Candidates Talk E-Bike Safety: Mission Viejo City Council Survey

MISSION VIEJO, CA — This election season, Mission Viejo residents in all five city districts will have the chance to vote on who they want to represent them on the Mission Viejo City Council.

In a questionnaire released by community organization Stop The Monster, all 12 candidates responded to a series of questions regarding local issues surrounding Mission Viejo.

In anticipation of the November election, Patch will be posting the candidate responses to Stop The Monster's questionnaire throughout the rest of October.

To learn about where the candidates stand on sober living homes in the community, click through to read the previous Patch coverage.

The second question on the questionnaire addresses e-bike safety in the community.

In Orange County, e-bike accidents are up 500% since 2020. Particularly shocking is the fact that the number of severe accidents involving child riders doubled. There has been a start on the e-bike conversation with the sheriffs departments presentation.

If elected, what other steps do you think are important to follow through with Electric Bikes and the safety concerns that are connected with this issue here in the Mission Viejo?

District 1

Robert "Bob "Ruesch, District 1 Candidate: My experience comes from many years in the motorcycle industry. [E-bikes] are not bicycles, they are powered vehicles and as with any innovative technology, improvements continue. They are powered 2-wheel vehicles that once topped out at 18-20 mph, and now can exceed 40 miles per hour.

I am in continued discussion with experts from CARB, EPA, and NHTSA following their unregulated growth much like ATV’s in the '80s and Jet Skis in the '90s.

Mission Viejo needs to take steps to protect riders and residents both walking and driving especially as these make little or no noise. If nothing is done, lawsuits and banning of any usage may occur. Even motorcycle industry authorities consider E-Bikes a motor vehicle and not a bicycle.

My suggestions:
∙ Consider the higher-powered E-Bikes (with speeds over 20-mph) to be in the same category as motorized scooters with similar rules of the road, registration, and an operator's permit after having an approved training course.
∙ Mandatory helmet enforcement. A 5-mph collision or fall to pavement can cause brain trauma. This from personal experience.
∙ Posted speed limits and rules of operation on trails and sidewalks as these vehicles have no sound. Currently we have a 12-mph max speed. Add police presence on trails and shared sidewalks, to enforce these speeds with escalating penalties for unsafe operation.
∙ Frequent training courses available at schools and public areas like the City Hall parking area for all under the age of 18 who do not have a California Driver’s license. These will be conducted with local police participation when available, and when not, trained volunteers will conduct classes.

Linda Shepard, District 1 Candidate: I invited the Sheriff's Department to our community-wide Bike / e-Bike Rodeo at St. Kilian Church’s lower parking lot on Sat., Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. Cub Scouts Pack 714 also hosts a safety talk and eight riding skills stations. We will add a station for driveway – traffic awareness. A Deputy will educate youth and parents on e-bike capabilities, risks, and the law.

Parents need to be educated since they are the ones buying the e-bikes. Rock N Road Cyclery will bring sample e-bikes and tools to adjust bicycle equipment, as needed. Lastly, more parents have their children ride e-bikes to school to skip the school drop off / pick up. Subsidized school buses might be a better solution, but that is a school district budget issue.

Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik, District 1 Candidate: E-bikes have caused quite a stir in Mission Viejo and across the country because of safety concerns. Local businesses and residents want action. I support AB 2028, which gives school boards the authority to allow local law enforcement to offer public instruction on school campuses for bicycles and scooter safety. Mission Viejo Police Chris McDonald is currently implementing safety courses in the Saddleback and Capo School Districts.

Additionally, I support the idea of local school districts doing more and state legislators enacting laws to educate and train all e-bike users. I believe before a student can bring their e-bike on any campus they must have it properly licensed and registered and have an easily identifiable license plate similar to those on motorcycles. In order to receive a license e-bike users should be required to take and pass a course in rules of the road and safety protocols.

District 2

Stacy Holmes, District 2 Candidate: E-bikers crossing intersections tilted up on just their back wheels, parking across handicap ramps and using phones while biking are terrifying sights and all too common. Mission Viejo must determine how to preserve safety with a large and growing number of e-bikes on the roads.

