Escondido Mayor Dane White has put a call out to residents for ideas on how to best regulate e-bike ridership in the city.
In an Instagram post Jan. 21, White asked: “When the City Council takes up these regulations, what exactly are you all looking for?”
The topic has gained traction over the past couple of years, and even more in recent months, as nearby cities San Marcos, Carlsbad and Oceanside tackle similar e-bike challenges.
In describing his concerns, White shared an example from a recent morning when he was taking his children to school. He said that he saw kids riding against the direction of traffic and little, if any, helmet use — and it wasn’t just e-bikes.
“It seems like to me, the problem extends way beyond just the e-bike factor,” he said. “Nobody seems to understand the laws or regulations that are currently in place.”
White also expressed concern about an apparent lack of enforcement of current rules on the books. He invited residents to chime in on regulations beyond e-bikes, to such aspects as skateboards, bicycles and general pedestrian safety.
“E-bikes aren’t necessarily the problem, right?” he noted.
More than 50 residents have already been giving feedback in response to the post.
“My son had to go through a safety course in order to get a parking pass for his school,” one respondent wrote. “Maybe by making these kids take the course and pay the money to get a permit it might make them more aware of what they stand to lose, but also maybe a better way to travel as well.”
Permitting of some kind appeared to be a common suggestion.
“Permits/licenses for e-bikes similar to what is required to drive a car including e-bike safety education and rules of the road in order to get their permit/license,” someone else posted. “This approach helps ensure riders understand traffic rules, safe riding practices, and how to share the road responsibly.”
Clearer road markings, signage and protective barriers were also among the suggestions.
“Perhaps invest in infrastructure like bike lanes, protective barriers and other things that will make biking safer, not just for e-bikes but everyone,” one person wrote.
Improved enforcement of current regulations was also a common suggestion.
“Regulations don’t do anything without enforcement,” a resident responded in the replies, adding that police aren’t the only solution. “Realistically though think about when we were kids. The enforcement should be the parents. More (Police Department) patrolling the street for bicycles is ridiculous. Only thing you can do is create a new job for someone in this instance.”
White’s query did not indicate any specific timeline for the City Council to address the issue.
