Commissioners Want Safety Class and Other Rules for Kids on E-Bikes
Winter Park is still considering exactly what rules to put in place and how to enforce them
Aug. 14, 2026
By Gabrielle Russon
Winter Park is considering imposing new regulations aimed to crack down on people driving electric bikes and motorized scooters dangerously around town.
The City Commission held a workshop Thursday to discuss how they want to craft a future city ordinance although they did not take an official vote. No public meeting date has been scheduled yet for the City Commission to vote on the final ordinance, spokeswoman Clarissa Howard said afterward.
The issue of e-bikes and e-scooters has been a hot topic in Central Florida. Just ahead of the new school year, Orange County Public Schools banned the devices for all students unless they have a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit. School officials expressed frustration that state and local governments have not acted sooner to pass any safety reforms.
On the workshop’s agenda, draft language of the ordinance proposed a 10 mph speed limit for any electric bicycle or motorized scooter traveling on sidewalks, shared-use paths, trails and parks. E-bikes and e-scooters would be banned on sidewalks within the central business district, Hannibal Square Neighborhood Commercial District or Orange Avenue District just like bicycles are.
But city officials questioned whether to include a specific speed limit at all.
Winter Park Police Chief Tim Volkerson said he was hesitant about the challenges of enforcing a 10 mph limit.
“Conceptually, I like the 10 miles an hour, but the reality is if you set a speed limit of 10 miles an hour, I’m going to have a line of people at my door wanting to know why we’re not running radar on sidewalks and giving kids tickets for going 11 and 12 mph on the sidewalks,” Volkerson said. “If it’s in ordinance, there is going to be an expectation that we are going to enforce it.”
He also warned some electric vehicles young people are riding don’t have speedometers.
“It’s hard to hold a 13- or 14-year-old kid accountable for going 10 miles an hour when he doesn’t have any method of determining that he’s going 10 miles an hour,” Volkerson said.
City officials suggested not having a specific speed limit at all but crafting the ordinance to say “unsafe speeds” or “carless” driving was prohibited on e-bikes and e-scooters.
However, Commissioner Elizabeth Ingram said if the city left it “broad like that, everyone’s going to have their own opinion of what is careless.”
Under the proposed ordinance, e-bike and motorized scooters would need to yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian.
Winter Park officials nixed a proposed provision to require e-bike and e-scooter drivers to carry a government-issued photograph ID.
Anyone under 16 will be required to take a city-approved safety education class to ride in city limits.
“I absolutely love the idea of requiring kids to attend the class. I think it’s very, very smart,” said Volkerson, who added that young people are already required to take a class to ride dirt bikes.
Volkerson balked at the idea of the city issuing a card to prove young people took the course. He preferred they get a certification of completion.
“They blow through stop signs,” Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said of young offenders she has witnessed. “They need to just learn the basic rules of the road.”
The proposed ordinance said parents or legal guardians would be held responsible for minors who get cited for violating the ordinance. City officials did not discuss how much the fines would cost.
“This is about accountability,” Commissioner Craig Russell said.
Other city officials acknowledged the city had limited leverage to handle repeat offenders since the city would not be giving licenses although Volkerson pointed out the city can impound e-bikes and e-scooters
“Tow company doesn’t care if it’s a bike or a car. You are going to pay a high impound fee for that,” Volkerson said.
WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com
Bravo to city officials making an effort to curb the plague of e-bikes & e-scooters on our streets. My experience with packs of 8-14 year olds has been terrible and frustrating. Unlike motorcycles and motor scooters, many e-bikes/scooters can easily go 30mpg+ and they are unregistered, require no permits/licenses/training and have no horn, brake lights or turn signals. I have been an avid motorcyclist for over 40 years and currently ride a “pedal-assist” e-bike for over 6 years (with a top speed of 18 as long as you are pedaling hard.) We were happy to hear Orange County Schools are now banning them at elementary and secondary schools and are putting new rules in place for high school students riding e-bikes/scooters to school. THANK YOU!
Chief Tim and I agree:
“I absolutely love the idea of requiring kids to attend the class. I think it’s very, very smart,” said Volkerson, who added that young people are already required to take a class to ride dirt bikes.”
There is a simple solution to part of this problem. E-bikes are motorized vehicles. Motorized vehicles should be operated ONLY by licensed operators, just like car and motorcycles. If a person is not old enough to get a license, then they cannot operate and e-bike. The idea of having children as young as 8 – 9 years old on a motorized vehicle is an abomination – what are these parents thinking! Only a short while ago these children were riding “manual” bikes, which is what they should be riding now.
The commissioners should confer with whomever will be charged with enforcement of ordinances; this is a great example. An ordinance that is not enforced is pretty useless.
Should there be a cautionary speed on sidewalks, sure. Decades ago, as a youngster we were told to walk your bike if using the sidewalk and always yield to pedestrians.
I see WPPD sitting in vehicles on Park Avenue was scooters and bikes ride the sidewalk, a few days later there is WPPD on bikes and they stated the reason, responding to comments of bikes on the sidewalk. What a contradiction.
The safety approach seems appropriate so those using the vehicles are fully aware of the rules of the road, unfortunately we cannot count on parents doing so. As a matter of fact, I see a number of SMM students riding bikes to school on the sidewalk of Park Avenue trying, sometimes not so well, to dodge the walkers and dog walkers on the avenue when according to the signs, that is one area where bikes are prohibited. Just guessing but would not be surprised if parental instruction might have been stay on the sidewalk.
Commissioners need to start to apply common sense in their approach to issues. Doubt we will ever see WPPD with a sidewalk radar speed trap enforcing a 10mph limit.
I think creating rules for e-bikes and scooters is an excellent idea BUT not just for kids. Too many adults are also driving e-bikes and motorized scooters dangerously with no regard to pedestrians or other vehicles. I don’t believe either should be allowed on the sidewalks.
Do we let go-karts blow around the streets? If so, I may get one!
10 MPH rule is probably a good thing in practice, but pretty funny when you consider even a 90 year can manually pedal a bike faster than that