NewCanaanite.com received the following letter. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com.
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Dear Editor:
It’s difficult to imagine that any young teenager would be given a motorcycle or allowed to ride in a car without a seatbelt. And yet, they are being given electric bikes and sent, with developing prefrontal cortexes, into a world of distracted drivers, road rage, and 5,000 lb. projectiles.
For example: during evening rush hour last week, six teenagers, five on e-bikes and one on an e-scooter, rode from New Canaan to Darien and did the following:
- turned left on red through an active intersection at Farm Road and South Avenue in New Canaan;
- evaded police at Mansfield Avenue and Sedgwick Avenue in Darien by racing through a four-way stop with cars on all sides;
- reached speeds of approximately 40 mph by slowing down to block traffic and then quickly accelerating;
- crossed the yellow line in front of oncoming traffic;
- popped wheelies and rode on one wheel near oncoming traffic; and
- caused a traffic jam.
Last year, Connecticut realized a 350% increase in the number of fatalities and injuries involving bikes and e-bikes on state roads, and that metric shows no sign of stopping. The teenage conflux of unstable hormones, peer pressure, and feelings of invincibility mean that any child could be swept up. I feel a deep sense of urgency that something must change before our community inevitably suffers another tragedy.
Connecticut’s 2025 e-bike law is not actually stopping dangerous behavior; neither are tort and criminal laws that impose serious penalties on parents of children who cause accidents.
Together, we can do better, especially because municipalities are allowed to regulate e-bike use. One option is licensing of mandatory bike and scooter safety courses; another is impoundment and civil forfeiture of e-bikes used in violation of law. The creative minds in our community can doubtless brainstorm many more. I think it’s time we do so.
Danielle Edwards
Fully agree. The absence of meaningful laws and regulations is literally an accident waiting to happen.
Danielle, Thank you for raising this important topic! I couldn’t agree more. We need to do something to rein in the reckless riders. If e-bikes and e-scooters are not licensed, they should be given the speeds they can reach.
This is a great letter and in the interest of proactivity Town government should take action asap. Please also impose penalties for overriding the speed limitors and not wearing a helmet!
Homeowner’s insurance will not cover most e-bikes. Shops that sell these vehicles are not eager to share this information and risk loosing a sale.
Parents should take action and refuse to buy the bikes!!!!! NO is a word!!!
In regards to the e-bikes and scooters, the laws have been passed. The New Canaan Police Dept. Officer, Nicole Vartulli ,along with other officers have been providing training in the schools as well as downtown for these riders As a parent, how much time do you spend researching and talking with you child before purchasing an e=bike or scooter ?. The hardest job is being a kid, the second hardest job is being a parent. These young people need their parents to set boundaries to protect them. It appears there is a lack of respect for any type of authority whether it be parents, teachers, police or the general public. If parents choose to support and defend this type of behavior, it is only a matter of time before someone is injured.