It’s a recurring feature of any neighborhood Facebook group — outraged posters recounting near misses with kiddo Knievels on e-bikes.
Those complaints have now reached the collective ear of the St. Johns Board of County Commissioners, and a local crackdown could be on the horizon.
Commissioner Ann Taylor broached the issue at a panel meeting this week, saying she’s been inundated by resident anger over careening packs of e-biking youngsters.
“There have been numerous reports from concerned citizens about children riding e-bikes through parking lots, streets, sidewalks, shopping centers in an unsafe manner,” Taylor said. “Some of these e-bikes can reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour.”
Taylor said the county should be proactive on the issue, and relayed that she spoke to St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick and county attorney Rich Komando about ways to curtail irresponsible e-bike operation.
Taylor said she plans to bring a draft ordinance before the board, but did not specify what steps will be proposed.
A crackdown, she said, should be implemented “before a young child is injured.”
She noted that Hardwick stressed the important of parental guidance to kids on their use of e-bikes.
Commissioner Christian Whitehurst echoed Taylor’s e-bike concerns, but said enforcement would pose a challenge.
“I support it,” he said. “E-bikes are becoming dangerous, especially on our sidewalks and children are being hurt. I completely understand.”
Effectively policing the issue, he said, won’t be easy.
“it’s going to be very difficult to enforce children going down the sidewalks on their e-bikes,” he said. “We create laws and the sheriff has to enforce those laws. That’s going to be a sticky wicket, but I like what you’re trying to accomplish.”
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15 Responses
This county allowed countless super communities, many of which have large amenity centers and nearby fast casual and shops. What did they expect? Kids to just stay home and not go to these places?
E-bikes are a very practical way for middle schoolers and young high schoolers to get around and hang out with their friends before driving age. Also the state already took away the golf cart option for them, so this is a natural byproduct of that.
And then what? When the e-bikes are restricted, will they go after electric scooters next? It never ends. We don’t need more laws all the time. They always start out with good intentions and restrict, restrict, restrict.
And safety? How about that kid that was forced to walk to his bus at 6:00 in the morning in the dark and miraculously wasn’t killed in the hit and run. Why no community action on why we have these ridiculous bus stop times for our kids?
Instead we just want to take away their fun when this is supposed to be the family county of Florida.
100%
That is also true. Built up so many places for them around their schools. The drivers are usually the issue.
Typical commissioners wanting to restrict freedom. “Children are getting hurt” is not the bikes fault. I’m sure I’ve tripped on a sidewalk as a kid, does that mean all sidewalks need to have rubber mats on them?
e-bikes probably are under 30mph. I can ride a bike faster than 30 and could as a kid. So what is the real argument here?
Some of the bikes are fast. I got passed by one on 210 while driving 40 mph
I hardly doubt that you were riding your regular bike 30mph especially in this part of Florida where there are no hills. My e-bike will go 30 mph with me pedaling as hard as I can and I very quickly shut it down because it’s too fast to be riding on a bicycle.
Authoritarian policies from SJC legislature to appease adults who would like to see our youth restricted and confined to their yards. There are plenty of responsible kids who use these bikes to enjoy friendships and make memories of having innocent fun. Allowing our youth to have the freedom of enjoying technology is not a crime. We hear of these “injuries”, but where is the official studies and reports? I would guarantee there are no more childhood injuries from these devices than skateboards, regular bicycles and sports. Stop justifying creating ordinances that restrict freedoms because you feel you’re legislating future votes.
Shame on SJC commissioners. Let the lawsuits and ALCU involvement begin.
Yes, you are right. Crazy thing. I live in a apartment here in St Johns, they only have a dog park and no kid park. There are alot of pedestrian paths and kids should use them. The danger is the aggressive drivers.
How about this. Drive the speed limit, don’t speed and stop before the crosswalk, look left and right and then proceed. Drivers are terrible here in St Johns. As a adult bike rider I see drivers running stop signs, speeding and running red lights. It’s not the bikes, it’s the drivers not paying attention. Stop blaming the kids. Do something about the speeding, like more patrol, more tickets and better painted crosswalks. Then drivers will remember, when I drive in St. Johns I can’t speed because they will stop me and write a ticket. The drivers are getting away with reckless behavior and I’m sick of it!
The county is well advised to obtain systematic reviews on e-bike micromobility injuries by consulting local traffic safety reports and data from departments of health or emergency departments. I personally was almost hit by a teen going very fast and without warning while walking my dog on the sidewalk.
We don’t need more restrictions. My kids are responsible and ride their e bike to go surf. Stop regulating everything!
Its not the responsible young e-bike riders. Its the ones that ride up and down 210 and the communities at high speeds(30+mph) and weave in and out of traffic in the roadway. There are also some that play chicken with cars and will drive head on towards oncoming traffic. They will also force pedestrians to jump out of their way on sidewalks. If something is not done, its only a matter of time before one them is severely injured or worst end up dead.
No matter how many laws are created there will still be an element of stupid.
Probably more problems with elderly driving when they are no longer moderately functioning than kids on e-bikes.
I believe the kids need some kind of safety training, rules of the road, etc. The “E” bikes that are the worst are truly electric mini-bikes. They look like motorcycles and will pass a car going 45 mph. They ride them in the streets, on the sidewalks, on the grass doing wheelies and on designated bike/walking paths. Agree something should be done as far as training and licensing/insurance because someone is going to get hurt or worse. Are the parents prepared for that?
It’s not a one size fits all problem or solution. In the case of our deeded development we have walk/bike paths that are frequented most often by walkers with earbuds in. I stopped riding my manual bike on these paths because neither my bell or yelling voice could be heard. And then you scare people when they finally hear you or see you out of the corner of your eye. I finally stopped and took to the streets when I almost took out a multi-generational family on a Sunday stroll. Zig zag horror.
So, here’s my question. What if your kid who you don’t want riding on the street and takes to sidewalk/ paths with an electric bike collides with a pedestrian? Aren’t they the operator of an electric vehicle? If the pedestrian gets really hurt, they can probably sue. Maybe an Attorney should weigh in.