The Revere City Council is looking for enhanced police enforcement to deal with illegally operated motor scooters and electric bikes in the city.
Council President Anthony Zambuto filed a motion at last week’s meeting asking the mayor to direct the police chief to take immediate enforcement action with respect to all applicable laws and ordinances governing the operation of e-bikes and scooters throughout the City of Revere. He also requested a record of all enforcement action involving the nuisance vehicles since July 1 of last year.
It is an issue that the council has asked the administration and the police department to address several times in the recent past.
“I know we have all gotten hundreds of calls; I’ve gotten more correspondence about people almost getting killed by one of these bikes on the sidewalk while they are walking their dogs or they are jogging,” said Zambuto. “We’ve got to do something about this; the bottom line is we can’t keep saying, well, what are you going to do, there are state laws. We’ve got to have enforcement and we’ve got to make it have teeth so that … whoever is on the sidewalks and risking people’s lives knows that there are consequences for that.”
Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri said he agreed with the motion, noting that he and several other councillors have filed similar motions in the past.
“It’s really getting out of control, they seem like they own the road right now – sidewalks, streets,” said Silvestri. “They aren’t wearing helmets, they are riding two or three together, it is a dangerous scene out there right now.”
Councillor-at-Large Joanne McKenna said she spoke to Police Chief Maria LaVita recently, and she informed the councillor that the police department confiscated about 40 of the e-bikes and scooters over the summer.
“We need to establish some rules and regulations with these e-bikes and these scooters,” said Ward 1 Councillor Jim Mercurio. “You have my 100 percent support with this motion.”
Ward 6 Councillor Chris Giannino said the city should enact an ordinance where the penalty for illegally operating an e-bike or a motor scooter is to have it towed.
“If you pull the scooter over, and they are under a certain age, tow it,” said Giannino. “Let the parents go bail it out.”