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California School Bans Kids' E-Bikes, So They Start Parking Them At The Neighbors' Homes
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this post was submitted on 01 Sep 2026
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I'm not in favor of this, but they are right that middle school kids should not be operating vehicles which can easily go 20+mph.
I don't know what a good solution would be. Have kids register their e-bikes with the school and give them passes to park in an access-controlled area, allowing only models that don't go so fast? Just a first thought.
Regular non-motorized bikes can go 20+ MPH on flat ground. Also good to point out that there's a difference between e-bikes and e-motos. An e-bike is just pedal-assist, won't go without pedaling and is generally speed throttled pretty low. An e-moto is for all intents and purposes an electric moped / motorcycle (Some of them have do-nothing pedals to disguise this fact) and should probably be kept away from children in most contexts. But nothing is wrong with any of these vehicles so long the jurisdiction has sensible licensing rules and public outreach concerning the last category. The rest of the vehicular laws are already there. Ultimately the problem of e-motos is one of governments having to get off their ass and formally recognize them.
It is not at all just e-motorcycles. Many e-bikes and e-scooters go that fast with the push of a little lever. I know, I have one. It is disingenuous (or uninformed) to compare that to being able to pedal hard on a regular bike.
This is a problem that will need solving one way or another, and your solution does not address this particular part of the problem.
That's an e-moto. If you just push a throttle and don't have to do any sort of 'exercise' movement to throttle them then it's effectively an electric moped or motorcycle. The last category in my comment above. If it happens to also have pedals, they're irrelevant as it has a throttle.
It's also a lot heavier usually. Mine is about 60 lbs whereas my road bike is 15. One i can get up to 20 on my own, the other I'm trying realllll hard to push 13. I do think these are better to have them another car though.
yup. limit to the legit class 1 and 2 models only, the ones with speed and power output limiters.
if they don't want them 'driven' on school property, just make that a requirement: pedal or push only while on school grounds.. motors off. lock 'em up soon as you get there, don't unlock 'em til you're ready to leave. no hanging-out or loitering by the racks. register with the school office.
want kids to be safe: helmets required. offer safety classes.. which really should be a thing at any school with a significant number of bicycle riders. one specifically for ebikes, including for parents of those kids so they know what those kinds of bikes are actually capable of and how they should be ridden.