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Resident asks Laconia council for bike-safety outreach and vehicle noise controls
Summary
A Ward 2 resident urged the council to refresh public education on bicycle etiquette and consider a vehicle-noise ordinance; Mayor St. Clair and councilors said enforcement is difficult but the city will coordinate with police and follow state developments.
At the start of the Nov. 24 Laconia City Council meeting Diane B. Lockwood of Stratford Street (Ward 2) raised safety concerns about bicycles, e-bikes and motorized scooters being used on sidewalks and asked the city to consider public education and enforcement.
"I don't want to sound like an anti cyclist or cyclist hater," Diane B. Lockwood said, describing multiple close calls on sidewalks and urging the council to consider a refresher on bicycle etiquette and rules of the road. She also asked the council to study a vehicle-noise ordinance after hearing from neighbors about loud modified vehicles.
Mayor St. Clair responded that sidewalk cycling is a problem the police try to address and that a bill in Concord is being filed that could reclassify higher-speed e-bikes. He acknowledged enforcement limits: officers may address behavior when present but compliance often lapses after they leave. Council members noted Manchester has vehicle-noise regulation and directed staff and police to explore options and share information.
The council did not take immediate regulatory action at the meeting; staff and law enforcement were asked to follow up and the mayor suggested residents contact the city manager or the clerk if they want to review the city budget or discuss enforcement options.
