The misery brought by illegal off-road bikers in Sunderland, and what Rabbie Burns might make of them

But it’s becoming what we in the media like to call an epidemic.

The latest example, that we know of, is in Ryhope where a field has been churned up by these delightful people, meaning that children can’t now play games there, lest they sustain broken ankles. Residents are as sick as jugglers’ rabbits.

On the off-chance that our bikers are unfamiliar with the poet Burns, here’s a one-liner of his: “O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us; To see oursels as others see us.”

To paraphrase; Burns is saying that someone who is an utter berk is unlikely to see themselves thus.

You have probably all seen these people riding unregistered, uninsured motorbikes on public roads and parks. At no point in the performance will you have contemplated the possibility that you were looking at a non-berk.

Apologies for the language, but I’m not allowed to use anything stronger.

Who, over the age of about seven, is actually impressed by such a display of (male) public dimness? The opposite sex? I have minuscule knowledge of women, but can confirm that they do not melt like Cornettos upon seeing an eedjit doing a wheelie on a dual carriageway.

It really isn’t the last word in coolness lads. It’s naff.

Proper bikers become more annoyed than anyone about all this. Yet unlikely as it sounds, illegal bikers have their defenders. It seems the poor souls can’t help it.

The cry goes up: “Well if they had somewhere to go…” which suggests that, having established that there is absolutely nowhere to use an off-road motorbike, they then acquire one anyway, then expect sympathy for their “plight”.

It seems that the local authority, therefore the public, should pay for somewhere for them to behave thus. Evidently such dangerous, obnoxious and illegal behaviour ought to be rewarded.

Call me contrary, but I’m not sure I agree.

You can make the world a better place by reporting them, in complete confidence, at www.sunderland.gov.uk/antisocialbehaviour.