South Lake Minnetonka police, residents say e-bikes still a problem
South Lake Minnetonka police, residents say e-bikes still a problem
South Lake Minnetonka police said they continue to grapple with e-bike riders who refuse to pull over, ride on public roads and cause dangerous situations.
SOUTH LAKE MINNETONKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - South Lake Minnetonka police said they continue to grapple with e-bike riders who refuse to pull over, ride on public roads and cause dangerous situations.
E-bikes still an issue in Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood and Tonka Bay, police say
What we know:
South Lake Minnetonka police said e-bike riders continue to evade police and break other laws, sharing concerns echoed by drivers. In a post on social media on Tuesday, police shared two videos showing e-bike riders refusing to pull over for officers.
In one video, a cruiser follows an e-bike on the highway and later on side roads. In another, an officer follows a trio of riders, all of whom refuse to stop despite the flashing blue lights behind them.
Some types of e-bikes, such as off-highway motorcycles, are not allowed on public roads, police said.
The backstory:
In 2023, FOX 9 reported on concerns in the cities of Excelsior and Greenwood involving e-bikes. At the time, police and residents said they were concerned about teenagers riding too fast, not wearing helmets and breaking traffic laws. A year later, the city of Excelsior approved a helmet ordinance, which leaders said helped.
Drivers, residents concerned about e-bike safety
What they're saying:
"You never know when they’re going to pop up because they don’t follow like stop signs...." said Lauren Yohe of Excelsior. "They don’t know the laws of the road at all, so they just kind of do what they want because it’s like fun I guess, and they have no other way to get around."
Others agreed.
"This group of kids came to like the side of my car once, and it was just like weird," recalled Adi Rothschild of Chanhassen. "So, like that was annoying because I was scared that like I was going to turn and then they were going to like go and like hit them on accident because they don’t know what they’re doing."
The law:
Under state law, you must be at least 15 to ride an e-bike, and anyone under 16 must have either a driver’s license or safety certification. Refusing to pull over for police while riding an e-bike is a felony, no different from refusing to stop while driving a car. In addition, parents who purchase e-bikes for their children can be held responsible if their children break the law on an e-bike.