A stunned Nocatee mother discovered barbed spikes placed along a heavily trafficked bike path used by countless kids on bicycles and e-bikes, according to a police report obtained by The Citizen.
One of the items popped a tire on a bike being used by her son last week, and sent him tumbling to the asphalt, the paperwork indicated.
He was not injured.
The resident posted pictures of the spikes online, and said the items were discovered along the popular master planned community’s Crosswater Parkway.
The span has become an increasingly jumbled thoroughfare for local kids who zip down the path to and from Pine Island Academy and on weekends.
They travel on a mix of conventional bicycles as well as e-bikes — with the latter quickly becoming a flashpoint for locals concerned about their high speeds and sometimes reckless use.
No suspects have been identified in relation to the spikes, with online analysts speculating that mischievous kids or vindictive adults could be the culprits.
The startled parent espoused the latter theory.
“Complainant thinks it has to do with anti e-bike people in the neighborhood,” the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office paperwork notes.
A chorus of concern over irresponsible e-bike operation has hit a crescendo in recent weeks, with local Facebook groups posting a near constant stream of complaints.
Some report abusive language and frequent middle finger usage, while others claim they’ve been challenged to Fast and Furious style road races in the middle of roadways.
But many parents have cautioned against an overcorrection in light of the imbroglio, asserting that e-bikes are generally operated responsibly and serve as a crucial mode of transport not involving golf carts or vehicles.
Just this past week, a Facebook page was set up to serve as a clearinghouse for Nocatee e-bike related complaints and incidents that will at some point be presented to the St. Johns County Commission.
“This isn’t a group to debate others, trash talk, or blame. It’s simply to gather information to share with the Commissioners so that our community is safer for everyone,” the page’s creator wrote.
Board commissioner Ann Taylor has already sounded the alarm on the e-bike issue, saying she’s been in contact with St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick on the matter and that new ordinances could be forthcoming.
