It’s the hot-button topic this year, and regulation and education has been trying to catch up. I’m all for more people riding bikes. If legal e-bikes get people who otherwise wouldn’t ride as far or as much out doing errands, commuting, hauling kids and recreating outdoors, I think they’re great! The problem we’ve all been seeing lies with the safe and legal operation of e-rides, which include scooters. The argument that a sports car can still drive 20 mph in a school zone, so an ebike shouldn’t be restricted according to power output unfortunately doesn’t hold up in the real world where enforcement of regulations can’t keep up. People aren’t perfect, and child and youth operators of e-rides lack even more experience and knowledge than adult operators. It’s the reason ER visits by youth e-riders have increased by 671% in the last 3 years. https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2026/07/29/e-bike-injuries-child-kids-safety-health-transit/90956259007/ So what’s the solution? Good question. First I think we need to know the regulations. There seems to be confusion among the public, and the purchasers of e-rides as to what’s legal, and where to ride. Also, in the case of children and youth, parents should make sure everyone knows the basics of the rules of the road and trails, and follows them. Accompanying young ones on a bike in the beginning to make sure would be even better. In the interest of general knowledge and not re-inventing the wheel, I’m including a link to several reports to give more background. The first is about safety from an ER nurse. The next is Nebraska Laws for E-Bikes, ATVs, Minibikes, and Other Similar Vehicles from the Nebraska chapter of the National Safety Council, and the last is from the California Bicycle Coalition, because it has good info and graphics if you keep scrolling.
But safety problems didn’t start with e bikes. Here is a bizarre safety PSA from 1963 called One Got Fat that shows us some of the same problem behaviors then as now. It’s a little ghoulish and is not a good example of what to do if a fellow cyclist is injured, but they’re not quite human, so I guess that’s their excuse. The quality is a little better on Vimeo,
but I’ll include the You Tube version, too.
Thank you for this information. I am a seventy year old male who was not able to use the trails on a regular bike. Three years ago I bought an ebike. I can now use the amenities that Lincoln provides to riders. This is an amazing gem for our community. I often take rides lasting up to two hours and I never knew we had such a beautiful trail network. I’ve ridden in wilderness park, the old rock island rr line, holmes lake area, the University, by childrens zoo, sunken gardens, the telegraph district and many miles in between. One day i fell off my bike and three strangers stopped to help, stupid mistake on my part but their assistance made me proud to live in this community. Please keep ebikes legal. It has broadened my world and the people are amazing. One of the problems of aging is a shrinking environment. The trails and my ebike have made my life better.
Thank you.
Thank you for commenting, Mike! It’s important to see your demographic out on the trails, I’m so happy you found a way to do it.