By ALANA MITCHELSON
A YOUNG Pakenham campaigner against the dangerous use of monkey bikes has welcomed a state-wide crackdown.
Almost 200 miniature motorbikes – also known as ‘pit bikes’ – have been seized and destroyed over the past seven months as part of a Consumer Affairs blitz on unsafe products being sold in Victoria.
It is illegal to ride the monkey bikes on footpaths and public roads.
Berwick Grammar School student Kurt Caddy was once targeted by two monkey bike riders when he was kicking a football near Toomuc Creek.
The 13-year-old took it upon himself late last year to launch his own campaign to raise awareness of the “serious” harm that these bikes can cause.
“It’s good to see they’ve given it a lot of thought and are actually taking the problem seriously,” Kurt said in response to the State Government’s crackdown on the bikes.
He said not only were the bikes unsafe but they are also more dangerous when they are ridden irresponsibly.
“Whenever I see people on monkey bikes they are always trying to scare me by doing a wheelie or something.
“Once two people on monkey bikes tried to come after me and yelled ‘get the kid’.
“It’s no joke. I’m lucky nothing happened to me but people have been killed in monkey bike incidents.”
Previous local incidents include a woman in her 60s having been hospitalised after a monkey bike incident at the Lakeside Shopping Centre car park in October 2015 during which she sustained facial bruising and swelling.
A Pakenham teenage boy was also seriously injured after his monkey bike collided with a ute in January 2014.
He was later airlifted to The Alfred hospital with serious leg and head injuries.
Late last year, Carrum Downs mother-of-two Andrea Lehane was tragically struck by a monkey bike while walking along a pedestrian crossing at the town’s regional shopping centre and died from her head injuries.
Research shows that in Victoria the majority of injuries caused by monkey bike incidents were sustained by children aged five to 14 years old, with one quarter of cases requiring a hospital stay.
Minister for Consumer Affairs Jane Garrett said the bikes were seized because they did not meet Australian safety standards due to “dodgy breaks” and “faulty steering”.
“Monkey bikes can be extremely dangerous. We are making sure unsafe and dodgy bikes are crushed as part of our state-wide blitz,” Ms Garrett said.
“Traders need to make sure their products meet Australian safety standards or they will face hefty fines.
“We’re also reminding Victorians that it’s against the law to ride these bikes in public areas, even if they comply with safety standards.”
Other products seized during the blitz included unsafe car jacks, trolley jacks and vehicle support stands.
Traders who sell unsafe products can face fines of up to $1.1 million for a body corporate and $220,000 for individuals.
Three suppliers are now under active investigation.
Police have urged those who see monkey bikes on public roads to report their illegal use to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
