City Of Long Beach Moves To Crack Down On Electric Scooters, E-Bikes

LONG BEACH, NY — The City of Long Beach could be cracking down on e-bike and scooter infractions after the city council proposed an ordinance that would limit the locations where e-bikes and scooters could be ridden and impose steeper fines for improper riding.

The public hearing on the ordinance change is scheduled for the June 2 city council meeting. The new ordinance would raise the maximum fine for electric vehicle infractions from $250 to $500 change code language pertaining to electric bikes and both electric and motorized scooters.

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The new ordinance would add e-bikes, e-scooters and motor scooters to the list of vehicles banned from riding on sidewalks, boardwalks, beaches and other pedestrian thoroughfares, which are set for designation by the city manager, per the ordinance.

For riders found guilty of violating the proposed ordinance, penalties could include the aforementioned up to $500 fine, imprisonment of no more than 15 days, or both, the ordinance reads.

Finally, the proposed ordinance would limit where bikes, e-bikes, scooters and other personal vehicles could be stored, barring the placement and locking of bikes, e-bikes et al “in any manner that obstructs or interferes with the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or blocks any entrance, exit, access way, walkway, roadway, park entrance, beach entrance, boardwalk access point, ramp, stairway, or other public right-of-way,” the ordinance reads.

Furthermore, city owned property including trees, signs, poles, railings, benches, fences and public utilities would no longer be permissible locations for bike, e-bike and e-scooter storage, with one exception: Long Beach cyclists would be permitted under this ordinance to leave their bikes along the north side of the boardwalk, as long as they’re not blocking pedestrian foot traffic or entrances and exits to the boardwalk.

The permitted bikes would also need to be moved within 24 hours, the city said. Bikes, e-bikes and scooters found in violation of the storage rules would be subject to impound without prior notice under the proposed ordinance.