E-bikes concerns prompt appeals to police for assistance

Amherstburg town council passed a pair of motions looking to improve safety and discourage poor behaviour as it relates to the operation of e-bikes and e-scooters.

Councillor Molly Allaire brought concerns over e-bikes to the Sept. 14 meeting.

“We know it’s a problem, not just in Amherstburg, but in all of the Windsor-Essex community,” said Allaire. “We’ve had two accidents recently with kids underage going away in an ambulance.” Allaire said she has received a lot of complaints regarding e-bikes in King’s Navy Yard Park, particularly since the new waterfront festival plaza park extension opened. 

“I know our staff has tried to mitigate this problem. There’s not much we can do,” said Allaire. 

Allaire put forth a motion, which would later pass, that the Windsor Police Service – Amherstburg Detachment receive a letter asking that King’s Navy Yard Park and Pat Thrasher Park be monitored, especially during evenings and weekends.

“We’ve had loads of vandalism at the parks, specifically with e-bikes,” she said. “They’re not receiving any consequences.”

Allaire said she wants police to monitor those parks, believing “if there was a presence, they will avoid doing their bad actions.”Councillor Peter Courtney questioned on what grounds police would be enforcing anything.

“We have no signs saying you can’t have e-anything in there,” he said. “What are they enforcing?”

Allaire countered by saying there is newly erected signage in the parks prohibiting e-bikes, adding kids under 16 cannot operate e-bikes. Those who do ride e-bikes also have to wear helmets.

“You have to follow the rules of the road, which are traffic laws, which are you cannot ride on sidewalks,” said Allaire. 

Courtney said he heard Allaire’s concerns but said he would rather seek guidance on how to regulate the issue. He said it is not just an Amherstburg problem, but a provincial issue.

“We need to have it spearheaded by a higher power that gives really good governance than our authority at the municipal level,” said Courtney.

“This is something that everybody is talking about at front doors. E-bikes and e-scooters are a problem. We have to do something,” said Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb. “We can’t say we can’t do anything and throw our hands up.”Gibb said he supported Allaire’s motion to ask police to monitor the situation.

“That’s the least they can do. We can ask them so people know we are doing something,” said Gibb.

Councillor Diane Pouget said she “fully supports” Allaire’s motion, noting there is signage up in King’s Navy Yard Park about riding bikes.

“Just in the last couple of weeks I observed somebody riding very dangerously down there. There were people in wheelchairs and one was on a walker,” said Pouget. “When I stopped him and said ‘you know what, sir, you are not allowed to ride your bike in here,’ he told me to go F myself. This has to stop.”

Pouget said riders can be cautioned about the dangers, being underage, not wearing helmets or any other issue necessary.

“I think it’s just good public relations for (police) to walk the beat and try to stop some of this bad behaviour,” said Pouget.

Allaire also called for the town and police to post on social media the rules relating to e-bikes.

“I believe there are a lot of parents out there buying e-bikes for their children because they think it’s a great invention, however, they are not giving them the tools and information necessary,” said Allaire. “I think there are some parents who don’t know the rules of these e-bikes.”

Allaire said the town should do something, though she acknowledged it is a problem that far extends the town’s limits. Courtney called it “low hanging fruit” and questioned what would actually be solved.

Courtney said e-bikes and e-scooters are “through the roof” and wanted further clarity on the rules around it and get guidance around it. He supported Allaire’s request to put out more information.

The Windsor Police Service issued a social media post Sept. 15. It confirmed e-bike riders must be at least 16-years-old and wearing an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet.“E-bike riders must follow the rules of the road, including obeying traffic signs and signals,” the post read. “E-bikes must meet Ontario’s requirements, including a maximum 500-watt motor and a maximum power-assisted speed of 32 km/h.”Windsor police stated a driver’s licence, vehicle registration, or vehicle liability insurance is not required to operate an e-bike.“E-bikes are not permitted on sidewalks or on roads where bicycles are prohibited,” Windsor police added, citing such examples in Windsor as the  E.C. Row Expressway and Dougall Parkway between Roseland Drive East and Sixth Concession.Windsor police encourage riders to make sure their e-bike meets Ontario’s legal definition before riding. “Vehicles that do not meet the definition of an e-bike may be subject to different licensing, registration and insurance requirements,” police stated.More information about e-bike safety and laws can be found at www.ontario.ca/page/riding-e-bike. 

E-bikes concerns prompt appeals to police for assistance

By Ron Giofu