According to lawmakers, the purpose of a bill that is currently awaiting the governor’s signing is to ensure that everyone is safer while driving on the roadways.
The Senate Bill 462 would provide local governments the authority to impose more stringent controls on electric bicycles.
Enabling local governments to enact ordinances that require e-bike operators to have a government-issued identification card and allowing them to establish minimum age limits for operating electric bicycles are both included in this.
A bigger transportation bill that Senator Nick DiCeglie (R-Pinellas County) is the sponsor of includes this provision as one of its provisions.
“E-bikes are a new phenomena, if you will,” Senator DiCeglie said. “I live in Indian Rocks Beach, and I see probably dozens every day zipping North and South on Gulf Boulevard. Many of them are on sidewalks going the opposite way. They go 30 plus miles an hour. They obviously can be very dangerous,” he stated.
“I think it’s really important for the public to know that these are dangerous and individuals who use this mode of transportation. They need to make sure that they understand the safety requirements and really, the dangers that go along with these e-bikes. We want folks to be able to use them. We also want folks to be able use them in a very responsible way and I think this bill addresses just that,” DiCeglie stated.
In addition to this, it would make it possible for local governments to provide instruction on how to ride electric bicycles in a secure manner, instructing individuals on the rules of the road and the legislation that pertain to e-bikes.
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At this time, DiCeglie stated that the regulations governing e-bikes in the state are fairly comparable to those governing ordinary bicycles.
“Bicycles, obviously, you share the road, you have various responsibilities. You have to stop at a stoplight. You have to stop at stop sign. You have to go with the flow of traffic, not the opposite direction,” DiCeglie stated.
“So, I think that putting these other regulations in place when it comes to age, when it comes to photo ID, when it’s comes to safety training, I think there is obviously an opportunity for these types of vehicles, bicycles, can participate in a safe way with what we currently have in place. Obviously, a lot of this has to do with individual responsibility and I think local governments can certainly communicate,” he stated.
