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Ojai police chief urges education-first approach and stronger enforcement of modified e-bikes after recent incidents
Summary
Ojai Police Chief Steve Jenkins told the Parks & Recreation Commission that modified e-bikes and electric motorcycles are creating safety risks in the city, and urged education, clearer signage and citizen reporting. He described 11 calls for service since Sept. 1 and an active hit-and-run dog investigation.
Steve Jenkins, identified in the meeting as the police chief, told the Parks & Recreation Commission on Dec. 4 that the city is seeing both legitimate electric bicycles and faster, modified vehicles that function as electric motorcycles and pose a safety risk.
“ If it goes 50 miles an hour, that’s not a bicycle,” Jenkins said, urging the commission and public to treat high-speed, throttle-driven machines differently from pedal-assist e-bikes. He outlined the commonly used classification: Class 1 (pedal assist, up to 20 mph), Class 2 (pedal assist with throttle, up to 20 mph) and Class 3 (up to 28 mph and typically restricted to riders 16 and older). Jenkins said machines that exceed those speeds…
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