CICERO, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — As warmer weather brings more e-bikes and motorized bikes onto Central New York roads, law enforcement officials say they are also seeing more dangerous and illegal riding behavior.
A video posted to the Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board’s Facebook page shows multiple teens on motorized bikes weaving through active traffic during rush hour near the busy Route 31 and Interstate 81 corridor in Cicero. Some riders were seen doing wheelies, while others stood on the backs of moving bikes as cars passed nearby.
“This is the type of riding officers are talking about,” Cicero Police Sgt. James Snell, who is also on the advisory board, said. “Disregarding the rules of the road and disregarding other vehicles is so unsafe, putting themselves and other people in danger.”
Snell said officers are concerned not only about the riders themselves, but also about how drivers may react in a split second.
“What are they going to cause other drivers to do to avoid them?” Snell said. “Are other people going to swerve and cause accidents? Or are other people going to get hurt? Or are they going to get struck and hurt, injured or even killed?”
Officials say many people use the term “e-bike” broadly, but the laws can vary depending on the type of vehicle. That can include scooters, electric dirt bikes, gas-powered bikes and other motorized rides.
Police say riders still have to follow traffic laws, including obeying traffic signals, staying off most sidewalks, and, in many cases, staying off higher-speed roads. Some modified or high-speed bikes may not be legal on public roads at all without proper registration.
Officials noted many motorized bikes require operators to be at least 16 years old. Police are also urging both riders and parents to understand the laws before heading onto the road.
For more information, people can visit CiceroPD.US for additional safety resources and contact the department.
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