Police seeking rules for e-bikes in Burlingame

“It’s hard to enforce when it’s so confusing,” Matteucci said. “It’s hard to solve the problem if we don’t know. So we need to make sure our officers are educated on the rules of the e-bikes so we can educate and enforce the rules with the public.”

The state’s vehicle code defines an e-bike as a bicycle with operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts. These types of bike classes break down into three categories. Class one bikes provide motor assistance only when the rider is pedaling and stop assisting when the rider reaches a speed of 20 mph. Riders over 18 are not required to wear a helmet, according to the DMV.

The city’s Spin e-bikes are class one bikes. However, riders must be 18 years old to rent them, Burlingame Sustainability Program Manager Sigalle Michael said.

Class two bikes operate with a pedal assist or a throttle and stop helping once the bike reaches 20 mph. Both class one and two e-bikes are required to have a sticker distinguishing the type of bike it is. Class one and two e-bikes are street legal, and riders under 18 must wear a helmet, the same law for cyclists. Class three e-bikes may have throttle and pedal assist functionality and can travel up to speeds of 28 mph. This e-bike class is regulated for off-road use only and is not street-legal in Burlingame. People who ride class three e-bikes must be over 16, wear a helmet and prohibit carrying a passenger, according to the DMV’s website.

The grand jury’s report nudged the police department to perform community outreach, Matteucci said. The police department discussed bicycle safety rules, an overview of different types of e-bikes and scooters and the city’s Spin e-bike sharing program during a meeting Tuesday, Sept.19.

It isn’t easy to distinguish which class an e-bike is in without inspecting it, police Cpl. Joe Morrell said during the meeting.

Pedestrian fatalities have increased 77% since 2010, compared to 25% for all other traffic-related deaths. There has been a greater than 60% increase in bicyclists killed per year since 2010, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety.

The risk of a fatal crash and severe injury occurring on a bike doubles at 23 mph versus a collision at 15 mph, Morrell added.

Concerned parent Lara Heisler said she is worried her 14-year-old son will be riding on his friends’ e-bikes and injure himself.

“We need to think of ways to educate the kids, but I don’t think parents are aware of the danger and liability of these bikes,” Heisler said. “Fall is here, clocks are changing, it’s going to get darker quicker and I want to get out ahead of this, so the kids can be safe.”

Heisler is concerned that children don’t understand the danger of e-bikes and the high speeds they are capable of traveling necessitates education.

“I am wondering if we as a community could say we are having an evening dusk and police will be checking like a checkpoint,” Heisler said.

Matteucci said he plans to educate the police department on the rules for the various e-bike classes, perform community outreach and then cite violators by the end of the year if needed.

While there hasn’t been a significant accident in the city, there has been an increase in complaints pertaining e-bikes to the police department, Matteucci said.

“My biggest concern is not handling it quickly enough,” Matteucci said. “We just want to make sure we deal with it quickly so it doesn’t get worse.”