DI residents rally for e-bike safety

Daniel Island resident Scott Noonan is rallying more than 100 neighbors to push for new regulations for electric bikes, better known as e-bikes, that have become a popular mode of transportation for teenagers. 

"We’re not anti-e-bike; we are pro-safety,” Noonan said. “We love this community and the kids who grow up here. Every day we see how much freedom and fun they get from riding e-bikes, but also how quickly things can go wrong. 

“It’s gotten to a point where close calls are happening constantly, and we realized that unless someone speaks up, nothing will change." 

Noonan said he has seen it all: teens riding up to 30 miles per hour, some without helmets, weaving through pedestrians, doing wheelies, and even riding while on their phones. 

“One of the scariest moments was watching a group of kids almost get hit near the roundabout by the school. No one got hurt that day, but it was inches away, and that’s when we knew we were on borrowed time,” he said. 

Daniel Island currently falls under South Carolina's e-bike regulations, which classify low-powered e-bikes – those under 750 watts and under 20 mph – as bicycles. Riders must follow the same rules of the road as conventional cyclists, and there are no helmet, age, or licensing requirements. 

In addition to state laws, municipalities can also crack down on the misuse of e-bikes. 

As of now, the City of Charleston, where Daniel Island resides, has not yet adopted additional ordinances, and as of now, Charleston police say accidents involving e-bikes are not specifically tracked.  

“E-bikes do not have their own designation on accident reports or citations, meaning it is impossible to efficiently and accurately distinguish between incidents involving e-bikes and regular bicycles,” Sgt. Chris Stinson of the Charleston Police Department said. 

Stinson says Team 5, which is the unit that patrols the Daniel Island area, has received a few e-bike complaints but “does not recall any collision involving e-bikes.” 

Mount Pleasant, by contrast, passed its first e-bike ordinance in September 2023 after an incident in which two boys struck and killed a dog on a sidewalk. The town’s rules include a 15 mph street speed limit, 12 mph on sidewalks, mandatory helmets for riders under 21, and fines up to $500 or 30 days in jail. Class 3 e-bikes are prohibited from shared-use trails, and parents can be held financially accountable for minors’ violations. 

Frustration over Daniel Island’s unregulated e-bike scene has been mounting. Just scroll on any given Facebook forum and you’ll see complaints by the dozens. 

Island resident Melanie Hart posed the question, “Do we have to wait for someone to die before we pass a law? These kids ride in gangs in the middle of the road, going faster than cars, doing wheelies, and putting everyone at risk. It’s only a matter of time.” 

Noonan and other residents have met with State Rep. Mark Smith, Berkeley County Councilman Jarrod Brooks, and Charleston City Councilmembers Mike Seekings and Boyd Gregg. 

“I put the e-bike issue on the agenda for discussion at the Oct. 14 city council meeting in response to the number of complaints that I and our law enforcement officers are receiving about e-bikes," Gregg said. "The city’s legal staff is investigating what additional restrictions we can implement via city ordinance that don’t violate or conflict with state law.”  

Gregg has proposed measures that include mandatory helmets, age limits, sidewalk restrictions, and registration with proof of liability insurance. 

Berkeley County Councilman Brooks noted that while the county follows state law, the city is taking the lead on developing stronger rules. 

“Lawmakers are watching the results and effects of the recent Mount Pleasant e-bike ordinance to help inform how to write an effective and fair ordinance for the city," he said. "Parents should educate themselves on speed capabilities to purchase age-appropriate e-bike wattages, and residents should continue to contact lawmakers to share their ideas.” 

Councilman Seekings stressed the need to define e-bikes and create enforceable rules. 

“We do not have any (ordinances) that speak directly to e-bikes, which have proliferated in the last five years," he said. "This matter has been discussed at city council and at the Traffic and Transportation committee, prompted by numerous complaints from citizens around the city, particularly on Daniel Island, about the reckless operation of e-bikes. It is a call to action and has been received loud and clear.” 

Seekings said work on e-bike regulations will continue this year, with the goal of passing an ordinance by January or February 2026. 

With regulations in the works, Rep. Smith is waiting to see the city’s plan before pursuing state-level action. “This is a new technology. There aren’t laws on the books to address e-bikes. At this point, it’s in our best interest to let the city complete the work they’re already doing. 

"Anything that Senator Brian Adams (who also represents Berkeley County) or I can do, we will. We’ve been working very collaboratively with Brooks, Gregg, and Seekings. We will always prioritize citizen safety.” 

For Noonan and his neighbors, this fight goes beyond rules on paper; it’s about making streets safer immediately. 

“We already have a group in excess of 100 people who have pledged to participate in meetings with our officials. This issue hits home for a lot of people, and we are not going away. We will continue to push our elected officials until action is taken or we will support and help to elect officials who will."