Classes 1 and 2 e-bikes are available to riders under age 16. But only the more powerful Class 3 e-bikes are restricted from carrying two passengers. The City Council must determine whether prohibiting a second passenger can be accomplished by local ordinance. If not, the Council must seek that restriction from state lawmakers. Mini license plates should become state law, so that any e-bike can be individually identified. License plate color codes could make it clear whether the e-bike is Class 1, 2 or 3.

Partnering with our local school districts, Mission Viejo must continue to expand its outreach to students and parents. Better family decisions about e-bikes can be made with more information from law enforcement and educators. Helmet specifications, licensing for drivers and parking regulations all need attention by the City Council and the State of California.

Brian Goodell (incumbent), District 2 Candidate: E-bike safety is a concern that has been increasing across the country as more e-bikes are in-use. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has taken on this issue with increased enforcement of traffic laws and community awareness and training events.

The Orange County Transportation Authority has also joined in the discussion with e-bike safety trainings and best practices. Several of our local governance agencies, such as the Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG), Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and the League of California Cities Orange County Chapter (LCCOC) have formed committees and are involved in discussing and proposing solutions to the increasingly dangerous trend of e-bike use without proper training, knowledge of, or adherence to traffic and safety rules. It is appropriate for these regional organizations lead the way since e-bike safety does not stop at a city’s boundaries.

I serve on the boards of directors of OCTA and OCCOG, and the Regional Council of SCAG, elected by the OC mayors. I will continue to actively participate in these discussions and help guide the development of safety protocols and rules to ensure the safety and enjoyment of our roadways, sidewalks and trails for all citizens of Orange County.

District 3

Greg Raths (incumbent), District 3 Candidate: Electric bikes are okay if those who use them use the bike lanes and comply with traffic signs/signals.

Ed Sachs (incumbent), District 3 Candidate: We continue to work with OCSD and our 6 SROs as they enforce current traffic laws and are identifying violations at the middle schools in Mission Viejo. While we continue to see issues raised on social media, the work our SROs are doing is having an impact. We must also make parents both aware and accountable for their children’s use of E-Bikes.

We should continue with education and bike events in partnership with OCSD and both school districts in Mission Viejo.

I would also be recommending speed ordinances on the Oso Creek Trail for E-Bikes, that would include dismount areas on our trails where appropriate.

OCSD is doing a good job with their bike patrols on the trails, and we must continue that program and enforcing all current laws.

Cynthia Vasquez, District 3 Candidate: No response.

District 4

Ken Golemo, District 4 Candidate: One of the top priorities of any elected official is the safety of its community and residents. With that said the number of accidents occurring with e-bikes should be a wake-up call not just to government or law enforcement but also to the parents of the children who are given this type of transportation. It wasn't long ago that children were given a bike that they pedaled to school or the local park and this was by design to offer independence but also "exercise."

As an elected official my job is not to legislate parenting, but, if that parent is unaware of or ignoring their child’s activities I fall back to my original statement which is "safety."

I can personally attest to an example on my street where an e-bike was being driven by, say, a 12-year-old, who was going fast enough that they actually passed a car driving on the same street. I have also witnessed children on e-bikes running stop signs and also riding through parks occupied by young children.

Children are awesome and a blessing and my wife and I raised four boys so this comes from experience. First, we should sponsor safety courses "written" and "ridden" where the child is issued a completion card much like a drivers license. Second, enforce "very" strict areas that are completely off limits to "anyone any age" riding an e-bike. Lastly, seek legislation that compels the manufacturers to install "parental controls" in which an app can be uploaded to a parents phone so that if the child's bike goes over a certain speed limit it will notify the parent and allow them an opportunity to speak with their child.

Patricia "Trish" Kelley (incumbent), District 4 Candidate: The city has been working to address the e-bike situation. We have learned that the biggest users of e-bikes are not the middle school kids, but adults — and in particular, senior adults!

