My commitment is to continue to work with our public safety partners to clarify the law, to impose better safety standards, more consumer protection provisions, so that folks know what they're buying.”

State Sen. Judy Seeberger

Electric bikes and other electric-powered transportation devices have become a familiar sight around Hastings, but their growing popularity has also brought questions about where they can be ridden, who can operate them and how riders, drivers and pedestrians can safely share public spaces.
Those questions came into focus from two directions recently. Hastings Police Chief Kyle Linscheid spoke with the Journal about the rules and etiquette surrounding e-bikes, scooters, bicycles, pedestrians and other users of the city’s streets, sidewalks and trails. Then, on Monday, Sept. 28, State Sen. Judy Seeberger and Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko held a press conference calling attention to e-bike and electric motorcycle safety as use of the devices continues to increase.
Together, their messages had a common theme. Electric bikes can provide transportation and recreation, but riders need to understand what they are riding, parents need to know what they are purchasing for their children, and everyone using streets and trails needs to pay attention to the people around them.
Seeberger, whose Senate District 41 includes Hastings and several surrounding communities, said the increasing number of e-bikes, e-motos, electric scooters and similar devices has created new safety concerns. She compared the message to one she has previously given motorists about watching for motorcycles.
“Look both ways, look twice, look three times, slow down, take your time, be aware of what's out there,” Seeberger said. She said that same awareness is needed as smaller electric-powered vehicles become more common.
Seeberger pointed to increases in emergency department visits involving e-scooters and e-bikes and said young people account for a significant portion of those injuries. “Almost 40% of those seen in the emergency department are people under the age of 17, so our kids are being injured,” she said.
Leko said law enforcement officers across Dakota County are hearing concerns about the devices as well. “I think these, the e-bikes and seeing youth out there on bicycles are a good thing, but we also have to have safety around those things,” Leko said.
He said conversations with officers and residents frequently include stories about close calls, particularly when faster-moving bicycles approach pedestrians unexpectedly. Leko described one recent account from someone walking a dog at dusk when an e-bike quickly approached from behind and startled both the person and the animal.
Those types of encounters are one reason Linscheid said basic trail etiquette remains important regardless of what kind of bicycle someone is riding. “A good rule of thumb is keep right, don’t block pathways, announce yourself before passing, and give the slower, more vulnerable person the benefit of the doubt,” Linscheid said.
He recommended passing on the left when it is safe and giving an audible warning first. “A simple ‘on your left’ or ‘passing on your left’ is courteous; a bell is also another good option,” Linscheid said. Extra care is appropriate around children, older adults, people with disabilities and people walking dogs.
“If someone has headphones, a child, is elderly, and has a disability, or is walking a dog, give them more space and more warning, not less,” Linscheid said. For dog walkers, he recommended maintaining control of the animal and shortening the leash when necessary so the leash itself does not become a hazard.
Exactly where electric bikes can be ridden is another area where confusion can arise. In Hastings, Linscheid said e-bikes may be ridden on city streets, in bike lanes and on city trails unless signs specifically prohibit them. They may not be ridden on sidewalks.
The maximum speed for an e-bike on Hastings city trails is 15 mph, and riders must yield to pedestrians. Riders must be at least 15 years old. E-scooters have different requirements. Linscheid said they may be operated on park trails and city streets, riders must be at least 12 years old and riders younger than 18 must wear a helmet.
Bike lanes are intended for bicycles and other permitted bicycle-type users, Linscheid said, while pedestrians generally belong on sidewalks or appropriate shared-use paths. The distinctions matter because not everything that looks somewhat like a bicycle is legally an e-bike.
Seeberger said one of the challenges facing consumers is understanding the difference among the various products now being sold. Minnesota recognizes several classes of electric-assisted bicycles, which vary based on how the motor operates and how much assistance it provides. Other electric two-wheel vehicles can fall into motorized bicycle, moped or motorcycle categories.
“I think there's a lot of confusion among the consumers as far as what they're actually buying,” Seeberger said. She used her own experience as an example. “I bought an e-bike many years ago. Love it. It's one of the best things out there. I live by a big hill, and it's great to get up and down the hill.”
But when she was later asked what class of e-bike she owned, she realized she did not know. For parents, she said understanding those distinctions is especially important. “Just because it's an electric-powered device doesn't mean it's particularly safe for kids or appropriate for kids,” Seeberger said.
Some vehicles that resemble e-bikes can travel considerably faster than a conventional electric-assisted bicycle, particularly models without functioning pedals or vehicles that have been modified beyond their original specifications. Seeberger said electric motorcycles, sometimes referred to as e-motos, should not be confused with ordinary electric-assisted bicycles.
