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California Wants to Put License Plates on E-Bikes and Slow Them Down. Cyclists Are Not Happy About It
(guessingheadlights.com)
this post was submitted on 03 May 2026
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My issue isn't them exceeding the speed limit, but outright disregarding traffic laws, like going the wrong way on the street, disregarding red lights and stop signs, and not having lights while operating at night. I don't do any of that when I'm on a bike, and the people who are breaking those laws also shouldn't be. Those are all issues that come up as readily with conventional bicycles as with e-bikes. If e-bikes on public roads are going to be required to sport a license plate, I'd think that conventional bicycles could also be required to have a license plate.
A license plate requirement means that people just writing an electric bicycle will be mass surveilled by flock cameras and have their location data added to their palantir dossier which is a seriousness civil liberties risk, the fact that they're trying to extend the bicycles is about control not safety we should resist it
They also need to stay off the fucking sidewalk!!! Back in NYC, it would be a daily occurrence that I would nearly get hit by an ebike or moped while walking my dog. It's infuriating. There's no fucking excuse guys
Then build me a mf bike lane. In many places (where I live!) its either the sidewalk or share the road with 55mph traffic. I’m taking the sidewalk…
Why should golf carts be able to ride on the side walk but not cyclists?
...who the fuck thinks golf carts should be allowed to ride on sidewalks?
NYC probably bans it.
searches
Yeah.
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-31165
California has patchwork restrictions on it
it may not be illegal where you see someone doing it.
searches
https://bikeeastbay.org/SidewalkCycling/
Who's gonna enforce it though? It's essentially unenforceable until someone causes an accident and the cops are called
Lump it onto Reason 450,439,812 as to why police in America need to be totally reformed. Since, y'know, you could make this same statement about a "Thou shalt not stab or kidnap someone in the middle of the street" law.
The problem is not raining in the street is too dangerous cars will run you over and even a class 3 electric bike cannot keep up with cars on non-residential streets without a lot of manual exertion. I think it should be legal to ride on the sidewalk anywhere that does not have protected bike Lanes, not just a thin painted stripe
I'm OK with it being illegal to cycle on the pavement, even though I do it in places where it's not allowed. There, just as in places in my city where it is allowed, I slow down so that I'm more at the same speed as pedestrians, so that I don't cause a problem. But not everyone does, and it's easier to crack down on the shitheads if it's just plain not legal. If there were a crackdown, I'd easily be able to walk my bike in the places where I currently break the rules.
They should ban cars from the streets so pedestrians and ebikes dont have to share the little sidewalk.