> why did the parents buy them an e-bike I don't know, imagining myself in their place I probably wouldn't. Part of the responsibility may be with parents but

> why did the parents buy them an e-bike I don't know, imagining myself in their place I probably wouldn't. Part of the responsibility may be with parents but still, an electric bicycle shouldn't get a free pass just because it's electric and it allows some official to brag about being "green". It's dangerous to pedestrians and riders, annoying and reduces city walkability. It's a motorcycle--a bike with a motor--and like any other motorcycle it should be regulated and if roads cannot accommodate them they shouldn't be allowed to roam the sidewalks. > Parents buy their kids dirt bikes to do jumps they couldn’t normally do, but they don’t sue Kawasaki because they broke their arm. I believe if you are a child riding a dirt bike without a license plate and without a driver's license somewhere off public streets you are probably doing it under supervision. In this case, however, it was apparently marketed for normal commute not extreme sports.