St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick issued a pointed message to parents Friday during an interview on 904 Now, urging them to take responsibility for curbing unsafe e-bike use among children.
The sheriff said residents shouldn’t expect deputies to prioritize e-bike enforcement, stressing that the responsibility starts at home.
“This falls back on the parents and guardians,” Hardwick said. “It’s their responsibility when it comes to their children. I don’t remember buying my kid a bicycle that went 30 or 40 miles an hour at 10, 11, or 12 years old and saying, ‘Hey little Jimmy, go visit your friend who lives 15 miles away.’”
The St. Johns County Board of Commissioners is currently considering a new e-bike ordinance to crack down on reckless riding.
Hardwick noted that some modified e-bikes can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, and said he would leave enforcement up to his officers’ discretion.
“But if you’re expecting us to stop a bunch of kids on the sidewalk without helmets, I hope you understand that, as deputy sheriffs, we have other things we need to do,” he said.
Hardwick said he supports having deputies call parents rather than issue citations when encountering minors operating e-bikes dangerously.
“If we have a negative contact with a kid, we contact the parents and tell them, ‘This is your responsibility, not ours. We don’t babysit for a living,’” Hardwick said. “So go ahead and come pick your kid up on the e-bike that was going 48 mph on a sidewalk, and take them home and educate them.”
He also said parents should be willing to confiscate items from their youngins when used irresponsibly.
“God forbid we upset the little kids and tell them we’re going to take something away from them,” he said.
Hardwick also expressed concern over the effect e-bikes are having on children’s physical activity.
“These kids aren’t even pedaling anymore,” he said. “It’s so sad because we’ve taken away the little bit of outdoor activity they had from riding a bicycle.”
