CARLSBAD, Calif. (KGTV) — The City of Carlsbad is stepping up its enforcement and education for electric bike riders.
Tuesday evening the city council unanimously passed an ordinance that targets reckless riders. E-bikes and other motorized mobile devices are now included in the existing code for bicycles.
Bill Sides lives just off Carlsbad Boulevard. He's especially worried about tourists who rent the bikes in the summer.
"It could be two to three young children and when they get out there the bike lanes are small enough as it is," said Sides.
Carlsbad Police say there's been an influx of e-bikes since the pandemic. The department said from January of 2019 to December of 2021, there were 186 collisions involving e-bikes or bicycles, with163 involved injuries.
The regulations target reckless riding, speeding, and riding with multiple passengers. They also require riders to dismount within 50 feet of a pedestrian or horse on a trail less than 5 feet wide.
Sides thinks it's a good start.
"It's a lot more to control and they go too fast. They're going faster than the traffic, cause the traffic is bad," said Sides.
The ordinance includes an option for first-time offenders. Instead of getting a fine, they may be able to take a class on e-bike safety.
The new measure will go into effect on May 5.
