Dear neighbors,

Over the last two years, a dangerous mode of transportation has taken off in towns and cities nationwide. They are called “e-bikes”, more formally known as electric bikes. Many parents in Wellesley have purchased electric bikes for their boys and have sensibly educated them on safe riding, respect and the responsibility of owning a risky mode of transport. However, it is unfortunate that some of our local youths are not following safe riding practices such as racing and barreling through multiple areas of town. Some of these e-bikes are souped-up, high-speed electric dirt bikes exceeding well over 20 mph. While boys will be boys, they are riding at unsafe speeds, and where they just don’t belong—paths, trails, sidewalks, busy retail areas, traffic and even major highways. Pedestrian zones in particular, are meant to be comfortable and safe for people walking, running, and families out with kids and dogs. The bottom line is when e-bikes are ridden recklessly, they put all of us at serious risk.

The Wellesley Police have been working diligently on this issue—educating kids, enforcing the rules we already have, and trying to keep everyone safe. Their effort really matters, and I’m grateful. Still, I’m writing because I had a very close call myself.

Early one peaceful August morning I knelt down to give my dog some water when out of nowhere, I heard what sounded like a moped. A youth on a high-powered e-bike came flying by me slicing through the air like a bullet. He missed me by maybe an inch. I didn’t have time to react but, in an instant, I saw my life flash before my eyes. It was traumatizing. If he’d hit me, the outcome could have been very different, I’m confident I would not have survived. Doctors say crashes are more serious and lethal than with regular bikes. The message is clear, this is a serious problem, and parents need to do better. First and foremost, by understanding our state laws.

E-bike law in Massachusetts:

Class 1 e-bikes: Pedal-assist only, up to 20 mph. When you start pedaling faster a motor kicks in to add power.
Class 2 e-bikes: Throttle-assisted, up to 20 mph. Instant power with no pedaling needed similar to a moped or motorcycle.

Incredibly, both are considered bicycles under Massachusetts state law. Anything faster—or with a bigger motor—is actually a motorized bike, which requires a license, registration, and a minimum age of 16 1/2. But don’t be fooled, e-bikes ridden at 20 mph can still cause serious injury for the riders or unsuspecting pedestrians. E-bikes are significantly faster than the average person who pedals on a regular bike.

Furthermore, not all e-bikes come with high-quality brakes so due to the e-bike weight and speed, stopping becomes harder, and therefore more force is exerted during a crash.

So what can we do?

Enforce the rules we already have—no e-bikes on walking trails or public paths which includes public school property.
Make prohibitive signs bigger, bolder and clearer so there’s no confusion.

Educate parents and kids: many don’t realize that some of these e-bikes are actually illegal, or that even legal e-bikes can’t be used everywhere.
Take a harder look at busy sidewalks and retail areas, where e-bikes can be just as dangerous.
If you see e-bike activity putting anyone at risk, contact local law enforcement immediately so that law enforcement can act swiftly.

Be aware of your surroundings, proceed with caution when walking/traveling through areas with restricted line of sight.
Request the town to install safety mirrors which provide a wide panoramic view of blind spots (this is overdue regardless).
Concerned residents attend Select Board hours to keep this issue on their radar. Select Board hours are on the Wellesley.gov website.

Lastly, it is our civic responsibility to file reports with the Police for e-bike incidents, records are key to accountability.

My near miss was a wake-up call, and I think it’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt. If we act now—as a community—we can hopefully prevent a tragedy.

Francesca Olson
Wellesley resident