Road Rules

Electronic bicycles, or e-bikes, seem to be everywhere all of a sudden. The bikes, with electric motors that can propel them at speeds up to 30 mph, have taken off, so to speak, this summer on the East End, with adults hoping to avoid the worst of the grueling traffic that makes up the morning and afternoon commute, and also with younger riders, who have found the new hip way to get around town.

They seem to be a great way to beat the traffic — and a step in the right direction to help protect the environment, bypassing the gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs that fill our roadways.

But as e-bikes have gained in popularity, many local officials and police agencies are cautioning the public — and, in particular, the parents of teens with e-bikes — to get to know the rules and to follow them.

Since e-bikes are primarily considered bicycles, and not vehicles, they are not subject to most vehicle and traffic laws, and do not need to be registered; helmets are required on some, but not others. Riders do not need to obtain a driver’s license. All that makes them super-attractive to teens. However, nobody under the age of 16 may ride an e-bike of any kind under state law, a rule that is frequently ignored, officials said, citing examples of some parents claiming not to know the law when their younger kids get caught riding e-bikes.

With e-bikes operating at significant speeds and made to look more and more like mopeds and dirt bikes, officials are rethinking whether they should be better regulated, and are warning parents of their possible dangers, especially by younger drivers, inexperienced in the ways of the road. Individual municipalities may also set their own rules when it comes to e-bikes, something East Hampton Town officials may be considering, especially for e-bikes being ridden on trails.

E-bike riders need to find and understand the rules of the road themselves, for their own safety in areas with such heavy traffic that accidents are almost a daily occurrence. And at the same time, parents should make sure they know the rules and regulations themselves, in order to keep their young riders honest.

E-bikes should be seen as a great tool — to avoid traffic congestion and have less impact on the environment. But, like any tool, they are not toys, and they have the potential for tragic outcomes if they are not used carefully.