The Lincoln Township Police Department is working to educate young users of e-bikes on safety and traffic rules as concerns grow about the safety hazards the bikes could pose.
Speaking at this week’s meeting of the township board of trustees, Police Chief David Burrow was asked to set up an education program for middle school students as residents report seeing kids on e-bikes zipping around the community. Burrow said they’re working on it, with plans to have officers address kids at community fun days in Stevensville this month and the township next month.
“We do have some education things coming up for the kids pertaining to bicycle safety including e-bikes and scooters and all that stuff on August 21 in the village at the Village Fun Day and then September 12 at the Township Family Fun Day where SRL Emory is going to do a demonstration and have kids run through safety courses and go over bike safety and things like that to try to help implement it.”
Burrow said they’re also talking motorized scooters. He noted under Michigan law, as long as an e-bike has pedals, then a license to use one is not required, even though they’re powered by a motor. He added if the pedals are removed, though, the situation changes.
The township is now working on an ordinance to govern e-bike use, and the police department is involved. Burrow said the ordinance could cover several things.
“Things like where they can be ridden, how they can be ridden, alerts like a horn or lights. All that kind of stuff could be enforced if there’s an ordinance that’s in place.”
Burrow said Lincoln Township is working with the city of St. Joseph on the issue. As we’ve reported, St. Joe city staff are currently hard at work drafting their own local rules. Burrow said it may take some time to respond to the issue, but “it’s a process.”