South Coast, listen up because this one’s got me pissed off.
Governor Maura Healey just dropped a new bill called the Ride Safe Act (Senate Bill S.3077) and it’s straight-up nonsense. Filed back on May 4th, it’s headed for a public hearing on May 28th.
What’s it do? It creates this fancy “speed tier” system for e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds. The slower ones might be okay, but anything with more power (the ones regular people actually use) will now need annual registration with the RMV, liability insurance, and a license plate like it’s a friggin’ car.
They also want to ban faster e-bikes from bike lanes and off-street paths. Helmet rules, age limits, the whole nine yards.
I’m callin’ it right now: this ain’t about safety. This is a cash grab pure and simple. Beacon Hill lookin’ for new ways to tax us while we’re just tryin’ to get around or have a little fun.
Think about it. We got old timers on the South Coast who use e-bikes to run errands in New Bedford, Fall River, Dartmouth, or Taunton without dealing with gas prices or parking. Grandma or Grampa finally got some independence. Now they gotta pay the state every year plus insurance?
And the kids? Summer’s right around the corner. Kids ridin’ around the bike paths and neighborhoods — now the governor wants to slap fees and rules on them too?
This feels like a direct attack on regular South Coast working people, seniors, and families just tryin’ to live.
Local reactions are already pouring in:
• “Healey just needs more money.”
• “Registrations = $$$”
• Plenty of riders saying this will price low-income families and seniors right off their e-bikes.
Nobody’s defending idiots riding like maniacs on sidewalks, but this bill punishes everyone else while giving the state another revenue stream.
South Coast, we gotta push back hard before May 28th. Tell your reps this is bullshit and it hurts the wrong people.
What do you think? Is this just another Maura tax on regular folks, or am I missing something? Drop your thoughts in the comments — especially if you ride an e-bike. We might feature your take.
Stay safe out there… and keep ridin’ while you still can!
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