Moorabbin Highway Patrol officers have launched an e-bike safety operation combining education and enforcement to reduce reckless riding and increase safety for all road users.
The operation targeting e-bike riders and educating them on their responsibilities began in August and will continue throughout summer, in a bid to keep vulnerable road users safe.
Since it commenced, more than 50 e-bike riders have been intercepted and spoken to by police.
Of those, 25 were identified as having committed an offence. 12 of them received penalties, while 13 received warnings, which also included phone calls to their parents.
Of note:
- A 17-year-old boy was allegedly seen travelling at 40km/h on an electric motorbike with no pedals in Ormond, before riding contraflow in a roundabout. He was charged with unregistered and unlicensed riding, careless riding, riding contraflow, and not wearing helmet.
- A 43-year-old man was caught on an e-bike allegedly travelling at 37km/h in North Caulfield. He was issued a Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) for unregistered motor vehicle and exceeding the maximum speed limit of an e-bike, which is 25km/h.
- A 17-year-old boy was allegedly riding an illegal e-bike on a footpath in Sandringham. The bike had no chain linking the pedals to the rear wheel, and police identified that all the power was coming from a motor. The boy was fined $1426 for unlicensed riding, using unregistered motor vehicle and riding on a footpath.
- A 15-year-old boy was allegedly caught on an illegal e-bike in Elsternwick. Police allege it was a push bike, before the pedals were removed and replaced with a motor. His bike was seized, and the rider was will be summonsed to court for unlicensed driving.
- Two twelve-year-old boys were allegedly seen without helmets on a legal e-bike on a footpath in Moorabbin. Their parents were called and advised that children under 16 are not permitted to ride e-bikes. The boys were given a warning.
Officers have also been visiting local high schools to help educate students on e-bike safety.
There are two types of e-bikes in Victoria:
- A power-assisted bicycle, which is identical to a pedal powered bicycle, except it has an auxiliary motor. The power output cannot exceed 200 watts. These bicycles have a throttle on the handlebar and do not require a rider to pedal to access the power.
- An electrically power-assisted cycle (EPAC) features an auxiliary propulsion motor no more than 250 watts, and the top power speed is restricted to 25 kilometres per hour. The rider is required to pedal to access the power.
Legal e-bikes are classed as bicycles and riders must adhere to the same road rules are cyclists, which means wearing helmets, not riding on the footpath, and obeying traffic signs.
If an e-bike is overpowered, it is considered a motorcycle, and riders must adhere to the same road rules as motorcyclists, including licencing, registration, and drink and drug driving penalties.
More information can be found here: www.police.vic.gov.au/e-bike-safety.
Quotes attributable to Moorabbin Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Chris Pinkney:
"The top assisted speed limit of an e-bike is 25km/h. Above that, the motor must cut out.
"Riding an illegal or overpowered e-bike not only puts the rider at risk but also puts vulnerable road users like pedestrians in harm's way.
"This operation is all about education - we are stopping riders for their own good and to help them make safer decisions in the future.
"We really need riders to know and understand the difference between a legal and an illegal e-bike and ensure theirs is compliant with the road rules.
"This is especially timely given Christmas is just around the corner, with e-bikes on the wish list.
"E-bikes are a great way to get around, but riders need to understand their responsibilities and share the road safely."
