Letters to the Editor: Tired of e-bike crashes? Demand better cycling infrastructure

To the editor: Electric bikes bring mayhem to Orange County? Is that really the story here? Hardly.

The only thing the recent popularity of e-bikes has brought to coastal Orange County is the ugly truth about our chronic lack of bicycle infrastructure. The solution to our current "backlash of safety complaints" is quite simple: Invest in quality bicycle infrastructure.

While this article focuses almost exclusively on residents' complaints and the "challenges" for local governments, it largely ignores the most obvious of solutions. If cyclists are to ride somewhere other than multi-use paths and sidewalks, they need to be provided with a safe alternative.

The "e-bike revolution" is a wonderful opportunity. A simple investment in quality bicycle infrastructure would help to reduce congestion, air pollution and noise while improving quality of life. Please don't blow it, Orange County.

Steve Shepherd, Huntington Beach

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To the editor: Many thanks to The Times for this article. As an 80-year-old, I take walks on beach paths that were once relaxing and inspiring but now require constant vigilance to avoid being struck by one of these fast-moving, nearly silent e-bikes.

Last October, a national news magazine covered the "e-bike backlash" and named Carlsbad in San Diego County as a problem locale. I forwarded the article to the Dana Point City Council and Orange County Parks with a plea that something be done, and heard nothing in return. Perhaps your coverage will change that.

On two occasions I was nearly struck by helmeted 15-year-old e-bikers "stunting" with no hands and showing a disregard for human life. These machines are in effect small motorcycles that invite excessive speed. It's time to act.

Glenn Pascall, Dana Point

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To the editor: I live in a beach community, where there are tons of electric bikes. I was glad to see someone providing some details on accidents, as I constantly wonder why more people are not injured.

I had to laugh out loud at this paragraph: "Although electric bicycles have been around for years, their popularity swelled during the pandemic, when gyms were shut down and people were looking for alternative forms of exercise and recreation."

Could the writer please enlighten me as to what "exercise" these battery-powered bicycles provide?

Gloria Small, Hermosa Beach

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.