Fairfax County leaders say a recent proliferation of electrically assisted bicycles (e-bikes) among young people provides benefits but also brings dangers.
“It’s only a matter of time before we see serious injuries and worse,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said at the Board’s June 23 meeting.
He pointed to a recent incident in Reston, where a youth riding an e-bike hit a median curb and crashed into a lane of traffic. In May, an e-bike rider in Dunn Loring was seriously injured in a crash with a driver.
The rapid growth of e-bike use appears to have taken county leaders, and their state counterparts, by surprise.
“They’ve come out of nowhere, and they’re here,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said.
McKay pressed for police to continue having conversations with juveniles about e-bikes, stating that “our officers at the ground level are doing a great job” interacting with middle and high school students.
Most e-bike riders are riding in conformance with the law. “They’re not doing anything wrong,” said McKay, who praised their use as offering a transportation option to teens who might not have alternatives.
“There are a lot of good things” coming out of the e-bike revolution, but “we don’t want anyone getting hurt,” he said.
“We all just need to practice patience and respect,” he said.
An e-bike rider herself, Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said more outreach on the rights and responsibilities of users would be beneficial.
“Everyone’s on board about doing training,” she said.
Supervisors said Fairfax should be represented on a new task force being set up under Del. Karrie Delaney (D-9). She chairs the House Committee on Transportation.
Virginia currently groups e‑bikes into three categories:
- Class 1: Pedal‑assist only, up to 20 mph
- Class 2: Throttle available (no pedaling required), up to 20 mph
- Class 3: Pedal‑assist, up to 28 mph
Current state law requires Class 3 riders to be at least 14 years old, and mandates helmet use on Class 3 bikes. Riders are not required to register the vehicles or have a driver’s license to operate them.
Later in the board meeting, supervisors approved a series of changes to local motor vehicle ordinances, including an expanded requirement that anyone under 15 must wear a protective helmet while riding on any scooter, e-bike or motorized skateboard on local roads.
“It’s a step of precaution,” Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said.
Previously, the county code only specified that a helmet is required for bicycle riders under age 15 with no mention of other modes of transport.
Violations of the helmet law are subject to a $25 fine, but it is suspended for first-time violators as well as anyone who purchases helmets after they’re ticketed but before they appear for a court date.
Fairfax isn’t the only local jurisdiction grappling with the pluses and minuses of new transportation options for youth.
Vienna officials have fielded complaints and have launched an awareness campaign.
According to town police:
“The Department has received concerns from residents regarding unsafe and reckless e-bike riding in and around parks, trails, neighborhoods and school areas … these concerns are being taken seriously. Officers will continue conducting patrols in areas where concerns have been reported while working to enforce unsafe riding through education, community engagement and enforcement.”
Town officials are encouraging parents to help young riders “understand the rules of the road, the importance of helmets and visibility, and the need to ride respectfully around pedestrians and traffic.”
Falls Church officials also are facing an increase of e-bike and e-scooter incidents.
At a city council meeting on June 8, Mayor Letty Hardi amplified concerns raised by residents about young people’s e-vehicle use in several areas, notably Cherry Hill Park.
Crackdown efforts had so far proved unsuccessful, Hardi told her colleagues.
“They’re actually riding through Cherry Hill pretty flagrantly,” the mayor said. “It’s not even just on streets and trails, but just literally through the park, back and forth, weaving around people. The police have not been able to catch them.”
She added that she worries “not only about the kids’ safety — because they’re often riding without helmets, two on a bike, going high speed — but everyone else trying to use parks and trails and sidewalks.”
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields said efforts would be made to address the concerns.
Photo via G-Force Bike on Unsplash
