If the means of transportation is human and you are not riding a bicycle, you are considered a pedestrian. It includes scooters and skateboards. With the motor installed, scooters and skateboards are (obviously) empowered and do not meet the definition of pedestrian. When riding an electric foot scooter, the law groups you with a power-assisted bike and a Segway. Well, if you’re riding an electric skateboard, you don’t know what to say.

So let’s start with the simple part. State law allows you to ride an electric scooter in a bicycle lane. In fact, electric scooters are treated much like a regular bicycle (with a few exceptions). To quote the law, “Electric scooters may have as much access to the state highways as bicycles.”

That is, you can ride on roads, shared passes, or private bicycle lanes. At the state level, the law for electric scooters is different from the law for bicycles around sidewalks. Biking on the sidewalk is legal (except in the Central Business District), but electric scooters are prohibited from riding on the sidewalk unless the sidewalk is part of the bike path.

State law stipulates that municipalities impose additional restrictions on electric scooters, so it is important to check local laws when riding an electric scooter. As an example, Bellingham requires electric scooter riders to wear helmets and does not allow the use of electric scooters on multipurpose trails. Interestingly,

Last week I was in Portland, where electric scooters are popular. I was overtaken by two electric scooter riders while biking through the Burnside Bridge. A week earlier, I was driving along Northwest Avenue in Bellingham at 20 mph, but I couldn’t keep up with the guy on a bike lane electric skateboard.

If electric scooters and skateboards can catch up and overtake cyclists, it makes sense to ride a bike lane instead of a sidewalk. And when it comes to scooters, the law is in agreement. But with electric skateboards, state law is silent. Some cities treat them like electric foot scooters in city ordinances, but many cities do not have a clear law on where electric skateboards fit. Very few states in the country have laws dealing with electric skateboards.

Where would you ride an electric skateboard rider? 

I asked a traffic police officer at the Bellingham police station how to handle an electric skateboard. State and city laws do not correspond to them, so their transportation unit decided to discuss what a rational approach would be if the law was not clear and treat it like an electric scooter. If you don’t know the laws of your city or county and want to ride an electric skateboard, it’s a good idea to talk to your local law enforcement officer to see how your jurisdiction looks at your electric skateboard. To do.

Why skateboarders can’t skate on bike paths

On the American River Bike Trail, people can bike as fast or slow as they like. However, for some reason skateboarding is banned.

— According to the Regional Park website, the American River Bike Trail is a “jewel of Sacramento”. However, not everyone is welcome to do their favorite recreational activities.

The American River Bike Trail, also known as the Multi-Use Trail, allows cyclists and pedestrians to follow etiquette guidelines and do whatever they want. Horses can ride on the parts of the trail designated for the horse. A horse bike accident isn’t quite a sight, so it makes sense.

The county currently bans skateboarders on trails.

Ken Casparis, Head of Communications and Media for Sacramento County Wide Area Park, said the city is currently investigating why this is initially unknown to the park sector.

Casparis said the reason could be related to safety, but the rules have been around for a long time.

Marycon Young of the city of Sacramento pointed out that this could be more than just a county rule. The California Department of Transportation defines bike paths to be accessible only to cyclists, pedestrians, and horses, depending on the trail.

As a result, skateboarding is not permitted on state-controlled bike paths.

The county is considering whether to change the rules for skateboarding, but this activity will continue to be banned.

These vehicles are very new to the mainstream civilian. Therefore, there is no law to allow them on the street. The law has not been decided yet. Electric skateboards are still young to be properly regulated. However, you will probably not be fined or the police will issue you a ticket.

Q: Is it legal to ride an electric scooter or electric skateboard in the bike lane? Some of them can go at 20mph, so it seems dangerous to put them on the sidewalk around people.

A: I think the answer to this question is the same for both scooters and skateboards. I wish it was so easy. Washington law supports electric scooters, especially if you want to get an electric scooter, or a technical electric scooter. Electric skateboards, on the other hand, are undefined and, as far as I know, are not addressed by state law.