A year-long structural assessment of the Hermosa Beach pier comes to City Council Tuesday — with a cost-benefit analysis that could reframe how the city thinks about the structure's future.
Some Hermosa Beach middle schoolers who ride e-bikes say they’re trying to follow the rules of the road, but still get yelled at and harassed from passing cars.
“They honk at us and scream out their windows, ‘Get off the road,’” said 11-year-old Drew Balik.
“One time we were stopped at a light and a guy was yelling at us, ‘Come over here and fight me like a real man,’” said 12-year-old Jagger Lunz.
The middle schoolers I spoke with said they understand why some residents are concerned after last year’s widely publicized assault involving teenagers on bikes near the pier.
“I think it was pretty bad and they shouldn’t have done that,” Beau Venning, 12, said of the attack. “But everybody thinks all e-bikers are like that now.”
E-bike riders Beau Venning, Drew Balik and Jagger Lunz.
Several students said learning the rules of the road was part of getting an e-bike in the first place. They said they participated in a Vista school bike safety program known as “bike rodeo,” where students practice riding through mock streets with stop signs and traffic signals.
“It’s like a mini town,” said Julia Brown, 14. “They teach you road safety and looking forward and back and side to side for cars.”
At Hermosa Valley students must complete an e-bike certification course if they want to park their e-bikes on campus.
Some students said their parents required safety training before allowing them to ride.
Julia Brown, 14, on her e-bike
“My dad made me take a class and my mom made me watch safety videos,” said Venning, whose father owns E-Ryde, an e-bike store in El Segundo.
That hasn’t stopped the vocal critics.
Misha Weinberg, 14, said she was yelled at while sitting on her bike near the pier.
“It’s like you’re not doing anything wrong,” she said. “There’s no reason for them to be getting mad.”
The riders I spoke with say their e-bikes are just good clean fun.
14-year-old Misha Weinberg
“It got me out of the house,” Lunz said. “I’m not playing Roblox and watching YouTube.”
“All my friends had e-bikes and it was insanely hard to keep up on my normal bike,” Balik said. “Once I got my bike, I started hanging out more and riding around more.”
While they say reckless riders should face consequences, the students aren’t convinced confiscating bikes is the best solution. Several suggested a warning system that escalates for repeat violations.
“Maybe give them a warning first,” Lunz said. “And if they keep doing it, then there should be a fine.”
After all, they say. You can’t blame every kid for the behavior of a few.
“Everybody got the hate for one person or a few people’s actions,” Venning said. “Which isn’t really fair.”
After all, they said, you can’t blame every kid for the behavior of a few.
“People think we’re all in gangs or doing wheelies and being bad,” Balik said. “But most of us are just trying to ride our bikes.”
These are admirable kids and I’m glad they’re taking their responsibilities seriously. The trouble is, not everyone is so conscientious. That’s why we need thoughtful, sensible rules that protect both riders and the residents who share the road with them.
Hermosa Beach has already taken significant steps. The city passed one of the strictest e-bike ordinances in the South Bay. Riders who break the rules can have their bikes impounded and face fines ranging from $250 to $1,000. The city has also partnered with the school district to offer e-bike safety classes for students.
But despite the crackdown, Hermosa does not require riders to have a license, insurance or DMV registration.
State lawmakers are now grappling with that gap. Seven e-bike bills are moving through the Legislature this session, each proposing new rules and safety measures.
E-bikes are already divided into three classes based on power and top speed. Higher-powered bikes, particularly Class 2 and Class 3 models, should come with greater accountability.
AssemblyBill 1942 would require those bikes to be registered with the DMV and display a license plate. Since Hermosa police generally don’t chase e-bike riders, many who break the rules simply speed away. Registration could make it easier for officers to identify reckless riders, issue citations and track repeat offenders.
E-bikes can be a great way for kids to get around town. But like any motorized vehicle, they come with responsibility. Smart legislation that combines education, accountability and enforcement is the best way to keep both riders and residents safe.
Elka Worner is a community volunteer, City Commissioner, journalist, and Hermosa Beach local. She contributes occasional columns to The Hermosa Review, and publishes her own regular newsletter titled 'Elka's Update’ which you can subscribe to for free.
I’m Elka Worner, a community volunteer, City Commissioner, journalist, and Hermosa Beach local. I was raised here, and I’ve had the joy of raising my daughter in this amazing town.
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