Answering community and safety concerns over so-called "micro-mobility devices" in its jurisdiction, the City of Henderson implemented new laws regarding electronic bikes, scooters and motorcycles on March 3. They address underage operation and new classification of the vehicles, as well as which ones are no longer permitted.
Tory Jackson, sustainability and climate manager for the City of Henderson, described some of her observations of e-bike and e-scooter use as “dangerous and reckless behavior.”
The major updates to the Municipal Code are as follows:
- All riders under 18 must wear a helmet when operating bicycles, e-bikes or electronic scooters.
- In order to be classified as an e-bike, it must have fully operational pedals, use pedal-assist technology, and be limited to 28 miles per hour. Otherwise, it is classified as an electric motorcycle.
- It is illegal to operate an e-motorcycle anywhere in the City of Henderson, including on public roads, trails, parks, paths, and sidewalks.
Jackson’s division received a grant through the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety’s Vulnerable Road User Program and developed its own Ride Smart Stay Safe campaign.
“This campaign is really focused on those juveniles … across Henderson, and providing them and their families, as well as the community at large, with education and tools on how to ride these devices safely,” Jackson said. “[This includes] helmet use, understanding the difference between the legal and illegal devices, as well as just how to safely share the roads, trails and parks responsibly.”
Violations of the new laws can result in fines and vehicle impounding —and, in some cases, both a juvenile operator and their parent or guardian can be fined. Henderson police are particularly concerned about juvenile operation of the faster electric motorcycles.
“Parents need to know that these electric motorcycles are ones that go up to 50-plus miles per hour, and these children are using them as their primary means of transportation,” Henderson police Sgt. Richard Paul said. “I’ve stopped some children that are middle-school aged that are travelling 10-plus miles to school on these types of motorcycles.”
Previously, state laws were written before widespread use of micro-mobility vehicles.
“I think that the types of vehicles that are on the road are different from what was contemplated when the state laws were enacted,” said J.D. Decker, chief of police for the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles’ compliance enforcement division. “The performance of some of these electric engines, the types of vehicles that are maybe designed for offroad, we’re now seeing on the streets.”
Ky Plaskon, the Reno-based president of the Nevada Bicycle Coalition and board member of the Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance, balked at the new Henderson laws.
“I think the priority of, ‘Hey we’re going to change the law, and we’re going to criminalize this behavior before we do the education’ — we should be doing the education first,” Plaskon said.
Guests: Tory Jackson, sustainability and climate manager, City of Henderson; Richard Paul, sergeant, Henderson Police Department; J.D. Decker, chief of police, Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles; Ky Plaskon, president, Nevada Bicycle Coalition.
