A 13-year-old e-dirt bike rider being given a $368 ticket is just one of the 34 complaints into e-mobility device use that West Shore RCMP has looked into in the past two months.
West Shore RCMP says it is seeing a “significant increase in complaints” about e-mobility device use, which includes e-bikes, e-scooters and e-dirt bikes.
E-bikes and e-scooters are permitted on public roadways, with restrictions, but e-dirt bikes are illegal to use on public roadways.
Riders must be 16 or older to use an e-scooter or a standard e-bike, or above 13 to use a light e-bike.
A device is considered an e-bike if it is speed-limited, has restricted motor output, are equipped with functional pedals, and are classified as bicycles, the RCMP agency says.
E-dirt bikes do not have pedals and rely solely on an electric motor.
“Because they do not meet the legal definition of an e-bike, they are considered off-road vehicles and cannot be operated on public streets,” West Shore RCMP said in a news release.
West Shore RCMP says it has received more than 34 complaints since May.
“It is important for parents and guardians to understand the rules and regulations surrounding the different types of e-mobility devices before purchasing one for their child,” said Cpl. Nathan Brown, who oversees the West Shore RCMP Traffic Unit.
“What concerns us most is the dangerous manner in which some e-dirt bikes are being operated. These are high-powered machines that riders can easily lose control of, putting themselves and others at serious risk of injury.”
On July 7, a 13-year-old rider was ticketed $368 and had his e-dirt bike impounded following a complaint from the public.
A caller reported around 2 p.m. that an e-dirt bike was being driven dangerously in the parking lot of Millstream Village Shopping Centre with witnesses reporting the rider doing wheelies and other stunt manoeuvres.
The 13-year-old rider was found and given a ticket for driving without due care and attention. They also found an 11-year-old rider operating an e-scooter.
Tickets for people found to be using e-dirt bikes on public road ways can include no insurance ($598), no driver’s licence ($276 and three driver penalty points), driving without due care and attention ($368 and six driver penalty points), driving without reasonable consideration ($196 and six driver penalty points), seven-day vehicle impoundment and additional penalties relating to stunting.
Tickets can be issued to either the rider or registered vehicle owner. If an unlicensed youth is issued a ticket, West Shore RCMP says it may affect their ability to obtain a B.C. driver’s licence in the future.
READ MORE: RCMP issue reminder on rules for e-bikes, e-scooters and other devices
