Edison Township Passes Rules for Electric Scooters and Bikes

Edison Township Council unanimously passed a new set of laws governing electric bikes and scooters. Helmets are now required. Lights must shine when darkness falls, and kickstands need to hold these machines upright when parked.

Streets with 25 mph speed limits or slower are the only places riders can go. Changing how fast the motor runs? That's not allowed. Tying your scooter to something that wasn't built to hold it? Also banned. Carrying packages that force you to let go of the handlebars breaks the law too.

What counts as a low-speed electric scooter? The law spells it out: a floorboard where someone stands, handlebars that may or may not exist, and a motor that pushes speeds near 19 mph. Powered wheelchairs don't count. Neither do medical devices, mobility scooters, or anything built to help people with disabilities or health problems.

Every electric scooter needs a white light up front and a red one in back. A bell or some other noise-maker must warn walkers and bikers that you're coming.

Break the rules, and the punishment depends on how old you are and how many times you've messed up. Adults over 16 get fined right away. Kids under 16 receive a written warning the first time. The second offense brings another warning plus a fine that can hit $100.

Three strikes for minors means fines up to $250 and possibly losing the scooter. A fourth violation? That'll cost up to $1,000.

Walter Stochel lives in town and showed up to the council meeting to back the new law. "It's about time we regulate these vehicles. Our sidewalks are for pedestrians, not for motor vehicles," said Stochel, according to MyCentralJersey.com. "The kids need to wear helmets and the people who use them should know not to wear black at night while riding because no one can see you."

Town leaders say these laws will make riding safer. They want to protect riders, walkers, and drivers at the same time.