The Walden Village Board chose to stay with the current state law on motorized bikes and electric scooters at their meeting on July 6. The law allows for municipalities to further regulate the time, place and manner of operation of these devices.

Trustee Lynn Thompson noted that she originally wanted to ban motorized bikes and electric scooters. However, she changed her mind after reviewing documents from local police departments.

“Honestly, communities that are following the state law, every single officer reported to me they haven’t written summonses, they haven’t had an increase in accidents and the opinion was don’t reinvent the wheel,” Thompson said. “Follow the state law.”

Effective April 2020, New York State Law allows people to operate bicycles with electric assist on some streets and highways in New York State. Effective Aug. 2, 2020, the law allows people to operate electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist on some streets and highways in New York State.

The law defines an electric scooter as a type of device with handlebars, a floorboard or a seat, and an electric motor that can be powered by the electric motor and/or human power. A bicycle with electric assist is defined as multiple classes of bicycles with an electric motor and operable pedals.

According to the law, a person can operate these devices on highways with a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less. In addition, someone cannot operate these devices on a sidewalk except as authorized by local law or ordinance. An electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist cannot be registered.

Trustee John Elliott agreed with Thompson as did Trustee Patricia Maher.

“If it becomes an issue in our village then we’ll address it,” Maher said. “But I don’t really see that there is an issue with it now.”

Trustee Cheryl Baker felt that motorized bikes and electric scooters should be banned for children under the age of 16.

“At least what I’ve seen with a lot of the kids, there’s just a lack of maturity and responsibility with operating the bikes,” she said.

Baker added that she has seen children disobeying traffic laws. Several residents told her that they have almost gotten run over by children on the bikes and electric scooters.

Trustee Brian Sebring said that residents have been responsible for the most part when riding the motorized bikes and electric scooters. He feels that the village should abide by the state law until the vehicles become a big problem.

“Once you say no, then everyone’s gonna want one,” Sebring said. “I just say let the law ride and that’s it.”

Deputy Mayor Willie Carley agrees that the state law should be followed as long as it is properly enforced.

Mayor John Ramos felt that the village should stick with New York State’s current law. He believes that it should be closely enforced by the police. He added that parents should not allow children to ride motorized bikes and electric scooters if they cannot handle them responsibly. Ramos referred to an incident on July 4 on Valley Avenue, in which a seven-year-old darted out into the road on a motorized bike and was struck by a car. The child had minor injuries, but is okay otherwise. Ramos has spoken to Village of Warwick Mayor Michael J. Newhard about the vehicles. The Warwick mayor noted that the bikes and scooters have not caused injuries in his municipality and they attract thousands of visitors each weekend who could get hit.

“I agreed with Mayor Newhard that we shouldn’t reinvent the wheel,” Ramos said. “If there’s an issue, when it comes up, then obviously we react with a more stringent type ordinance.”