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The Roanoke City Council voted to add guidelines and restrictions on electric bicycles and electric scooters on city streets.
What happened?
During the July 14 meeting, the council voted unanimously to amend the city code of ordinances by adding a chapter on electronic mobility vehicles.
Mayor Carl E. “Scooter” Gierisch said many neighboring towns and cities have addressed issues that have arisen from the influx of e-bicycles and e-scooters on city streets and sidewalks.
“I’m a firm believer we need to get some rules and regulations established. If certain parts of the rules and regulations are maybe too restrictive, you come back and amend that,” Gierisch said.
He said he and Police Chief Jeff Williams talked about the concerns about e-bikes and e-scooters, and Williams helped format the approved ordinance.
The details
Twelve restrictions and prohibitions were placed on e-bikes and e-scooters. Notable rules state that a driver:
On the first or second offense, a fine could be assessed up to $500. On the third and subsequent offense within 12 months, the vehicle will be impounded. Any electric bicycles that are impounded will be released following payment of fines and fees.
What they’re saying
Resident Jonathan Ackmann spoke in the public comment portion of the meeting and said he knows the use of e-bikes irresponsibly has led to issues, but said an overall ban on using them on sidewalks was not a good idea.
He said some children in Roanoke use e-bikes to get to school, and that specific ban could force them to ride on streets like Marshall Creek Road with vehicles.
“I much more trust people’s judgement to be safe and know when to safely use the sidewalks instead of just banning across the board,” he said.
He suggested using an ordinance similar to Dallas, which bans use of e-bikes and e-scooters in high-pedestrian areas but does not from sidewalks.
