Bent asks motor bicyclists to go easy

By Craig Westcott
September 15, 2023

CBS Mayor Darrin Bent issued something between a warning and a plea last week to children who ride motorized bicycles, and their parents, to show respect for others.

“This is something that our local MHAs have gotten notices about, I’ve heard a couple of complaints and of course people are talking about it a little bit,” Bent said. “I know we’ve spoken about it before and to me they sound a little bit like a bicycle with a chainsaw motor attached to them. I wish they had had them when I was young, but they didn’t and one of the things that people are concerned about is noise.”

Bent said when he was young, children would attach cards to the spokes of their bikes to make a ticking noise. 

“Well, this is a little louder than a tick,” he said. “And it’s causing some concerns and agitation for some residents with the noises that are coming from these motorized bicycles. All I can do is ask everyone to ask their people and themselves, if they have one, to just be mindful of the neighbourhoods and the people around when you’re going with the bicycles and try not to make them as loud as possible. And just be mindful of people, and especially the time of day and area where you are, if you could, it would be great.”

Bent added that bicycles have to follow rules set out for them under the Highway Traffic Act when they travel on public roads.

“I’m not sure if there’s any rules in there regarding motorized bicycles or not, but if there’s not, they’re probably working on them,” he added. “Also, we have a noise bylaw in Conception Bay South, so I would think given the nature of the sound of them, to try to not be using them between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., because they are quite loud, and being a bicycle, they’re driven just about anywhere you want to drive them in town. So, I ask people to be respectful of their neighbours.”