In Glendora, CA, walking our children to and from school should be a safe and peaceful experience. However, the increasing prevalence of e-bikes and e-scooters on sidewalks, especially in front of public schools during busy hours, has made it hazardous for pedestrians. As a concerned resident, I am deeply troubled by the safety risks this poses to our community, particularly our children.

I have two young children, and used to enjoy walking my oldest to and from school at La Fetra Elementary. I push a stroller and my student walks alongside me for a .6 mile journey from my home to school, along Bennett Ave, directly past Sandburg Middle School. Throughout the '24-'25 school year, this has become an increasingly harrowing ordeal with the increase in e-bikes using the sidewalks during busy school drop-off and pick-up hours. The journey has become so unpleasant, we hardly walk anymore. E-bikes whiz past my children and weave in and out of other pedestrians, often middle schoolers who do not look up from their phones. 

Recently, it has come to my attention that it is legal in the City of Glendora for these e-bikes to ride on the sidewalk. 

E-bikes are fast and often unpredictable. They can easily cause accidents with young students who might not be accustomed to sharing narrow sidewalks and distracted teens whose eyes are on their phones. The drivers of e-bikes do not need registration, drivers licenses, liability insurance nor even the most basic bicycling education class to operate the vehicle. These devices typically weigh between 40-75 lbs without a rider; all of these riders are children and their e-bikes can reach speeds of 20mph. In Glendora, we must take proactive steps to prevent accidents before they happen. 

Designating sidewalks in front of public schools as no e-bike and e-scooter zones is a concrete step towards ensuring pedestrian safety especially during busy drop-off and pick-up hours. This change would still allow e-bikes and e-scooters on streets and designated bike lanes where they can safely share space with other vehicles. Many U.S. cities, like Santa Monica and San Francisco, have already implemented similar measures with success, enhancing community safety without significantly disrupting the flow of bike and scooter traffic. Understandably, e-bike safety is also of concern in an area with high car traffic, however we cannot trade one danger for another. A comprehensive solution is needed to ensure safety or pedestrians and bikers alike, and it starts by ensuring pedestrians have priority on sidewalks and bike lanes users are safe from cars. 

Implementing this rule in Glendora will require local government intervention and law enforcement cooperation. By restricting these devices around school zones during school hours, we can create a safer environment for our children and other pedestrians. 

Join me in advocating for these changes to protect our sidewalks and community by signing this petition. Let's work together to keep our children and pedestrians safe.

Facts:

• It is legal in the state of CA to ride Bicycles on the sidewalk. According to California Vehicle Code (CVC) §21206, city and county governments are responsible for drawing up and enforcing laws of bicycles in pedestrian areas.
• Glendora City Code 10.17.040 dictates that " Public agencies may designate any public roadway, sidewalk, parking lot, or other public property as a no skateboarding, roller-skating, bicycling or similar activity area by the posting of appropriate signage". Let's get the city to adopt this policy and post a sign! 
• The City of Glendora enacted the Safe Streets Policy in 2024. This policy has a stated goal of "safety for motorists and pedestrians on local roadways" and "reduced transportation impacts on local neighborhoods." Furthermore, Safe Streets aims to "meet these goals by slowing down vehicular traffic and encouraging bicycle and pedestrian activity". E-bike and e-scooter use should be encouraged as an alternative to car traffic, however not if the cost is decreased pedestrian safety and incentive. 

Further Reading:

American College of Surgeons, Electric Bikes Are Emerging As A Public Health Hazard, July 17 2024

Voice of OC, More E-Bike Crackdowns Come to Orange County, March 25 2025

SF Gate, Speed Can Kill : E-Bikes Overrun a Wealthy California City's Popular Urban Corridor, Feb 28 2025

Glendora's Safe Streets Policy, July 25,2024