3 days ago
Authorities tracking down reckless e-bike riders causing chaos in Birkdale Village
A group of young, reckless drivers is causing concerns for authorities and business owners in Birkdale Village.
Police said they are trying to track down a few reckless e-bike riders who they say are juveniles.
One young rider told Channel 9's Dave Faherty that his bike can reach speeds in excess of 50 miles an hour. And local parents say these bikes can be dangerous.
READ: CMPD cracks down on reckless bike groups accused of multiple crimes around uptown
Mark Gossett said he is packing his daughter's bicycle for college, but it is the e-bike traffic in his neighborhood that is getting a lot of attention.
'Run up and down the street,' he said. 'Fly through the stop sign. I've seen them leave Birkdale Village and go up and down 73.'
Huntersville Police posted several photos on Facebook of what they believe to be several juveniles traveling too fast for foot traffic in the village that attracts thousands of visitors each day.
'I think more of the concern is there are multiple of them and you can't even get by sometimes,' one neighbor, Ellie Kwasniewicz, said.
Cornelius's PEDEGO Electric Bike store has bikes for sale out front. Its owner, Shawn Gantkowski, told Faherty that bikes going over 28 miles per hour are no longer classified as e-bikes and require a license and insurance, even if they are equipped with pedals.
'There needs to be enforcement,' Gantkowski said. 'The parents need to be aware that it takes a split second for someone's life to be changed upside down.'
Kiki Daniels said she loves riding e-bikes on trails, but it's important for parents to be involved.
'With any equipment like this, whether it's a scooter or a bike... safety is number one,' she said.
Police told Faherty that they would like to meet with the parents and these young people involved to make sure everyone in the area stays safe.
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found e-bike injuries more than doubled every year, going from 751 in 207 to 23,493 in 2022.
WATCH: CMPD cracks down on reckless bike groups accused of multiple crimes around uptown
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