E-bike use must be curtailed by government oversight

In a recent open letter to the community about bikes being ridden "dangerously and irresponsibly," Massapequa Park Village Mayor Daniel Pearl clearly elucidates a perplexing issue of our times — how to curtail the excessive, incessant and dangerous use of e-bikes across Long Island.

The preponderance of e-bikes overwhelming Long Island streets, sidewalks, trails and parking lots is a relatively new problem and one worthy of more government oversight. New York State and numerous municipalities have enacted laws and code regulating e-bike usage but it doesn't seem to be having an effect.

On top of the difficulty of sharing space with just one e-biker, there is now a broader public safety issue — how can well-meaning residents defend against a deluge of malevolent e-bike riders intent on skirting laws and imperiling us all?

According to New York law, e-bikes are regulated the same as bicycles. They are not permitted on roads with speed limits above 30 mph. The technicalities get a bit specific but the main point is that responsible people can use e-bikes according to law.

The state already regulates e-bikes, and many villages, towns and even Nassau and Suffolk have added additional oversight for the use of these fast-moving menaces.

Yet, these well-intended efforts are falling short of curtailing the e-bike craze overwhelming our parking lots and streets and endangering pedestrians and drivers. Collisions with these heavier, faster bikes are causing more serious injuries and property damage. Their weight is rutting walking and cycling trails.

Can an e-bike rider drive above the speed limit? Can an e-bike rider drive on the sidewalk? Can they drive without insurance? Standardizing rules among municipalities would make it clear to everyone what is permitted and required. There are numerous other questions that need to be addressed without even discussing how to stop packs of e-bike riders with unscrupulous intentions from disrupting traffic and parking.

The real issue may be those who don’t comply with whatever laws and regulations are in place. A recent story by Newsday's news division examined how e-bike riders are taking over municipal parking lots. That's a serious public safety concern. If we permit e-bikes, just as we permit motorcycles and motor vehicles, how do we curtail "meetups" that promote irresponsible activity?

For example, in Port Jefferson, e-bike riders have apparently taken over parking lots. This flagrant disregard for state and local laws has prompted flummoxed elected officials to begin hearings to consider new regulations.

Teen e-bike riders must be educated about consequences, including possible delays in getting a driver's license, not to mention fines and having the e-bike confiscated. 

If an e-bike rider can get away with wheelieing through a supermarket parking lot, what's to stop the group from posting on social media and expanding their efforts? The issue is more than a simple nuisance for residents, it is an assault against our common space. Just like enforcement of illegal ATV use, Nassau and Suffolk officials need to speed up their enforcement efforts.