Over the past several years, pedestrians and motorists have seen an increase in electric bicycles, electric scooters, and mopeds creating safety issues on city streets and sidewalks.
At last week’s Revere City Council meeting, Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya presented a motion asking local authorities to better police the nuisance vehicles.
The motion asked that the mayor request the Revere Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), and all other appropriate public safety agencies to immediately increase enforcement of the laws governing the operation of electric bicycles, electric scooters, mopeds, and bicycles on the sidewalks and pedestrian walkways along Revere Beach.
The motion also asked that the mayor send a formal letter to the appropriate agencies requesting a coordinated enforcement initiative, including the issuance of citations and any other enforcement measures permitted by law, to address the growing number of unsafe and reckless operators who are placing pedestrians and motorists at risk.
“I know that in the past, similar motions have been put in, but nothing has really been done,” said Guarino-Sawaya. “This is a public safety issue and it continues to get worse. I can stand there in front say Kell’s Creme or something, and these bikes are flying past us.
“There are little kids there; they cannot be on the sidewalk,” she continued. “I do not understand why we are not enforcing; and I know it is not the Revere PD, I know it is a state and the state really has to be accountable for it. There have already been incidents, and bicyclists just don’t think that they have to follow the same rules as a vehicle would have to in the street, but they do.”
Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said he did not disagree with anything Guarino-Sawaya said, but added that there are few rules and regulations that apply to the smaller scooters and ebikes. He did note that the state is looking at potential laws to police the vehicles, but said he didn’t know if there is anything on the books now that applies to vehicles with smaller engine sizes.
“I agree with the motion; I filed one that was very similar, not too long again,” said Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri. “Maybe we have the chief come up and speak to it, because it’s not just the beach, it’s all over, it’s Broadway, it’s the side streets and they are driving on the sidewalks when they are not supposed to.”
Silvestri said the city needs to figure out a way to curb the issue, especially with the riders getting younger and not wearing helmets.
“We’re going to have a major incident or accident on our hands,” he said. “I don’t know how we police this, but something does need to be done.”
Ward 4 Councillor Paul Argenzio said he also filed a similar motion when he was first on the council and added that he hopes the state comes forward with some clear and defined rules and regulations.