Girl Scouts weigh in on Huntingburg e-bike ordinance; More work to be done before finalized

Tayah Beard, a Junior Girl Scout with Troop 281, offered the Huntingburg Common Council suggestions on the ordinance the city is considering to regulate micromobility devices like e-bikes, electric scooters and similar conveyances.

“We think e-bikes are fun, and we know a lot of kids enjoy riding them,” Beard told the council. “But also think we need to make sure everyone is safe, not just the people riding them, but also people walking, driving, or playing outside.”

She said the troop is asking the council to require helmets, a safety class that ends with a permit sticker displayed on the bike, and mandated lights or reflective clothing. She also asked for speed limits in parks and recommended riders not use phones or headphones while riding.

“As a Girl Scout, we learned that being responsible means thinking about other people too,” Beard said. “We hope that we make rules that help kids have fun, also while keeping everyone in Huntingburg safe.”

Ethan Trusty, a Huntingburg resident and the owner of REM Bicycle and Fitness, also spoke to the council during the meeting.

“I think Miss Tayah Beard covered a lot of a lot of same concerns that I had,” Trusty said as he took the podium.

Trusty pointed out that though the draft keeps Class 3 e-bikes off sidewalks, Class 1 and Class 2 bikes can still reach up to 20 mph.

“At 20 miles per hour, I think that’s an unsafe speed for sidewalks, especially with pedestrians walking on our sidewalks that are, you know, narrower,” he told the council. “They’re not 10 feet wide like most shared pathways and greenways in these larger cities.”

He said he and his customers have seen people “being ran off the sidewalk” by e-bike riders.

Ultimately, he suggested a sidewalk speed limit of 10 to 12 mph.

Trusty recommended the city use a speed limit to regulate sidewalk use by these vehicles since it is difficult to distinguish one e-bike class from another. “Identifying the class of an e-bike is almost impossible,” he said.

He also said that there may be difficulty in clocking the actual speed of these bikes but added, “If it looks like it’s fast, it’s probably going too fast.”

Trusty clarified the difference between an e-bike and an e-moto: an e-bike will have pedals. He recommended that the city only allow pedaling on sidewalks, which would be a self-limiting factor that could keep speeds down and e-motos off.

The council chimed in with some ideas to further regulate the devices.

Councilwoman Pam Bolte floated registering e-bikes with the police department, as the city does with golf carts. “These kids are anonymous; nobody knows who they are,” she said. “Right now it’s like the wild west.”

Councilman Tim Wehr, who attended the meeting virtually, said he has followed Jasper’s e-bike discussions, where officials have talked about having young riders get a state ID. Bolte pushed back. “I have a hard time with my kids remembering to put their shoes on,” she said. “I cannot see them carrying an ID.”

Wehr asked how they can ensure owners are fiscally responsible for incidents involving the devices.

Mayor Neil Elkins suggested a registration sticker identifying the bike’s owner might be simpler.

City Attorney Phil Schneider said the ordinance is limited by existing state laws. He pointed out that if they allow regular bicycles on sidewalks, the city has to allow Class 1 and 2 e-bikes on sidewalks as well.

“I don’t agree with the statute, but that’s what we have to deal with,” he said.

Schneider also pointed out that since state law gives Class 1 and Class 2 e-bike riders the same rights and duties as bicycle riders, a local helmet rule or registration rule for those e-bikes would have to cover regular bicycles too.

“Again, the question comes as to whether or not you’re going to require that for bicycles too,” he said.

Councilman Steve McPherron also said it appears there is still quite a bit of work to do on the ordinance before it is passed.

With Wehr attending virtually and Councilman Jeff Bounds absent, City Attorney Phil Schneider reminded the council they could not consider adopting an ordinance that includes a fine. The council voted to carry the ordinance over to the next meeting.