CARMEL — The growing popularity of electric bikes on the Monon Trail has some Carmel residents calling for more safety measures.
Vanessa Goodknight, who walks the trail three times a day, said near misses with fast-moving riders are becoming more common.
“It does concern me,” Goodknight said. “There have been some near misses. I just wish they would let me know, ‘on your left.’”
Electric bikes now make up a large share of the traffic on the Monon, according to David Canaban, owner of Future Velo E-Bikes in Carmel.
“I would estimate it's as high as 60 percent of all the bikes on the Monon going through Carmel are electrified,” Cabanban said.
Cabanban acknowledged that speed is the main issue.
“Very similar to how we used to use regular bikes when we were kids, but now the bikes go in excess of 20 miles an hour for the most part,” he said. “And that is the problem.”
Cyclists and walkers alike share those concerns.
“I do believe they are going faster than 15 miles an hour,” Goodknight said.
“When you have a, you know, 200-pound person with a 75-pound bike going 30 miles an hour and running over a kid — that’s like a car hitting a kid,” cyclist Matt Tanner said.
In response, Carmel police have launched a bike patrol on the city’s trail system.
“Just more so education than enforcement at first,” Officer Darby Morris said. “Just letting people know, hey, these are the rules and regulations. However, they are out here for enforcement and more of a presence.”
The city may go further. A proposed ordinance would give police more authority to ticket violators, especially those using bikes without pedals.
“I tell people if it doesn't have pedals, it's illegal,” City Councilor Matthew Snyder said.
“It's not newly illegal, but it's going to start being enforced because it's posing both a problem to the pedestrian traffic but also to these kids themselves because it's too much power for somebody of that mass to handle.”
Residents say speed enforcement is key.
“I think if they can control the speed, it'll be problem solved,” Tanner said.
Canaban said electric bikes and scooters will remain part of everyday life in Carmel.
“Scooters are not going to go away — and they shouldn't because they're very valuable micromobility tools,” he said. “Speed is the critical factor. So, enforcing the speed limit, not just stating what the speed limit is.”
