NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – The Neptune Beach Police Department posted signs to ensure residents who ride electric bikes and regular bikes know traffic laws.
Rosemary Naughton, who lives on First Street, said people ride their e-bikes fast.
“It’s a dangerous situation just getting ready to turn into a real catastrophe,” Naughton said.
Kierstyn Jennings lives in Neptune Beach and said she was almost hit while walking.
“Well I was walking to the beach earlier today and they could’ve hit us when we were walking to the beach. It’s not a huge deal but the do go really quickly and I feel like they should still obey the traffic laws because they have motors on them,” Jennings said.
NBPD posted signs to remind people on e-bikes and regular bikes to obey all traffic laws and not to go faster than 15 mph.
This comes months after the police department posted about conducting many traffic enforcement campaigns on First Street to curb “dangerous operations of e-bikes”.
It also talked about a man who was arrested for reckless driving and disorderly intoxication as he hit a woman while riding his e-bike, according to the arrest report.
Residents said they’re excited the signs were put up, but they do wish they were more noticeable. Possibly if it were a different color, or if it were larger or if it had blinking lights attached to it.
Naughton said she wants people on the e-bikes to stop driving straight through stop signs.
“My concern is someone will really get hurt. A human being will really get hurt,” Naughton said.
Which is something she said shouldn’t happen.
Jennings said she appreciates the city doing its part to make people aware of the laws.
“I don’t know if it’ll stick into their minds but at least the city is doing its part to hold people accountable for it so that it’s not an oblivious ignorance to the law,” Jennings said.
NBPD made a Facebook post about the signs and obeying traffic laws. They also said anyone violating the rules are subject to a $62.50 fine.