The Oswego Police Department regularly receives complaints from residents about e-bikes and e-scooters speeding through their neighborhoods.

“Many times, these vehicles are operated by children who do not possess the knowledge and skills to operate these vehicles in a safe manner, and at high speed,” Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin told village trustees.

“Officers are limited in enforcement due to the limitations of the state law,” he said.

The issue was discussed at a recent Oswego Village Board meeting. As a home-rule community, the village has the power to pass an ordinance placing restrictions on the use of these types of vehicles, Bastin said.

Although the police department has had quite a few complaints about e-bicycles and e-scooters, the number of crashes has been relatively low – three since 2021.

The department is recommending the village adopt an ordinance to address e-bicycles and e-scooters. The ordinance could include such rules as requiring people riding e-bicycles that can get up to 28 mph be at least 16 years old.

“We know that most 16-year-olds should know the rules of the road,” Bastin said.

In addition, low-speed scooters that have a maximum speed of 10 mph could only be driven on sidewalks or bicycle paths and those driving an e-scooter or e-bicycle wouldn’t be able to use a mobile device or cell phone at the same time.

Other proposed rules include prohibiting passengers on the vehicles and that all e-bicycle and e-scooter riders under the age of 18 would need to wear a protective helmet.

Bastin said other municipalities have adopted similar rules. First-time violators would face a $75 fine.

E-bicycles and all e-scooters in violation of this ordinance would be subject to impoundment by the village and held as evidence.

“Our goal on this is not to issue tickets,” Bastin said. “Our goal is to get compliance for people not to allow their kids to just fly around on these things unsupervised.”

Village trustee Karin McCarthy-Lange said she appreciated Bastin addressing the issue.

“I know this has come up several times in my neighborhood, so I appreciate you addressing this,” she said.

Bastin said he plans to revise the proposed ordinance based on the feedback of trustees. That included several trustees questioning whether a plan to regulate the use of e-bicycles and e-scooters in the Downtown Oswego Historic District was a good idea.

Several residents talked about the problem at a recent Village Board meeting.

“We see the motorized vehicles all over the bike paths, all over the roads,” resident Al Gegenheimer said in addressing village trustees at the Oct. 7 Village Board meeting. “They drive extremely fast. We live in The Villas at Southbury Village, which is a 55 and older area, and we have a lot of elderly people that walk their dogs. Those motorbikes are moving extremely fast. They’re going faster than the traffic.”

Echoing those concerns was Oswego residents Sam Figola, who also lives in The Villas at Southbury Village. He noted the subdivision’s homeowners association prohibits those types of vehicles from being on walking paths and bike paths and other areas within the subdivision.

“We have really seen an increased number of these, I would say this year especially,” Figola said. “So, we’re open to your suggestions and we’re open to meeting to discuss this further.”