And it says a boy killed himself too. The dangers of e-motorcycles gained renewed attention last Thursday, when a 13-year-old boy was killed when he crashed one of the motorized cycles into a median in Garden Grove.

…because a lot of teens ride these things, and law enforcement has been running a PSA campaign about the difference between e-bikes (which don’t require a license and can be ridden by anyone) and e-motorcycles (which are considered the same as gas-powered ones) because, frankly, vendors are often not clear about which category a model falls under when they sell them.

They know these things are illegal for road use as a bike.

E-bicycles are getting bad raps. That 12-yo was riding an e-moto

Supplemental info:
https://www.peopleforbikes.org/news/the-e-bike-problem-is-an-e-moto-problem

To me, e-bikes are ponderous old-fashioned looking bicycles with flower baskets on the handlebars and little bells. Old people like my wife and I ride them on rail trails. I'm not sure they do more than 30 mph.

I too am the old-school/olde-style bike guy. Cheers!

but that vehicle being classified as an electric motorcycle means it must have a OHV (off-highway vehicle) permit/plate visible, which it appears not to have in the image provided.

AFAIK you don't need a license, registration, or anything. As a dog walker, I go from one client's home to the next for six to eight hours a day, so I'm driving (or riding my bike) around North Seattle a lot. I see at least a half-dozen different people on these things every week. They travel FAR over the speed limit (I've been passed in 35 mph zones). Dodge around cars, run lights. It is nuts.

Decided to start a revolution to take back democracy from the fascists.

Clearly there are times when my imagination runs wild.
❤️

I live in the Kenmore area and ride in N Seattle a lot and have never seen an electric unicycle - that would be wild!

We now have these electric bikes and stand up scooters whizzing up and down the sidewalks…..some at over 30mph. The pedestrians are expected to yield upon notice. To make things worse, drivers at intersections are looking for pedestrians and aren’t aware of high speed sidewalk traffic.

I used to enjoy a sidewalk evening stroll. Now I have to find areas that aren’t motorized freeways. Getting old I guess.

Peace ☮️

Peace starts with each individual! Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.

Peace ☮️

To be sure, I engaged in more than my share of asinine behavior in my youth, but I really do worry that one of these kids is going to get flattened when they blaze across an intersection or into a driver's blind spot.

Grew up there (Walnut Creek) in the 70s and early 80s.
Lots of entitled people in that area (WC, Alamo, San Ramon, Danville, Orinda, Lafayette. etc). Not surprised.

I've seen kids riding motorized electric bicycles, motorcycles, scooters and other similar devices on sidewalks. It infuriates me that this allowed. I blame the parents. They raise their kids to believe they are entitled to such behavior. Sidewalks are exactly that..... they are walks!!! Walkways for pedestrians to safely stay out of the way of motorized vehicles. No one is entitled to run over anyone on a sidewalk.

The failure of the Seattle police and the Seattle City Council to do anything is maddening. It started when Bird, then Lime started illegally dumping scooters all over the place. They have that Trumpian "ask forgiveness, not permission" mentality. I called and wrote them a lot, asking them to make them illegal. Obviously I got nowhere.

Pedestrians are at huge risk and we have the right of way! The other day, a young woman hauled one of those pseudo motorcycles on to the light rail. I couldn't believe it.

When our new mayor was elected, I also wrote asking for laws to regulate scooters and eBikes. No response.

I am glad the police are finally finding the appetite to do something about it.

Now, can we get these asshole scooters off the sidewalk? I walk almost everywhere and I am afraid to cross from one side of the sidewalk to another. And one went whizzing by my hairdresser's shop the other day - on the sidewalk - going at least 20mph. Then they litter them wherever they feel like it. It absolutely sucks to be a pedestrian these days.

It looked the same as an old 175 cc from the 70s.
All black with no headlight, tail light or reflectors which are mandatory for a bicycle!
I will hit one of these terrorists when they speed down the curb cut to cross the street, and I miss seeing them.
It was close a week ago. They never noticed or cared.

Another was a group of 5 in a Walmart parking lot creating a collision danger.

Use them properly or get busted! I really don't wish to kill you!

You are invisible!

That tire is bald to the point of being a racing slick at best. Any sand or moisture on the road, and that thing is not going to have much control. What horrific, stupid parent lets their 12 year old out on a 60 mph illegal death machine like that?

I'm sure the tire is in such a state because little Jaiden/Trevor/Travis/Asshole has been doing "look at me!" burnouts and the parents are probably too buried in TikTok cooking videos to give a shit. Combine that with (what I assume to be) a heaping load of "gentle parenting" and surely this little miscreant will become a productive member of society.

Running from the police at 12. My mom would have buried me.

A cul-de-sac? Gonna have to look that one up.