A Los Angeles City Council panel is pushing to ban e-bikes on most of the city's recreational trails, saying the machines pose a threat to hikers and equestrians.
The council's Arts, Parks, Libraries and Community Enrichment Committee voted 3-0 in favor of the measure, which now moves to the council's Transportation Committee before potentially advancing to the full City Council, which would have to approve the ban before it takes effect.
“When you have something motorized going through that same space, especially if it's a somewhat bumpy space, for people who have sensitivities (knees, ankles) you don't want to create an intimidating situation,” said Councilman Adrin Nazarian.
Although he voted in favor of the measure, Nazarian said he was open to making changes such as restricting some classes of e-bikes rather than a unilateral ban.
The ban, proposed by Councilman John Lee, would still allow e-bikes on designated bike lanes in the city, including some along the Los Angeles River and city beaches.
Regular bikes are already prohibited anywhere designated as a “trail,” according to a city ordinance, but a spokesperson for Lee said e-bikes were a gray area that his proposal aims to address.
Supporters of the measure include Lisa Baca of the Monteverde Ranch Equestrian Center in the northeast San Fernando Valley, who said horses are animals that can be easily spooked by moving electric bikes.
“They panic and it becomes very dangerous” for both riders, he said in an interview. At the same time, Baca noted that any ban on remote trails would be difficult to enforce.
Eli Akira Kaufman, director of the nonprofit advocacy group BikeLA, criticized the proposed ban as a “blunt instrument” and said the city should instead engage in a public education campaign aimed at getting people to share space safely.
Michael Schneider, executive director of Streets For All, said the biggest problem on trails comes not from e-bikes but from people riding more powerful motorcycles and motorized trail bikes that aren't legal to ride.
Federal regulations on e-bikes are lenient; They are considered non-motorized vehicles like regular bicycles and do not require users to have a driver's license or insurance. Local regulations, like the one proposed by Lee, can vary widely by jurisdiction.
Under California law, electric bicycles and electric motorcycles are classified separately based on motor power, top speed, and whether the bicycle has working pedals. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes do not require a license or insurance, while Class 3 users must be at least 16 years old.
Catherine Lerer, a partner at the law firm McGee Lerer Ogrin who has worked on dozens of e-bike accident cases, said the accidents are more dangerous because the riders, sometimes children, move faster than on a regular pedal bike.
“Minors who use electric bicycles do not appreciate the speed at which they go and do not know the rules that apply when riding electric bicycles,” Lerer said. “It's just a recipe for disaster.”
