Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Micromobility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Surgeons, public‑health and law enforcement urge county to curb illegal high‑powered e‑motorcycles and tighten rules for e‑bikes
Summary
A long study session gathered surgeons, emergency physicians, public health officials and law enforcement and highlighted a spike in serious e‑bike injuries — particularly among young people — blaming illegally powerful 'e‑motos' and inconsistent rules. Officials proposed a county ordinance to clarify legal classes, prohibit unsafe operation, and offer diversion education for minors.
County health officials, trauma surgeons and law enforcement told the Board of Supervisors that crashes involving electric micromobility devices have surged and that many of the worst harms are caused by high‑powered, modified vehicles marketed as e‑bikes.
"If the motor is larger than 750 watts or capable of speeds above 20 miles per hour, it is an e‑motorcycle, not an e‑bike," said Bob Mittelstaedt, founder of eBike Access, describing a pattern of vendors selling machines that can be unlocked to exceed legal limits. He urged the county to distinguish device classes clearly so enforcement can focus on illegal vehicles.
Dr. John Ma, a trauma surgeon, described the clinical pattern he and colleagues are seeing: "E‑bike crash victims compared to regular bicyclists had a higher risk of dying. Nearly one out of eight patients brought as a full trauma activation expired — a nearly 37‑fold higher risk," he said, and flagged a sharp rise in pediatric cases.
Dr. Blake Taylor, who treated a 15‑year‑old patient in Marin County, told supervisors the girl underwent emergency brain surgery after a high‑speed crash. "She almost died on the table," he said, calling for speed limits, helmet enforcement and age limits for certain devices.
Deputy Chris Larson of the Sheriff’s Office described field experience: officers routinely encounter youths riding modified machines at 30–40 mph; riders often display counterfeit class stickers and parents may have purchased the devices online. Larson described a stepped approach: education first, then citations and possible impoundment for repeat or dangerous violations.
Public Health Officer Kismet Baldwin Santana emphasized data gaps: local emergency and law‑enforcement records generally do not distinguish e‑bike classes, hindering analysis. She recommended consistent data collection, coordinated agency reporting and targeted outreach for 10–19 year‑olds, the group with the rising emergency‑department visits.
The ordinance draft circulated to the board would codify state vehicle‑code classifications, add a local definition of "illegal motorcycles," prohibit unsafe maneuvers (stunts, wheelies, carrying multiple passengers on single‑seat machines) and create an administrative citation structure with an option for traffic‑safety education in lieu of fines. Sidewalk rules were left open for further direction; supervisors asked staff to pursue multilingual education materials and to design a diversion/education program for minors before an enforcement rollout.
The board did not vote on the ordinance at the study session; staff will return with recommended sidewalk rules, an outreach timeline, and options for a youth diversion program. "We need the data and education in place before heavy enforcement," one supervisor said. The county’s next steps include drafting final sidewalk provisions, expanding multilingual outreach and identifying providers for an education/diversion program.
