Dec. 11, 2025 6 AM PT
To the editor: The current Los Angeles Occasions article concerning the teenagers who assaulted a 57-year-old man in Hermosa Seaside highlights a deeper concern: Our e-bike tradition has gone off the rails, and oldsters — not simply youngsters — should be a part of the accountability dialog (“Two e-biking teens charged in violent assault on Hermosa Beach man,” Dec. 10).
Sure, two teenagers have been arrested, and that issues. However this drawback didn’t begin with one incident. It started when highly effective e-bikes that may price anyplace from $1,500 to $6,000 (with most able to speeds of up to 28 mph) turned the default transportation for center schoolers with no necessities for coaching or licensing and much too little supervision. I stroll the Hermosa Pier twice per week, and it’s turn into routine to see giant teams of children driving aggressively, weaving by crowds, harassing pedestrians and even setting off fireworks. If adults behaved this fashion on motor automobiles, the outcomes can be swift and extreme.
And nonetheless, e-bikes aren’t inherently the enemy. For a lot of households, they’re important — a sensible resolution for folks who can’t drive their teenagers to each exercise. These bikes can promote independence and scale back automotive site visitors. However that solely works when requirements, coaching and duty exist. Proper now, they don’t.
California controls e-bike classifications, leaving cities with restricted authority. Hermosa Seaside’s emergency ordinance permitting impounds is useful, however enforcement alone can’t repair a parental vacuum. If dad and mom buy motorized automobiles for minors, they have to be accountable when these automobiles trigger hurt.
We required permits for mopeds within the ‘80s. Fashionable e-bikes can attain comparable speeds. It’s time our guidelines — and our parenting — mirror that actuality.
Philip Williams, Redondo Seaside
