By Mary O’KEEFE

Not all electric bikes (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters) are equal or, to be more precise, not all drivers of these micro mobility vehicles are equal. There are those who ride e-bikes/e-scooters responsibly, follow traffic laws and wear safety equipment. E-bikes are better for the environment than gas-powered vehicles and they allow people who may not use traditional bicycles to enjoy biking; however, as it is with all vehicles it is the responsibility of the operator to ride, or drive, responsibly and obey traffic laws. 

At a recent Montrose Shopping Park Association (MSPA) meeting, board members, who are all business owners, asked Glendale police what they could do regarding those who drive mini motorcycles and e-bikes on the sidewalk. Officer Eggiman of the Glendale Police Dept. (GPD) stated the department is taking a zero tolerance policy concerning these bikes/motorcycles. 

An MSPA representatives took a video of an e-bike or an e-motorcycle driving along the sidewalk and shared it with Glendale police. Eggiman said he viewed the video and what he saw was a mini e-motorcycle. 

“When it comes to the law, we are going to treat [these vehicles] like any other vehicle,” he said. “It would be the same as if someone were riding a [full size] motorcycle on the sidewalk.”

He added when stopped an e-motorcycle can be impounded for being unregistered. These mini e-motorcycles can reach speeds up to about 70 mph and are not street legal. 

Officer Eggiman told the board members to call GPD when they see e-motorcycles being driven on sidewalks and to make sure to tell GPD dispatch the call is pertaining to an e-bike or e-motorcycle. 

GPD has also held informational meetings that focused on students who ride e-bikes and e-motorcycles, and parents who purchase the vehicles. GPD is planning on conducting more outreach. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.-Crescenta Valley Station has also held meetings in La Cañada Flintridge, an area that has been dealing with many issues concerning these vehicles. 

The city and school district of La Cañada Flintridge have taken steps to educate the public on e-bike safety. The city has a website, https://lcf.ca.gov/public-safety/e-bike-resources, that includes information on how e-bikes are classified and specific regulations surrounding their use. 

For example, La Cañada High School has an application that must be filled out and submitted to the school by anyone who plans to ride an e-bike to school. The student e-bike permit agreement requires students, and their parents, to agree to specific requirements including not riding the e-bike on campus. They must also take an online e-bike class and submit the certificate of completion with their application. 

Numerous cities across California, and nationally, have created new regulations and requirements as the use of e-bikes grows. In Huntington Beach an ordinance was passed in 2024 amending a municipal code concerning bike regulations. The new revised code gives law enforcement the discretion to issue civil or criminal citations depending on the circumstances to “individuals riding bicycles, e-bikes or electric powered motorcycles in an unsafe manner.”

“Examples of unsafe bicycling behaviors include riding on sidewalks without watching for pedestrians, going against the flow of traffic on sidewalks or highways, and failing to yield to vehicles or pedestrians when required by the California Vehicle Code. Additionally, actions like swerving around traffic, carrying passengers on bikes not designed for it, or disobeying posted signs are also considered unsafe.These amendments also grant officers the authority to tow bikes operated by juveniles, including Sur-Ron bikes, that are not street-legal, to increase safety on our streets,” according to the city’s website. 

Westlake Village is also facing issues regarding e-bikes and e-scooters. Its city council banned from sidewalks, parks, trails and fields the use of all e-bikes, e-scooters and other “recreational” electric mobility devices. 

“This new ordinance was put into place to reduce conflict between electric vehicles and pedestrians and to provide further safety of park goers. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. will now enforce these rules and [violators] can be given a ticket if they are found operating an electric mobility devices at a City park or other facility. Please note, ADA mobility devices are exempt from this ordinance,” according to the Westlake Village website wlv.org.

Santa Monica has an informational e-bike “buyers guide” website; however, its law enforcement is also cracking down on e-motorcycles. 

In a post on social media Santa Monica Police Dept. stated that on July 26, it “impounded 12 off-highway vehicles. While these electric bikes may look street legal, they are not permitted on public roads, bike paths or sidewalks.”

The popularity of micro mobility and e-motorcycles has grown quickly placing communities in a position of having to react after issues arise. CVW will next turn to Sacramento to see if constituents have reached out to elected officials for support with micro mobility vehicles and e-motorcycles.