Unlicensed 13-Year-Old Riding Unregistered E-Motorcycle Cited: PPD

PLEASANTON, CA — Pleasanton police towed and impounded an electric motorcycle they say was being driven by a 13-year-old without a license.

Last Saturday, the Pleasanton Police Department conducted an enforcement operation focused on e-motorcycle and e-bike safety andcompliance. Police say they contacted a 13-year-old operating an unregistered Talaria TL-2500 e-motorcycle around Stanley Boulevard and Bernal Avenue. The rider did not have a license, and was cited for being an unlicensed driver. The motorcycle was towed and impounded for 30 days.

The California Vehicle Code divides legal e-bikes into three classes:

• Class 1: A low-speed pedal-assisted e-bike with a motor that assists only when the the rider is pedaling, and does not go over 20 mph.
• Class 2: A low-speed throttle-assisted e-bike with a motor used exclusively to propel the bike. It is also incapable of assisting once a speed greater than 20 mph is reached.
• Class 3: A pedal-assisted e-bike with a speedometer and a motor that assists only when the the rider is pedaling. The motor stops providing assistance when a speed of 28 mph is reached.

In Pleasanton, Class 1 and 2 bikes are allowed on roads and designated bike lanes. Class 3 bikes are also allowed on roads and bike lanes adjacent to roadways, but are prohibited from bike trails not adjacent to roadways, according to the Pleasanton Police Department. E-bike riders must follow the same rules as regular cyclists, including obeying traffic signs and moving in the same direction as traffic.

See here for more e-bike regulations in Pleasanton, and here for state laws.

The Pleasanton Police Department's Facebook post garnered 131 comments, many of which described reportedly reckless behavior of local teenagers on e-bikes and motorcycles.

"I’d love for you to patrol around dismissal at FHS. I have seen numerous riders speed through the green light on Las Po as they cross Muirwood and then continue high speeds in the bike lane all the way to Hopyard. The ones I’ve seen have all been wearing helmets thankfully, but they are going as fast or faster than the cars. It’s super dangerous if they also cross paths with an actual bike rider or zoom across the crosswalks to enter the Donlon neighborhoods," one commenter wrote.

"Last year a high schooler on an E-motorcycle was alternating between the road and sidewalk, traveling up to 35-40mph, wasn't paying attention and ended up rear-ending my wife's car. All captured on our dashcams," wrote another.

Pleasanton police hold e-bike enforcement days every few months.

SEE ALSO:

• Pleasanton Police To Hold E-Bike Enforcement Day
• Pleasanton Street Dirt Bike Crashes Into SUV, 2 Teens Injured: PPD