Thus we must address the current e-bike concerns that are mostly centered around middle school children, but be mindful that e-bikes also open up significant opportunities for other segments of the population.

I propose continuing and expanding the education program that our deputies have been teaching as part of the curriculum in the middle schools, and requiring e-bike permits which may be provided upon completing education. Parent education also should continue and be suggested for the school websites. In addition to education, I support new municipal codes, which establish fines for unsafe speed, disobeying traffic signals, right of way violations, no helmets, passengers, disregarding dismount zones. The fines could be waived upon completion of the MVPS Bicycle Safety course.

We should also post speed limit signs on trails (I have seen this done in other cities), and establish dismount zones where the bikes must be walked. I propose additional deputies and staff presence on the trails to help enforce the speed and safety rules.

Terri Aprati, District 4 Candidate: The California laws are just starting to catch up with e-bike riding and have passed AB2028, signed into law in July 2022. We need more.

My understanding at a local level is that Mission Hospital AKA Providence, together with our local sheriffs, have been giving e-bike “lessons” The hospital has been donating helmets to the kids who participate, to teach safety and reduce the number of accidents the hospital is treating. Also, our sheriff’s office has been meeting with and educating what I call “tweens,” or middle school children. At least one middle school has a permitting system for e-bikes These measures are good starts, but clearly, we need more.

In general, I am concerned about Mission Viejo’s streets and safety, and this would be a great opportunity to address both. Clearly, to deal with e-bikes, and bicycles, we need better street markings. We cannot have pedestrians on sidewalks worrying about being hit by a e-bike. But we also cannot have e-bikes, especially with tweens under the age of 17 cruising down Oso or Jeronimo, unless we slow the speed limit dramatically, and I don’t believe anyone wants to do that.

Fortunately, San Diego has already addressed this issue and Mission Viejo would not have to reinvent the “e-wheel.” Since we candidates were asked to write two short paragraphs, instead of explaining what I mean, I am giving you a link so you can see for yourself. To understand the link, however, you needed the education on e-bikes above. However, the different “classes” of bike lanes in the attached link do not correlate with the classes of e-bikes, so that is a little confusing. https://www.sandiego.gov/bicycling/lanes-and-routes

The city council, with the community’s input could also consider more ordinances and restrictions, but I don’t think the sheriff’s office will want to be policing our children on e-bikes, as we have other safety issues and limited police resources.

I think most of our streets are not safe, because they are poorly marked and have high speed limits. But if the residents want to keep the speed limits as they are, the street markings and the distances between bicyclists, e-bikers and cars needs to be much, much bigger.

I believe La Paz is just about to be modified, so now would be a great opportunity to improve that street.

District 5

John Miller, District 5 Candidate: Our Police Services Chief’s “Educate, Engage, and Enforce” plan is a great start. I would expand the education portion beyond middle schoolers to include 6th graders, and 9th and 10th grade high schoolers. I support the engage portion with rewards for good behavior and am especially supportive of the enforce portion with additional municipal codes to promote safe behavior. I would also work with the Sheriff’s department to offer an e-bike safety course to the public as adults ride e-bikes too.

A related and important issue for me is road safety for bicyclists (and e-bikes). We just had a 70 year-old rider killed by a vehicle on Los Alisos. We need to make bike lanes more visible now. While we do this, I would ask Police Services to work with bicyclists and experts to develop a comprehensive plan to make our roads safer for all users.

Wendy Bucknum (incumbent), District 5 Candidate:

• Continue with education in partnership with Police Services, specifically aimed at Middle School-Aged Youth.
• Expand partnership with both school districts on programs.
• Host more bike awareness and community safety events in partnership with the OC Sheriff’s Department (OCSD).
• Collaborate with Scout Troops, Youth Sports and other youth organizations in outreach.
• Continue and expand OCSD Bike Patrol during high bike traffic times.
• Enforcement of existing traffic infractions.
• Adopt ordinances as appropriate to enhance safety on trails and roadways.
• Expand our off bike (walk only zones) and enforce.
• Enforce speed limits.