Electric bike and scooter safety promoted by Powell River RCMP

Local detachment are having to educate the public and hand out fines when enforcement is necessary

With electric-powered vehicles becoming more commonplace, police are being called upon for greater education and enforcement. Powell River RCMP constable Paula Perry said the local detachment has been trying to undertake education campaigns regarding proper use of electrically powered vehicles, such as e-dirt bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters. “It’s not only our community that has issues,” said Perry.

“It’s challenging for everyone. “There have been several reports of serious injuries on e-bikes, e-scooters and e-dirt bikes.” Perry said that as a general rule, operators must be 16 years of age or older, the exception being 14 or older for light e-bikes, which can reach a maximum speed of 25 km/

h. Standard e-bikes can reach a maximum speed of 32 km/h. E-dirt bikes and mini-motorcycles are not legal on roads, sidewalks or bike lanes and cannot be registered or insured. “For all these parents that are buying vehicles for their kids, it’s 16-plus,” said Perry. “Most of them are not allowed on the road at all.

Most of them are not street legal, dirt bikes especially. There are some that can be registered, but if they are on the street, they have to be registered with insurance, and there has to be a driver’s licence to operate.” For e-bikes, a driver’s licence is not required, but there are very strict rules about the speeds these vehicles can go, said Perry.

She added that parents are liable and that electric vehicles can be impounded if there are infractions. “We have been getting numerous complaints in Powell River, and our officers have been doing traffic stops and education campaigns,” said Perry. “There is usually a first warning, trying to educate about the rules, such as where you can and cannot ride, plus who can and cannot ride.

We’ve been to Brooks Secondary School and the bike park, trying to educate kids and parents. “We’ve had a pretty good response, especially from youth. We are struggling with the response from parents.

Some have been quite argumentative, and what we are commonly hearing is: ‘Don’t you guys have something better to do?’” Perry said her response to that is that youth safety is always a top priority for RCMP members. For e-scooters, operators must be 16 years old or older, the rider must wear a helmet, and only one person can be on the scooter, said Perry.

They are not to be operated on a public sidewalk adjacent to a roadway. “They would operate like a bicycle, so they can be used on bicycle lanes. It’s important for people to educate themselves and know the rules and be very responsible,” said Perry She said road safety is key and parents need to be educated, and making sure that their children are using electric vehicles safely.

In terms of electric motorcycle safety awareness, most are not street legal, and riding without insurance is a $598 fine. Having no driver’s licence is a $276 fine, no helmet is $138, and stunting can be an additional $368 fine, with a seven-day impound. Improper operation of e-scooters can also result in fines.

Riding on a sidewalk is a $109 fine, being younger than 16 is a $109 fine, having more than one rider is a $109 fine, riding without a helmet is a $29 fine, riding dangerously is a $109 fine, and exceeding the speed limit can be a $138 to $368 fine. E-bikes do not require registration, vehicle licences or insurance, but operators must be 16 or older and must wear a bicycle helmet. They may be operated on the road similar to regular bicycles.

Something that is also seen on local roads is the use of motorized wheelchairs. They do not require registration, a vehicle licence, insurance, or a driver’s licence. They are treated similarly to pedestrians and may be operated anywhere that pedestrians are permitted to walk.

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