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Resident urges action after near-misses with electric motorbikes on Gaithersburg sidewalks
Summary
During public comment, resident Russell Kennedy said electric motorbikes traveling at high speeds on sidewalks in Oldtown nearly struck him and others; council and staff discussed enforcement limits, existing code treating many e-bikes as bicycles, and options for targeted sidewalk bans and education.
At the June 1 public-comment period, Russell Kennedy of Oldtown told the mayor and city council he was nearly struck multiple times by electric motorbikes ("little fat wheels") traveling at speeds he estimated at 30 mph on local sidewalks and reported one incident in which a rider briefly struck him and demanded he apologize. Kennedy said business owners had also complained about high-speed devices near storefronts and asked the council to "do something about it."
Council members and staff (including the city attorney and city manager) responded that the city code generally treats many e-bikes as bicycles and that pedestrians retain the right of way. The city attorney, Frank Johnson, later outlined code section 194: motorized bikes are not allowed on sidewalks; e-bikes are allowed subject to speed limits (20 mph generally, 10 mph when pedestrians are present), age/helmet requirements, lighting, and audible-signal rules. Staff said the usual enforcement approach is education followed by enforcement and suggested staff could examine targeted sidewalk restrictions in high-conflict areas such as Oldtown.
The council asked staff to follow up and consider options including education, enforcement emphasis, or targeted sidewalk bans in specific areas.
