DESTIN, Fla. — A bill aimed at cracking down on unsafe e-bike riding is heading to the Florida House.
The Florida Senate unanimously approved new rules designed to protect pedestrians and prevent serious crashes involving e-bikes.
Destin is one of the communities ahead of the curve. The city is working on their own local ordinance to regulate the popular two-wheelers.
“We really need to figure out where these e-bikes go,” Mayor Bobby Wagner said. “You put them on the sidewalk, you have pedestrians, you got people pushing.”
The bill heading to the House requires riders to slow to 10 miles per hour when they are within 50 feet of a pedestrian.
Supporters say that buffer could prevent serious crashes.
“It’s a good idea because people do go on sidewalks where the pedestrians are,” said Tom Pilcher of Cycle Sports Pensacola. “Really, bicycles are vehicles and they should be in the road with vehicles, so you wouldn’t have to worry too much about that. But they don’t do that. That’s one of the problems is everybody does things they shouldn’t do and, like you say, you get people that’ll just run over you.”
The bill also creates an electric bike safety task force.
It’s job is to review current laws and recommend changes to reduce injuries and fatalities.
Destin’s mayor says while this state action is a step in the right direction, the bigger issue is infrastructure.
“My plea to the state would be figure out these definitions, collect the data — sure that’s all great,” Wagner said. “But the reality is, the friction is in the lack of the infrastructure for these e-bikes.”
Wagner is calling for the same grants they have for pedestrian infrastructure but for e-bikes and other motorized transportation.
He says the city hopes to have its e-bike rules on the books some-time this year.