Thank You, Governor Murphy
Education professor Karen M. Prince draws attention to another urgent quality of life issue: the danger posed to pedestrians by reckless E-bike use. She praises officeholders in both New Jersey and Florida for their efforts on this issue—a policy matter that so far has been notably bipartisan.
On his final full day in office on January 19, 2026, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed bipartisan legislation updating regulations governing electric bicycles (E-bikes) in the state. “Thank goodness,” I thought. In the past several months, I was nearly injured or worse by E-bikes three times while walking. The first time was while on the sidewalk of a quiet residential street in the small beach town of Margate, New Jersey this past July. As I was peacefully walking along, a young boy riding an E-bike emerged out of nowhere and came within inches of running me over. He was speeding along on the very pedestrian sidewalk where I was walking. I was able to jump quickly onto a nearby lawn, blessedly avoiding being mowed down.
First of all, what was this kid doing riding on a walkway and, secondly, why was he speeding like he was in a motorcycle drag race? I easily recall sitting on some stranger’s lawn for several minutes just trying to calm myself down while Speed Racer was already several blocks away zooming along sidewalk after sidewalk. He never stopped to see if I was okay or made any attempt at an apology. Fortunately, I was uninjured, but there is no question that I could have been had my reflexes been just a tad slower.
"E-bikes are closer to motorcycles than they are to bicycles and must be treated as such."
Two months later in September, I experienced my second near-catastrophe. This time it was on the boardwalk in the nearby seaside community of Ventnor, New Jersey. Walking along the Ventnor-Atlantic City boardwalk is a favorite summertime activity of mine. It is rarely crowded, and I do not have to worry about car traffic as I stroll. And to bolster further the safety of the boardwalk, the municipalities of Ventnor and Atlantic City make clear—via conspicuous signage—that riding E-bikes on their boardwalks is strictly prohibited. Unfortunately, this does not deter many E-bikers from speeding along the boardwalks. As a result, I had a “Groundhog Day” experience when one came racing at me on the Ventnor boardwalk. Thankfully, I was able to move quickly out of its way. But that should not be. It is a pedestrian walkway, after all. It is even called a boardwalk! Again, though, I was able to avert disaster by moving out of the way with just seconds to spare.
As such, the newly enacted legislation regarding E-bike use could not be more welcome. The law states that E-bike riders in the Garden State must now have a driver’s license to operate one or obtain a motorized bicycle license if they do not have a valid driver’s license. Further, to get a motorized bicycle license, a rider must be at least 15 years old, pass written and visual tests, and complete a road test. Helmets are required. And E-bikes in New Jersey must be registered and, best of all, riders must carry liability insurance.
Timeless reading in a fleeting world.
