Newport Beach E‑Bike Woes Spotlighted in Reader Mailbag on Safety and Speed

In a recently published Mailbag column, a Newport Beach resident draws attention to rising safety concerns about electric bikes in the city. Inspired by a Huntington Beach initiative, where police began offering a 70‑minute e‑bike safety workshop for students—including hands‑on drills for braking, obstacle negotiation, and helmet use—the reader warns that Newport Beach is experiencing similar risks.

The letter highlights worrying trends: speeding e‑bike riders darting through red lights, popping wheelies, and blending into car lanes—particularly noticeable near Via Lido. The concern is that what might seem like harmless fun poses major safety threats for both riders and drivers. The reader notes that while HBPD is taking proactive steps, Newport Beach police have yet to roll out a similar program.

They conclude with a challenge: Will these training efforts translate into safer streets, fewer crashes, and fewer injuries — or will the “craze” continue unchecked?

Read the full Mailbag response here:
https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/opinion/story/2025-07-02/mailbag-e-bike-police-newport-beach-huntington-beach