A new biker gang is roaming the streets of Richmond Hill, Queens. This crew of mostly teenagers can be seen riding along 103rd Avenue just west of the Van Wyck Expressway. The bikes roar, but the booming sound has nothing to do with engines — because there are no engines. They are ordinary bicycles, not motorcycles, although these contraptions look and sound more like rolling D.J. booths. They are outfitted with elaborate stereo systems that have been mounted by the youths. Bicycles That Carry Powerful Beats, and Even a Rider or Two
“This one puts out 5,000 watts and cost about $4,000,” said Nick Ragbir, 18, tinkering with his two-wheeled sound system, with its powerful amplifier, two 15-inch bass woofers and four midrange speakers. It plays music from his iPod and is powered by car batteries mounted on a sturdy motocross bike.
The riders are of Guyanese and Trinidadian background. In those countries, turning bicycles into rolling outdoor sound systems is a popular hobby.
Usually, the stereos crank out heavy Caribbean beats, but Mr. Ragbir cranked up the new system, which was playing a 1980s hit by the Outfield — “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love Tonight” — and the near-deafening music had his friends bobbing their heads as they worked on their bikes.
“We measured it at a car show,” he said. “It’s 150 decibels.”
29 comments:
It's official.................now I know why i hate living here.
It was bad enough when the Puerto Ricans started this trend of "sharing" with the neighborhood
by opening the windows of their apartments and cranking up the volume of the "music" being played !
Now... you may all feel free to call me a racist !
Where is the noise police? I don't care where they come from, send these folks back to where they can practice their customs of annoying each other. Guess they were exported here instead to annoy us.
Those "Mr. Softee" trucks were bad enough.
Maybe confiscating some of these
stereo bikes in compliance with anti noise pollution
laws that are already on the books
would discourage this practice.
Oh.....you can't do that.....
we don't want to offend these new
easily tweeded voters....do we?
They're the new clubhouse fodder !
I guess that's why Richmond Hill isn't being granted landmark status by the LPC.....eh Nancy ?
This area has been red-lined
for the absorption of these new Americans !
Goodbye Jahn's....hello boom boxes !
Soon it'll be
the RKO Keith's Richmond Hill's turn to go.
Its refurbished marquee doesn't mean
that its dubious owner won't sell it of in a pinch
for the right price.
(The Republican Club will fall down in disrepair
on its own.....no need for a demolition permit.
Oh....we know....it's landmarked.....h-m-m-m....
and for how long) ?
Maybe QHS can "Queensmark"
a few more buildings here.
That ought to save the day.....eh !
That's why I'm glad I live in a quiet, not so diverse Asian and Jewish neighborhood.
Hey, exihibit A of the tweeded the clubhouse loves.
Interesing how they protect THEIR communities, eh?
Can't read the cloying tweeding Trib or the Courier anymore, crap crap crap.
And although there is a city law which says a summons may be issued if a person operates a personal audio device, like a radio, heard from up to 25 feet away, the bikers’ mobile stereos are less likely to attract attention because the noise does not persist in one place very long.
Laws don't apply to 'oppressed minorities' celebrating their 'vibrant culture'.
Must be an interesting read to all the latte Liberals in Manhattan who don't have to actually live amongst the 'vibrant minorities' in Queens!
Hello genital mutilation and honor killings, goodbye America!
Richmond Hill 11419 was the source of 1670 noise complaints to 311 in Fiscal Year 2007. Already there are 977 for Fiscal Year 2008 thus far. Sure needs to be some lowering of the volume there. What goes on there is ridiculous and totally unacceptable.
The NY Times writes about this as though it's a good thing. If it was happening on the Upper East Side, I think they're slant would be a little different.
Just enjoy the diversity and entrepreur spirit of this 18-year old inventor. Noisy bikes are a Trinidadian tradition. If you can't tolerate someone else's tradtions, you must be a bigot!
(all of the above is sarcasm)
I wonder what future generations will say about a community that passively spawns bullcrappie like these stupid bikes, and says nothing as they cruise around, and that strangles Triangle Hofbrau, Jahns, or Niedersteins.
And don't give me that tired crap about changing demographics unless you want to discuss what politics caused those changes.
The NY Times writes about this as though it's a good thing
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Thats why you standing around as the clubhouse brands Queens an immigrant dumping ground was a mistake.
You don't want staff living in Manhattan on Loesida or Harlem. Valuable property. Push them out to Queens - the people are as stupid as passive out there. They take anything, or just get the hint and move.
Just wait until the Usbeks etc. from Forest Hills
eventually meet up
with these Guyanese and Trinidadians
of Richmond Hill.
Since their increasing real estate holdings
are about to "merge" on the borders of both areas,
there should be quite a turf war .
