On Nov. 4, Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) implemented a new policy mandating that students with e-bikes enroll in a safety course and obtain a sticker in order to lock their bikes onto campus. According to Costa students, the policy is frustrating because they don’t believe it will benefit them. According to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD), the administration believes this new policy will improve road safety and awareness, both on campus and in the surrounding community. While this may be true, it creates additional challenges for students who rely on e-bikes to get to school.
Sophomore Brynn Barry explains that being required to take a course to ride e-bikes to school, even though she has been riding them for years, adds unnecessary stress. Fitting the course into an already packed schedule can be tough, especially just to secure a way to commute to school. This course is expected to improve bike safety and awareness, but MBUSD faculty is more supportive of this new policy than the students.
What students may not realize is that the policy will help them in the future. The mandatory course provides valuable knowledge about bike and road safety, which is important when they are learning to drive.
The district offers these courses both online and in-person through e-bike safety programs Pedal Ace and E-bike Sense. The Pedal Ace course costs $120, and after students have finished it, they receive a sticker representing their completion of the course to place on their bike. This sticker allows them to park an e-bike on an MBUSD campus.
The policy’s approach aims to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of bike safety and road regulations, but it comes at a significant expense. While some students may complain about requiring payment for a safe way to get to school, free courses through E-bike Senses are also available online.
It is definitely important for students to learn about bike safety and how to use signals on the road even though many students have been riding their bikes for several years and know the rules of the road. There should be different courses provided for students with significant experience, costing less money and requiring a shorter investment of time.
More information on what these classes cover and why these new rules are now in place would also benefit students and families to keep students protected and families reassured that their children are safe on the road.
Overall, the e-bike policy has many positives and ultimately taking these courses will help students understand how to properly use the road. MBUSD’s priority is the safety of students on the road whether they are biking or driving.
Leave a Reply