VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Electric bikes have become increasingly popular along Virginia Beach's Oceanfront, but city leaders are growing concerned about safety issues related to their speed and young operators.
The issue was discussed during last week's city council retreat, where officials said they're hearing from residents who are worried about how fast the bikes are traveling and the age of some riders.
"The thought of having, I mean literally a six or seven-year-old on a bicycle doing 25 miles per hour out on the public road or worse yet on a trail in a neighborhood, or worse yet on the boardwalk at the Oceanfront, it's just unsettling," Stacy Cummings, a Virginia Beach city councilman, said.
The electric motor-powered bikes allow riders to travel faster than conventional bicycles, contributing to their growing popularity. Nevertheless, city leaders say that e-bikes are subject to the same regulations as traditional bicycles in Virginia Beach.
City leaders have established a task force to examine the issue and develop better safety measures. The task force is also working on a campaign to inform riders about the rights of the road.
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