BRISTOL, R.I. (WPRI) — In response to the growing popularity of e-bikes, new regulatory signs have been installed along the East Bay Bike Path.
Last year, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management enacted a “class one only” law that prohibits motorized bikes capable of posing a danger to others on the path. These e-bikes can reach speeds up to 20 mph, and their motors only activate when the rider pedals.
Bristol native Mich Myette suffered a broken jaw after colliding with an e-bike rider in 2022. Despite wearing protective gear, he required a four-hour surgery with his jaw wired shut, forcing him to eat his meals through a straw.
BACKGROUND: No answers for rider severely hurt on East Bay Bike Path
Now recovering, Myette hopes his story will remind others to ride cautiously on the path…