Winters bans e-bikes from sidewalks, city parks in latest safety push

The city of Winters is cracking down on e-bikes with stricter regulations on where they can be ridden.

This comes after the city received a lot of complaints about e-bike use on city streets and sidewalks.

"They're not good on the sidewalks and they're not good on the road," said Erica Morton, a Winters resident.

Starting Thursday, riders will not be allowed to ride e-bikes on sidewalks, in city parks, playgrounds, schools and the creek walk.

They're also banned from city streets that are closed to traffic for special events. The new rules also apply to e-scooters and similar electric vehicles.

In addition, riders are not allowed to use their phones or wear headphones that block out surrounding traffic.

Police say it all comes down to safety and they want to stay ahead of serious crashes before they happen.

"Thankfully, we haven't had any serious instances here in Winters, but there's been very serious instances in neighboring communities such as Davis," said Davis Police Chief John Miller.

For now, citations will be up to $50 for a first violation. In some cases, police can also impound the vehicle.

But Miller wants to remind parents that they could also be held responsible for their children's behavior.

"We're formally admonishing the parents; they could be held civilly or criminally responsible," Miller said.

Still, some worry the new rules don't fully address safety now that riders are being pushed onto the streets.

"What is the best solution? We haven't gotten there yet," Morton said.

Miller also said he's been working with the school district on e-bike safety. Last year, the district banned e-bikes from school property, which he said has already helped decrease the amount of reckless riding around school grounds.