E-BIKES: Some should be forbidden from riding on the trail

To the editor. This is in response to a letter in today’s edition of The Press from S. Robinson entitled, “FIREWORKS: “E-bikes push through crowd.”

I am not only in complete agreement with the author’s comments and thoughts, but I would offer a few additional observations.

As a frequent bicycle rider on the Coeur d’Alene Trail, I’ve noted an increasing number of issues due to “e-bike riders.” This new generation of e-bikes require NO PEDALING in order to move. In other words, they are a MOTORCYCLE, and as such they should be forbidden from riding the trail. Beyond that, the vast majority of the riders have very little knowledge of the rules of the cycling road: 1) they exceed the 15 mph speed limit, 2) they pass without acknowledging their presence (call out “on your Left”), 3) they fail to point out issues on the road such as fallen branches, waste, etc.

The bottom line is that if these riders are able to continue to ride their peddle-less motorcycles on the trail there will soon be more accidents like those experienced by S. Robinson and possible more severe.

Thanks for the opportunity to express my thoughts and frustrations.

WAYNE MEUCCI

Post Falls