DELAND, Fla. – DeLand police are launching a zero-tolerance crackdown on e-bikes, bicycles, scooters and skateboards in the downtown area — and violators could face hundreds of dollars in fines or even an arrest.
The enforcement push comes after months of complaints from business owners and residents in the area.
Since the city adopted new sidewalk rules in May, police say they have recorded more than a dozen violations, issued several citations and made at least one arrest. During that period, officers say they were focused primarily on educating people. Now, they say, the gloves are off.
“Now, we’re on full blown enforcement. We still stop people, we still educate them, but if we’ve stopped you a couple of times, we’ve told you a couple of times, that’s when citations and different punishments come into effect,” said Sarah Lux, a city spokesperson.
Under the new rules, micro-mobility devices — including e-bikes and scooters — are banned from downtown sidewalks. A first offense carries a $250 fine, and a second violation is an arrestable offense.
The city is also cracking down on helmet use. Anyone under 18 is now required to wear one.
Downtown business owner Christa Yates says the crackdown is long overdue.
“If a person is coming out that door, and somebody is flying by on that bike, somebody is going to get injured,” Yates said.
She says she has already noticed a difference.
“We’ve seen a lot of police activity lately, especially during the day, which is great,” said Yates.
The enforcement is welcome news for businesses that have dealt with the issue for months.
“We don’t really have a street out there for them to ride in but the sidewalk is not the place for it,” Yates said.
As for those who want to ride their bikes to downtown — there are no dedicated bike lanes, and Woodland Boulevard, also known as U.S. 17-92, is a heavily traveled road. The city is suggesting riders either park and lock up their bikes on one of the side streets, or walk their bikes along the sidewalk while navigating the downtown area.
“We don’t want to have to arrest people for riding a bike on a sidewalk but sometimes that’s the step we have to take,” Lux said.