“Motorized bikes may seem like toys, but they carry real power and real consequences,” the department said in a statement.
Two youths were injured earlier this month after crashing an electric bicycle, prompting police to warn the public that “reckless riding” on e-bikes is dangerous and illegal.
According to a community alert, officers from the Petaluma Police Department responded to an incident in early June involving three teenagers operating two gas-powered dirt bikes and one high-speed electric bicycle in the area of Garfield Drive.
The officers learned that while attempting a stunt on the e-bike – specifically, a wheelie with two riders on it – the teens lost control and collided with a parked truck. Both riders were transported to Petaluma Valley Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers later cited the three teens for operating motorized vehicles without a license and failing to provide proof of insurance, police said.
“We encourage all young riders (and parents) to understand the laws, invest in proper safety gear, and make safe choices,” police said. “Motorized bikes may seem like toys, but they carry real power and real consequences.”
That’s especially true for e-bikes, which according to Petaluma police traffic Sgt. Mario Giomi are growing in popularity. The result has been a “rise in the amount of complaints by residents regarding unsafe behavior exhibited by youth bicycle riders.”
“Our biggest concern related to the issue is the safety of all bike riders and pedestrians,” Giomi told the Argus-Courier.
Data on e-bike incidents in Petaluma was not readily available, Giomi said, since the department does not have a system in place to calculate the number of reports specific to e-bikes alone. But he said that “Officers are stopping and educating bicycle and e-bike riders when violations are observed. The best way to address issues that are being reported by the community is by education.”
Giomi said e-bikes come in categories that describe their capabilities. Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes are pedal-operated and motor-assisted. Class 1 e-bikes generally have a top speed of 20 miles per hour, while Class 3 e-bikes have a top speed of 28 miles per hour.
Class 2 e-bikes have a manual throttle which can propel the bicycle to 20 miles per hour without pedaling, Giomi said. However, he added, “Class 2 e-bikes have ways to manipulate the software to increase the speeds upwards of 40 miles per hour.”
Earlier this year, Marin County supervisors approved a bill that banned youths under 16 from riding any but Class 1 e-bikes, with Mill Valley being the first city in the county to include the restrictions in city rules.
No such law has been passed in Petaluma or Sonoma County, where the 16-and-up age requirement applies only to riders of Class 3 bikes, in accordance with state law.
Amelia Richardson is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier. She can be reached at [email protected] or 707-521-5208.
