The Manitowoc Police Department is continuing its crackdown on minibikes.
Police Chief John Musial was on WOMT’s Be My Guest program last week, where he noted that the department started seeing issues with young people on the bikes last summer.
Minibikes are powered by an electric motor, but they don’t have pedals like an electric bicycle (e-bike).
“The easiest way to tell is if they don’t have bicycle pedals on them, it’s a minibike,” he explained. “We’ve been seeing ones that kind of look like off-road motorcycles. Some that look like your old traditional 80’s version of a minibike, they’re all electric. And we got kids as young as 10 riding these down the street, doing 20 to 30 mph on them.”
The city passed an ordinance last November stating that minibikes are not allowed on sidewalks, streets, alleys, parkways, or city-owned land.
But they’ve been seen in the middle of the road blocking traffic and on sidewalks going more than 20 mph as well.
Musial added, “They’re kids! They don’t understand traffic laws and rules of the road. They’re not necessarily paying attention. We need to make things safer for the public in general.”
Captain Jeremy Kornforst says Manitowoc Police continue to deal with gas-powered bicycles, or gas engines hooked up to bikes.
If someone disobeys the ordinance, they could face a fine between $120 and $1,500 and possible removal and detention of the registration plate for up to 30 days.
