them all the time in Houston cutting through intersections, blowing through reds, driving down the wrong way, and doing whatever the fuck they want. Cops won't do anything because it's too dangerous for pedestrians and other drivers to pursue, and could also injure or kill the drivers of the ATV's themselves. HPD even started telling people not to try to intervene or get in their way either and just not to engage. It super sucks and I don't know what can be done about it.

It's also really disappointing to see anti-car folks online cheering these people on and acting like those people are doing it in the name of pedestrianization or some shit which clearly they are fucking not.
 
Rodney McKay

Rodney McKay

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,929
No helmet, goggles, or even sunglasses, can you even see anything with wind blasting that fast into your eyes?

If the car hadn't been there he'd probably have had to swerve the exact same way to avoid hitting the pedestrian and would have just wiped out directly into the asphalt. Or if he hadn't seen the pedestrians in time, he'd have potentially hit them, caused extreme injury or death to them, and the same accident for themself.
 
Mandos

Mandos

Member
Nov 27, 2017
34,335
poklane said:
0 respect for people not respecting pedestrian only areas, that's just waiting for a deadly accident to happen. And looking at this video, it's not like the cop swerved into his path at the last second.
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FYI Cop even left room for him to slow down and go to the side of him
 
Doomguy Fieri

Doomguy Fieri

Member
Nov 3, 2017
5,496
Guy on the ATV must have been doing at least 40mph maybe even faster which is dangerous as hell on a bike / pedestrian path. Rather be crash into a squad car than some poor sucker out for a jog.
 
Disclaimer

Disclaimer

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,246
There was a lot of room between the cop's car and the curve in the road the ATV came from. More than enough to stop if he'd been going a remotely reasonable speed. But he clearly wasn't, so it was his fault.
 
Shadybiz

Shadybiz

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,433
nilbog said:
I'm assuming the ATV rider had plenty of time to stop in this situation?
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From the distance he was at, at the time of the cop veering onto the other side, yes, he should have had time to stop, or at least slow down enough to steer to the other side. ATVs don't take a lot of time/distance to slow down. He was going ridiculously fast for an area with foot traffic, and probably not paying attention to the road.Only takes a half second for some kid to break loose and step into traffic.
 
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