It'll be the "Clash of The Titans".
My money's on the Usbeki Jews.
They're a commercially minded people
and much better organized.
second anonymous,
You're outrage at music is selective.
As a queens resident, surely you remember the fat italian kids 'crusing' down Frannie Lou Blvd in their IROCS blasting music going 80 mph?
Remember that?
Yea, but when the others get a hold of your block it resembles war torn Bagdad.
Right, that was when NYC was going downhill and led to the crackdown on loud music. The fact that the city is turning a blind eye to it now is proof positive that we are headed for another skid.
$4000 Sound systems for a bike? I would like to know where they are getting the money to pay for this sort of stuff. I am sure its all legal.
"As a queens resident, surely you remember the fat italian kids 'crusing' down Frannie Lou Blvd in their IROCS blasting music going 80 mph?"
I remember it very well - not living too far from Frannie Lou - I also remember when an outraged resident poured motor oil on Frannie Lou Blvd. one night years ago. The accident killed I think 4 kids who were racing way over 90 mph.
The tragedy, coupled with heavy police monitoring for several years after, put a halt to this activity.
I'm not listening to anyone's music except my own - if it's not Hendrix blaring on their radios - ticket them and keep ticketing them until they go away.
Yeah I do remember those Italian
goombah's kids on Frannie Lew (not "Lou" ...you boob).
Didn't somebody do something about them ?
I'm ashamed to be a guyanese.
I am all for curtailing noise above a certain decibel, especially during the work week, past 10pm. Am I wrong, though, or is this just a bunch of kids attempting to have some extra-curricular fun?
I love all the racist posts on this blog. Why am I surprised there is such intense underlying hatred of immigrants setting up home and struggling to adapt in 'their' communities? I grew up in Richmond Hill as an immigrant and I know there is nothing for kids to do there. You really have to push the limits of imagination. I remember playing 'tennis' against a brick wall at the cracked-out abandoned public school. We need to foster creativity for these kids, within reason...
Crankiness is tell-tale sign of getting old, people! Is everyone complaining on this blog 85 or what?!
I agree with the anonymous comment of, "Tuesday, April 08, 2008."
People that complain about not having noise police stopping this should wonder why that isn't happening. Everyone in power believes that having every possible officer underground staring at the same MTA turnstile will stop terrorists from attacking...and that such a plan is successful because we haven't been attacked yet.
What they don't seem to care about anymore are the streets we walk in everyday and the lack of seeing beat cops walking through the streets and making the streets safer.
It is just too simple of a solution to ticket everyone with a loud "ticked out" bike. That neighbor really has nothing for the youth. Restricting their only outlet for entertainment will only foster more distrust for the law and established order.
If you want to control this "nuisance" then talk to your elected officials to create programs for the youth. Suggest to them that a YMCA or such club open up there, if possible, to at least provide another possible outlet for their energy.
Don't simply complain, write semi-bigot opinions on other cultures and seek temporary short-term solutions while laying that responsibility on others. Find a long-term solution that will not lead to greater problems.
where do these kids get 4000$
and they're gonna need that money when they get hearing damage for specialists and hearing aids.
screw them, dumb illegals.
There is a guy, a limo driver who likes to have parties in the middle of the night with lots of girls ( some come in or go by limo). He may charge for the parties. This guy has it all, he makes believe that he has no money and screws the IRS and NYS out of thousands in taxes probably. They call him William Sandoval and he lives in Queens. He has a Mercedes limo with NY license plate WILLY.
wow, I don't know the demographics of who reads this blog, but as a 23 y.o white resident who grew up in this neighborhood, I have nothing remotely negative to say about this post. Have we become such a policed state of paranoid people, where we are giving crap to some teenagers who have a legit hobby?
Get a life people and find something else to vent your frustration at.
Ride on fellas!
So you think it's perfectly acceptable to blast music in the streets? We have a noise code here. No one wants to hear that shit. You sound like an extremely stupid 23 y.o. white dude. And you'll probably vacate the city before you turn 30.
I'm a 25 year old woman, and I think what these kids do here is just horrible. They should go read a book, play basketball outside, go jogging, do something else than act like idiots and blast music like damn morons! I work and go to school. When I come home, I don't feel like hearing some lady whining (cause that's how Guyanese/Trini music sounds to me). I close my windows, and still hear that crap, I go to another room, and I still hear it. I don't go around and blast my "ethnic music" so that everyone can hear it. That's how it is on my block-I live on 107th street and 101ave. They are all in their upper 20's-one is even in his 40's??? Come on!!! Get a life!!
It becomes a problem when you impose music on other people. How would you like it if someone blasted....let's say hard rock music-or some other crap that you don't like in your ear for 8-10 hours? Try reading while you are exposed to that crap. You can't!
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