Tired of dirt bikes on the roads?

County Executive Bruce Blakeman delivered a stern warning to operators of illegal dirt bikes: “Not in Nassau,” he said, as he kicked a crumpled piece of scrap metal that had once been an illegal vehicle.

Blakeman issued this harsh message during an Aug. 2 press conference in East Rockaway’s Bay Park, as he stood behind dozens of dirt bikes, quads and ATVs that had been seized by the Nassau County Police Department. These vehicles are often unregistered, uninsured or being driven recklessly, the county executive said.

“Today, we’re going to destroy these vehicles and put on a demonstration to let the public know that we’re serious about making sure that our communities are safe,” Blakeman said, as a bulldozer from the Department of Public Works loomed nearby before it was used to crush these vehicles.

Illegally driven ATVs and dirt bikes have caused huge problems in West Hempstead, according to Maureen Greenberg, president of the West Hempstead Community Support Association. Greenberg, who lives near Hempstead Turnpike, said that the vehicles ran rampant last summer, swarming Hempstead Turnpike in the early evening and creating problems on other streets as well.

“They were a nuisance,” Greenberg said. “They would rev their engines to make a very loud sound, and since there were multiple of them going down the streets at the same time, it was a parade of these vehicles making a huge amount of noise.”

Greenberg said these vehicles were more than an annoyance — they were a safety hazard. Residents said they feared that a reckless bike or ATV would hit their car, another illegal vehicle, or even a pedestrian.

“They had no regard for the rules of the road,” Greenberg said. “It was dangerous.”

Greenberg added that it has become much less of a problem this summer — mostly due to the Nassau County Police Department’s crackdown on the vehicles this year.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said that more than 1,000 summonses have been issued this year alone to people riding vehicles illegally, and police officers have distributed fliers across Nassau County warning people of their zero tolerance policy for violations of the Vehicle and Traffic Law. The department has also seized 40 “joker poker” machines, which are illegal gambling devices, he added.

Blakeman said that this is just one of several police initiatives to address concerns about crime in Nassau County. “Operation Overwatch,” which began four months ago, has increased police presence across the county.

“Quality of life has got to be maintained,” Ryder said. “Everybody else is pulling back. The county executive is investing in our quality of life here in Nassau County.”

During the press conference, officials used the bulldozer to demonstrate what happens to illegal vehicles that are seized. The bulldozer was used to crush several dirt bikes like tin cans under its massive wheels, being driven back and forth a few extra times just for good measure.

“We’re here today to send a very important message: The era of lawlessness does not exist here in Nassau County,” Blakeman said.

“We will not tolerate this nonsense occurring in Nassau County,” he added. “We’ve seen far too much of it, and we’re not going to tolerate it.”