A Challenge to Our Riding Community: The E‑Bike Kids Are Coming Up — What Are We Going To Do About It?

[augustiron]

I just came up with the catch phrase


Roads are not playgrounds

 

[PaulR]

Example Message

Roads Are Not Playgrounds

A Public Safety Message from the California Highway Patrol – Motor Unit

As a CHP Motor Officer, I spend every day on California’s roads. I see the best of our communities—people moving with purpose, families traveling together, riders enjoying the freedom of two wheels. But I also see the moments when everything changes in an instant. And lately, too many of those moments involve e‑bikes.

E‑bikes are fast, powerful machines. At 20–30 mph, they move with the same speed and force as a small motorcycle. When they’re used responsibly, they’re a great way to get around. But when riders—especially young riders—treat public roads like playgrounds, the consequences are severe.

I’ve responded to collisions where riders suffered traumatic injuries:

• Head trauma that permanently affects memory, speech, and behavior
• Broken bones requiring plates, screws, and multiple surgeries
• Spinal injuries that change mobility for life
• Internal injuries that don’t heal cleanly—or fully

These aren’t minor scrapes. These are life‑altering events. They impact families, schools, and entire communities. One risky decision—running a stop sign, darting between cars, riding against traffic, blasting down a sidewalk—can lead to months of recovery, permanent disability, or a tragedy no family should ever face.

From the CHP Motor Unit, here’s what every e‑bike rider needs to understand:

• You are operating a vehicle. The law applies to you.
• Stop at all stop signs and signals. Most severe crashes happen at intersections.
• Ride with the flow of traffic. Wrong‑way riding increases impact speed and injury severity.
• Stay off sidewalks. High‑speed riding near pedestrians is dangerous and illegal.
• Control your speed. Reaction time disappears quickly at e‑bike velocities.
• Parents: If your child rides an e‑bike, they need real instruction. Their safety depends on it.

My job is to protect the public. That means enforcing the law, educating riders, and preventing tragedies before they happen. E‑bikes can be part of a safe transportation system—but only when riders treat them with the seriousness they demand.

Roads are not playgrounds.
They are shared public spaces, and the consequences of misuse can last a lifetime.

Ride Safe

 

[Butch]

I put this in general, but it’s good information for here. 21 Emoto’s, I think one with petals. The line between E bikes and Emoto’s is pretty blurred. Pretty much all the e motos I see are illegal.

Travis Pastrana tests 21 Electric Dirt Bikes

Really cool. They seemed to have missed our Beta https://electricdirtriders.com/threads/miscellaneus-ebikes-tested-at-pastranaland.5125/

www.bayarearidersforum.com

 

[augustiron]

The line is not really blurred, class 1, 2 or 3 Ebikes are clearly defined.

People just don't want to acknowledge that most of what is out there, (that all the kids want and are causing most of the problems) are illegal e motos that are not legal for Street use, and most don't have the ability to even get a sticker for legal off road where that is required

 

[CDONA]

After posting here yesterday, I found myself fully in one of those positions, of an interference traffic fit.
Potential of taking out an 5" wheeled E-scoot, or He taking out my fender.
I'm heading downhill, into an intersection with 5 lanes both ways. E-scoot on the sidewalk, parallel to me.
Thru the big crossroads, back up to the sidewalk, I need to turn right, I can't cross in front, he will eat my fender, so I roll next to him, hoping my Real Trucks Rattle, will soak thru the headphone cups he is wearing.
He does glance my way just before he bailed to the right, off the sidewalk and into my driveway, I followed.
I gave him the right of way, from the jump. He did hook that turn with talent, no wobble.
Imagine my surprise when I found him in Safeway, shopping, alive & well.

We are all players in this, changeover in tactics, bring it all under the same umbrella of safety.

 

[augustiron]

Relevant

 

[nakedape]

Relevant

Man, that's some hyperbolic bs from the reporting. Using terms like "gangs" and "terrorize" to describe punk kids doing punk things is a choice. They go looking for a reaction, and people give it to them, kicking off confrontations. Of course they can be total assholes, public nuisances, and flagrant violators of the VC, but that behavior isn't exclusive to e-bikers. Considering the number of e-bikes in operation, this "scourge" represents a tiny fraction of users, much like the moto scene.

A key difference I notice (IRL, not second-hand), is that these things are REALLY quiet, and they rip by and startle people into panic. Imagine a full-size person on a moto grazing you at 25+ mph. Takes your breath away.

 

[PaulR]

I was looking into what’s the current status of this subject…..
This what I found….
PaulR

 

[Butch]

I was looking into what’s the current status of this subject…..
This what I found….
PaulR

Meat
Section 312.5 CVC, Electric Bicycles: A bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals
and an electric motor that does not exceed 750 watts. There are three classifications:
• Class 1 or “low-speed pedal- assisted.
”
o Motor only provides assistance when the rider is pedaling.
2
Safety, Service, and Security An Internationally Accredited Agency
CHP 47 (Rev. 10-13) OPI 003
o Not capable of exclusively propelling the bicycle, with the exception of a
start assistance or “walk mode.
”
o Ceases providing assistance when the bicycle speed reaches 20 mph.
o Not capable of providing assistance to reach speeds greater than 20 mph.
• Class 2 or “low-speed throttle- assisted.
”
o Motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle.
o Not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle speed reaches
20 mph.
• Class 3 or “speed pedal- assisted.
”
o Motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling.
o Ceases providing assistance when the bicycle speed reaches 28 mph.
o Equipped with a speedometer.

 

[augustiron]

I was looking into what’s the current status of this subject…..
This what I found….
PaulR

And who has actually seen that before now....?

 

[PaulR]

And who has actually seen that before now....?

Reply …..
CHP did not release the 2026 e‑bike bulletins through a public PSA campaign. They were made public only through CHP’s official bulletin system — meaning they were publicly accessible documents, but not actively broadcast to the general public. CHP

What this looks like in practice

• CHP posts bulletins on its website in PDF form.

• They do not promote them through news media or social channels.

• They rely on agencies, schools, and local governments to interpret and share the information if needed.

So unless someone is actively checking CHP bulletins, they would never see these.

It was posted in May 2026

Geez

 

[nakedape]

LE has a simple distinction around here, pedals need no license and no pedals does. Enforcement has begun in response to community concerns.

Improving tech especially batteries makes this an evolving issue. Parents are quietly loving the transportation budget relief, as cars in CA are really expensive per mile to operate. E-bikes are not a gateway drug to a turbo busa, but to better e-bikes as skills and budget allow. $3500 vs $15K for a beater commuter car. Show me the incentive and I'll show you the outcome.

If our infrastructure was more bike friendly there would be far less interaction resulting in injuries and complaints. I tried to sell my SO on an e-bike for commuting and she said "how will you get out of the way of cars, hell no, those things are dangerous." So I test drove the bmw xr1000 and a powerful e-bike would scorch it 0-30. The top speed limit on my commute is 45 mph. Do want