New York City is a vibrant urban community and it can be quite loud, at times.

Even so, some Bay Ridge residents tell NY1 that there’s a limit to how much they’ll put up with.

What You Need To Know

  • Councilman Justin Brannan told NY1 that he gets complaints, not just from his constituents but from people around the city, about vehicles outfitted with illegal modifications that make them very loud.

  • Earlier this week, NY1 heard similar complaints from residents in Astoria who were upset about the noise and hazards caused by riders on ATV’s and dirt bikes. 

  • Both Brannan and Astoria residents said that while the noise was an issue that their biggest concern were the safety issues caused by riders on illegal vehicles and drivers acting recklessly.
 Lately, they said there’s been no shortage of motorcycles and souped-up cars with modified mufflers cruising through the neighborhood.

“It’s loud and really noisy,” Janet Monte, a Bay Ridge Resident.

“Here around the park it’s constant. I don't know if it’s teenagers who are just getting their drivers license,” said Albena Moutchkavea, another Bay Ridge Resident.

NY1 captured video of a few vehicles, driving along the Belt Parkway, that were much louder than the rest of traffic and were within earshot of residential homes.

The cars and motorcycles themselves are legal but what bothers Councilman Justin Brannan are the illegal modifications that make these vehicles so loud.

“They are already illegal, the problem is that the fines are hardly prohibitive,” said Councilman Brannan.

The noise is bothersome, even to Brannan who used to be part of a hard core punk band.

He believes that consistent NYPD enforcement would help curtail the problem.

“A little bit of enforcement goes a long way. If these guys know what they are doing is illegal and they are going to get written up for it, that will help and it’s going to keep people safe,” said Brannan.

Brannan’s concerns are similar to those of Astoria residents we spoke to earlier this week.

They said that their requests for consistent enforcement, to address noise pollution, have never come to fruition.

They believe a consistent NYPD presence would have prevented an incident over the weekend when more than 50 illegal ATV’s and Dirt Bikes drove through Astoria Park.

Just two days after our NY1 story, the NYPD addressed citywide concerns about ATV’s and dirt bikes at a press conference.

“Another focus in the city... ATV’s and dirt bikes," said NYPD Chief of Patrol Jaunita Holmes. "Listen, you use it, you’re going to lose it. We started a campaign on April 20 and we’ve confiscated over 131 ATV’s and dirt bikes.”

The NYPD said that residents with noise complaints should notify 311 in order to document the problem, so that the proper resources can be deployed.