(Riverton, WY) – The Riverton City Council began outlining the “general bones” of a potential new ordinance last week regulating the use of electric bicycles and scooters in town.
The discussion came at the request of local residents who have expressed concern about e-bikes and e-scooters, City Administrator Kyle Butterfield said – specifically “the speed at which these devices can travel; safe operation around pedestrians and other motor vehicles; the amount of roadway occupied by riders; whether these devices should be permitted on streets, sidewalks, or pathways; and the general safety for children operating or encountering the devices.”
Councilmember Karen Johnson said she has received complaints from constituents who have seen e-bike and e-scooter riders demonstrate “complete and total disregard of stop signs, speed limits, (and) any safety measures whatsoever.”
“On the flip side of that, I’ve also received complaints from people saying that their kids have been targeted (with) intentional stopping or door-opening or trying to make them wreck, which is not any safer,” she added.
“There needs to be safety measures put in place to protect both the riders and people on the roadways.”
Councilmember Mike Bailey agreed that “we’ve got to do something,” recalling that he recently saw an e-bike rider going over 32 miles per hour on Federal Boulevard with “no lights, no turn signals, (and) no helmet.”
“He went right up on a guy that was ahead of me, within 10 feet of his bumper, and then zigged over and turned off one of the side streets,” Bailey said. “I was just waiting for stuff to go flying.”
On another occasion, Bailey said he heard about an e-bike that did collide with a vehicle.
“There was a kid on a sidewalk (going) 30 miles an hour,” Bailey said. “The kid ran right into the side of a car that was turning.”
During last week’s discussion, the council agreed that e-bikes and e-scooters shouldn’t be allowed to operate on city sidewalks.
Instead, Mayor Tim Hancock said they should be required to operate “as far to the right” side of the roadway as possible.
They should also be subject to traffic regulations, the council indicated – an idea that prompted a conversation about permit requirements for e-bikes and e-scooters.
The city could require riders to complete a safety class before receiving their e-bike or e-scooter permits, Councilmember Karla Borders said, and Johnson agreed, adding that permits would make it easier to “identify” riders if needed.
“I like the idea of a permit (too),” Hancock said. “It makes it so that if you see someone violating (traffic regulations), you can see the permit and you know who it is that’s riding it.”
The permits could be required for any e-devices that can travel faster than 15 miles per hour, Johnson suggested.
She also recommended prohibiting riders under the age of 15 from using the devices on city streets, because people that young can’t “comprehend the magnitude of what the dangers are” in traffic.
The council discussed possibly limiting e-bikes and e-scooters to speeds of 15 mph or less on public streets as well.
They also talked about prohibiting e-devices on Federal Boulevard and Main Street and developing regulations for their use on local walking paths, and they came to a consensus about requiring helmets for riders under the age of 18 and establishing certain requirements for safety equipment like speedometers, brake lights, headlights, and turn signals.
All of those details are subject to change based on “people coming in and saying one way or the other about it,” however, Hancock pointed out.
“If we fill the house when we bring it up, we’ll know,” Bailey agreed.
The council plans to formally consider the proposed e-bike/e-scooter ordinance at a later date.
The ordinance would need to be approved three separate times before becoming part of the Riverton Municipal Code.