Leko said officers are also seeing younger children using electric bikes even though Minnesota law prohibits people younger than 15 from operating electric-assisted bicycles. “We're seeing 10, 11, 12-year-olds operating e-bikes,” Leko said.
That makes parents and guardians part of the safety equation, he said. “Know what you're buying, whether the child can legally operate it, and where it can be ridden, and set the expectations, set the guidelines for safe operation,” Leko said.
The sheriff said enforcement approaches can vary among jurisdictions. Some agencies, he said, may take possession of a bike being illegally operated by a child and require a parent to retrieve it. Law enforcement cannot see every violation, however, making education an important part of the response.
Leko suggested Minnesota could eventually consider a safety education system similar to those used for other recreational vehicles. “There might be some opportunities for education where it requires, similar to like an ATV permit or a boat operating permit, a snowmobile permit,” Leko said.
Such a program would not eliminate every crash, he acknowledged, but could teach young riders basic traffic rules before they begin operating devices capable of relatively high speeds. “There needs to be some awareness around the traffic laws and the dangers that come with them,” Leko said.
Asked about repeat violations, Leko said an educational or permitting system would also need meaningful consequences. “There has to be consequences, I believe, because if there's not, then there's not going to be any change in behavior,” he said.
Seeberger said she would be open to a permitting or credentialing system for younger riders. “I would love to see a permitting process for youth, so that they do have that opportunity for education and they do have some sort of credentialing that they go through,” Seeberger said.
She said the goal would be making sure young riders understand both the device they are operating and the rules that apply to it. The Legislature considered some of those broader safety issues during the 2026 session.
Senate File 3236 addressed electric-assisted and motorized bicycles, including a proposed helmet requirement for electric-assisted bicycle riders younger than 18, additional crash reporting requirements and other provisions dealing with motorized bicycles. The bill passed the Senate in May but did not complete the legislative process before the end of the session.
Seeberger said she plans to continue working with public safety officials and local communities on the issue. “My commitment is to continue to work with our public safety partners to clarify the law, to impose better safety standards, more consumer protection provisions, so that folks know what they're buying,” she said.
Although much of the discussion focuses on riders, both Seeberger and Leko stressed that motorists also have responsibilities. Electric bikes can approach intersections more quickly than drivers may expect from a traditional bicycle. As daylight hours grow shorter during the fall, visibility can become another concern.
Leko encouraged drivers to make an extra check before pulling through intersections, driveways and crossings. “Just double check your spots when you come to stops and sidewalks,” Leko said. “Do that extra check, the shoulders, the sidewalks, and everything approaching, because these e-bikes can get up on you, as we all know, very quickly.”
Riders should obey traffic laws, control their speed and make sure vehicles have stopped before crossing streets, he said. Seeberger offered similar advice. “Be smart about riding your e-bikes,” she said. “Go have fun, but don't be on a device that is inappropriate for your age.”
The need to share space extends beyond e-bike rules. Linscheid said Hastings’ parks and trails serve families, walkers, runners, bicyclists, dog owners and people with a wide range of mobility needs. Safety often comes down to courtesy and awareness rather than complicated rules.
“I think getting along in our public spaces really comes down to something pretty simple: treating other people the way we’d like to be treated,” Linscheid said.
Children should learn to share public spaces, watch what is happening around them and respect other users, he said, while parents can help by providing guidance and setting expectations. The same applies to adults.
“Simple things like picking up after our pets, putting trash where it belongs, following posted rules, giving people room, and being aware of others can make a big difference,” Linscheid said.
Even when someone believes another person is using a trail or park improperly, Linscheid encouraged residents to avoid unnecessary confrontation. “Most people are simply trying to enjoy the outdoors, just like we are,” he said. When there is a genuine safety problem, residents can report it through the appropriate channels rather than escalating the situation themselves.
Hastings has miles of parks and trails used by people traveling at very different speeds, from someone walking a dog or pushing a stroller to a cyclist or e-bike rider moving considerably faster. That variety makes predictability important. Keeping right, announcing passes, slowing around pedestrians and giving others enough room can prevent a surprise from becoming a collision.
Leko said finding the right balance will remain part of the conversation because electric bikes are not likely to disappear. “You've got to have that balance where we want our children, kids in these cases, to be out and about and enjoying and getting from point A to point B,” Leko said. “But it's got to be done safely.”
Winter may temporarily reduce the number of riders on the road, but the issue will return when temperatures rise again. “We need to take a collaborative effort in this moving forward,” Leko said.
For Linscheid, that collaboration begins closer to home. “At the end of the day, these are our community spaces,” he said. “We all have a role in taking care of them and making sure the next person can enjoy them just as much as we did.”
“If we look out for one another, give each other a little grace, and remember that we’re neighbors first, I think we can keep Hastings’ public spaces safe, welcoming, and fun for everyone.”