Image courtesy of the LGPD
The electric-motored devices are popular gifts around Christmastime.
With the holiday season right around the corner, the Lower Gwynedd Police Department wants to remind its residents about the safety and legality of e-bikes and electric scooters, which tend to be popular presents this time of year.
For example, an electric scooter can only be operated on private property and legally cannot be operated on any public roads.
Pennsylvania defines a motorized scooter as “a two-wheeled vehicle that is powered by an engine or an electric motor and does not have a seat or saddle for the driver. These vehicles are not exempt from titling and registration requirements as set forth by the Department and would be required to pass equipment standards and inspection requirements. However, these types of vehicles do not comply with the equipment standards and inspection requirements for motor vehicles and cannot be titled or registered within the Commonwealth. In addition, these vehicles cannot be operated on Pennsylvania roadways or sidewalks.”
An electric bike, on the other hand, is defined as a “pedalcycle with electric assist…not capable of going faster than 20 mph on a level surface when powered by the motor source only.”
“We’ve been seeing the bikes around, so one of the other departments put out a notice, and we thought it would be a good idea to do the same,” said Sargeant William Henry of the Lower Gwynedd Police Department. “I figured it’s best to start putting information out there. It’s around the time of year when kids are going to start getting them as Christmas presents.”
As a precautionary concern, the Lower Gwynedd Police Department wanted to send out a reminder about future use of these in the area.
“The electric bikes are more popular,” Henry said. “You see the bikes, they look like motorcycles, but they are actually electric bikes. It’s more informational for the holiday season. A lot of kids will start getting them.”
Henry said there has not yet been any issue in the area, but that the reminders were more precautionary in nature.
“We have not had a problem with these,” he said. “It’s more about getting the information out there.”
