Residents react as Montville considers harsher penalties for illegal ATV riding
Montville is the next town to decide whether to impose harsher penalties for illegal ATV riding. According to the proposed ordinance, “the Police Chief and Police Commission have become concerned with unregistered and unsafe vehicle use in Montville.”
NBC Connecticut spoke with community members who had varying perspectives ahead of the Town Council meeting Monday evening, where a public hearing and vote will be taking place.
“We kind of feel like we’re the innocent people on the spot to defend ourselves,” said Katlyn Martinez, of Uncasville.
On any given day, you can find Martinez and her sons geared up, riding their ATVs on their property.
The proposed ordinance makes it illegal to ride ATVs, minibikes, or mini motorcycles on public property, and only with written permission on private property. It also prohibits passengers from doing so. Penalties under this proposed ordinance include a $1,000 fine for the first offense and a $2,000 fine for the second offense. It also gives officers the right to seize, sell, or destroy the vehicles.
“For the town, most of the things they are trying to cover are already illegal,” said Dillon Troxwell, of Montville.
Troxwell has questions about how consistently this would be enforced and says the proposed ordinance is redundant and an overreach.
“What if it’s someone plowing the driveway in the winter? Technically, it’s illegal to drive to your neighbor’s house to help them out. But it comes down to the interpretation of the law,” Troxwell said.
A new state law passed last year focuses on discouraging street takeovers and gives towns the authority to impose these regulations. Nearby towns, Groton and Waterford, have already passed similar ordinances.
“We need a little control,” said George, of Uncasville, regarding street takeovers.
“It’s all the kids doing the ATV stunts in the middle of the road at night thinking no one’s around,” said Monica Allen, of Uncasville.
“Once a week, I’ll see them; they all come down, hogging the road, slowing down traffic. They’ll either be heading from Norwich to New London or New London to Norwich. That is troublesome,” said Greg Ganotti, of Quaker Hill. “But, for the kids just having fun, I feel bad for them because they’re going to get in trouble now.”
Martinez says no matter what the town council decides, her family will keep riding and abiding by the laws but says it’s unfair to feel like they’re under a microscope to do something they love.
“We are not criminals because this is what we choose to do as a hobby,” said Martinez.
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