Now that spring is here, city police are reminding residents about the potential consequences of using illegal gas-powered bicycles.
The North Bay Police Service warns that operating these types of vehicles can lead to fines and the vehicle being seized.
“The Highway Traffic Act does not recognize bicycles augmented with gas-powered motors as legal motor vehicles,” states a release. “These types of vehicles cannot be operated on roads, sidewalks, highways, or trails in North Bay.”
Police say if you are operating a gas-powered bike on roads, trails, highways, or sidewalks in North Bay, you could be charged with:
- Operating a motor vehicle without insurance, which can result in a court appearance, and a fine ranging from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $25,000 on a first offense. Subsequent offenses could result in a fine ranging from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $50,000.
- Operating a motor vehicle without a licence plate, which can result in a court appearance and a maximum fine of up to $1,000.
- Operating a motor vehicle without a permit, which can result in a court appearance and a maximum fine of up to $1,000.
City police say the only place where it is legal to operate these vehicles is on private property with the consent of the property owner.
In terms of E-bikes and E-scooters, police say they must have a maximum speed of 32 km/h, a maximum weight of 120kg, and they are required to be equipped with pedals.
They can be operated on the right edge of roadways as close to the curb as possible and on trails in pedal mode only and cannot be operated on highways.
Operators must be at least 16 years old and wear a bicycle or motorcycle helmet.
