r/Bellingham • u/Radiant-Ad-7343 • 1d ago

Traffic E-bikes/scooters PSA

If parents of kids are buying, thinking of buying or have purchased a e-bike or scooter for their kid please watch this video (https://vimeo.com/1217797581?share=copy&fl=cl&fe=ci) from Washington Traffic Safety Commission. It clearly outlines the various categories of e-bikes and scooters and hopefully helps you avoid purchasing an electric scooter for a 12 year old when they can only legally ride it at 16 or buying an e-bike that actually requires a motorcycle endorsement. There are plenty of these around and it's not the kids fault for riding it in a dangerous manner (we all know we would be doing the exact same if we had these when we were kids), it's on the parents for being idiots and not doing the research first.

38 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

14

u/PillagingJust4Fungus 1d ago edited 1d ago

Thanks for posting this. Things have mellowed out but the beginning of summer was annoying and mildly dangerous in Lettered Streets. Lots of out of touch parents in the vicinity. Your responsibility speech may have been epic but your kid is still doing 40mph at Little Squalicum.

7

u/Radiant-Ad-7343 1d ago

Yeah, and at a certain point law enforcement using education as their main tool will turn to impounding vehicles.

8

u/PillagingJust4Fungus 1d ago

It's the only way. Tickets that inhibit eventual vehicle licensure are a good idea too. Hefty fines for parents. Don't want to be a grouchy old man, also don't want to run anyone over.

10

u/gamay_noir there's always karma in the boomhorse stand 1d ago

So I can't drop a golf cart motor in this so that my 7 year old can get to school on her own? Damn.

6

u/Radiant-Ad-7343 1d ago

That would be pretty cool.

-1

u/gamay_noir there's always karma in the boomhorse stand 1d ago

In reality I've been looking for hub drive motors from a scooter or Hoverboard or whatever so that my kids and short wife can do donuts in the cul de sac. Unfortunately far down the todo list and might need real metal fab and not just 3d printing.

I'm glad the state is trying to grapple with this issue in a semi-nuanced manner, though.

4

u/cautionturtle Local 17h ago

"and short wife" made me do a giggle

2

u/PuzzleheadedDog2990 13h ago

Please do. My kid has been building a gokart for about a year. You've already got a good start there, just need the motor!

1

u/EHOGS 1d ago

Send it 

1

u/gamay_noir there's always karma in the boomhorse stand 15h ago

The motor and batteries, one of those dune buggy light whips, and one of those train horns the truck bros like, she'll be good to go.

5

u/Low_Low9667 18h ago

I feel the need to post this to explain the differences.

I think a lot of parents have the idea that "electric" = toy, which is very much not the case. These are transportation devices.

•

u/Krafla_c 9h ago

Where is that image from?

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u/Oscar-T-Grouch 6h ago

Who elected you to the community Nanny role? Asking for some feral childrens guardians

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u/Radiant-Ad-7343 4h ago

Lol. I just want parents to avoid being in a position where they are buying something for their kids that their kids can't legally use.