Editorial: Park district may ban some e-bikes in the parks

Published 5:00 am Friday, October 4, 2024

The rules in Bend’s parks aren’t a big deal for most people. Don’t smoke. Don’t drink, except at approved events. Don’t be a bother to others. Don’t destroy the facilities. Don’t let your dog off leash, except where allowed. Don’t smack golf balls and just hope they don’t hit anyone. And so on.

The Bend Park & Recreation District is looking at changing some of its rules.

It may ban some types of e-bikes.

It may put a formal time limit on how long someone can be in a restroom and how many people can be in there at once.

It is looking at limits on firearms.

It may have new rules for making noise in district parking lots, such as revving engines.

We don’t know when a draft of the new rules will be available, but district staff have already been working on them.

One proposal: The district may only allow Class 1 e-bikes on park trails and pathways. Class 1 e-bikes are ones that only get a boost from a motor up to 20 miles per hour and a rider has to pedal to engage the motor. They are the tamest of the lot, as long as they have not been tampered with to go faster.

It would give the district a tool for enforcing misbehavior. And some people seeing a sign that only Class 1 e-bikes are allowed would stop when riding a Class 2 or Class 3 e-bike.

Such a rule may force may people to ride in Bend’s less safe streets than more safe park trails and paths. The thing is, it’s also not easy to spot the difference between the three classes. And it’s really not about the bike. It’s how the rider is using it. It doesn’t seem fair to punish people for the type of e-bike they have, when it is the behavior that is the issue. But we expect park stewards wouldn’t be chasing after e-bikes unless it was the behavior that was disruptive, dangerous or tearing up the park.

A new problem the district says it has been experiencing or experiencing more of is multiple people congregating in a restroom. Some of the district’s restrooms are like little rooms, instead of more conventional public restrooms with stalls. The district’s park stewards have observed multiple using restrooms at once for long periods.

The district may have a new rule limiting such restrooms to one occupant and put a time limit on how long they can stay in, such as 10 minutes. There would be exceptions, of course, for parents helping children or people assisting others who need help in the bathroom.

District staff is working with the Bend Police Department and attorneys on some ideas on these topics. The district’s board would have to approve them.

If you have thoughts, the time to tell the district is now. Any changes would have to be vetted by attorneys. Once the draft rules are written up and given the O.K. by the district’s lawyers, it could be hard to get them changed. You can email the Julie Brown, the district’s community engagement director, at julie@bendparksandrec.org.

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