KSHB 41 News reporter Braden Bates covers parts of Jackson County, Missouri, including Lee's Summit. Send Braden a story idea by e-mail.
A video of a car narrowly missing a rider on a motorbike in Lee's Summit sparked hundreds of responses on Facebook and is prompting new conversations about e-bikes and electric motorbikes in the Kansas City metro.
The driver of the car, Nautica Vigil, said a crash could have ruined two lives.
"First I'm like, oh my gosh, like it was so close. Did I actually hit this kid?" Vigil said.
She did not hit the kid. Quick reflexes prevented what could have been a deadly situation.
"I've seen him just go on his way, and I was like, I didn't think that I had really missed him," Vigil said.
The video drew in over 300 comments. Many comments shared frustrations and similar experiences while others praised Vigil's fast reaction.
"You think of like, if you didn't have this [dash] camera and the outcome was worse, then one, what's gonna happen to me? And then also you're just gonna live with this guilt for the rest of your life," Vigil said.
The Lee's Summit Police Department released a post on May 22 which said it's receiving a large number of calls about various types of bikes.
The post outlined the differences between electric motorbikes and e-bikes, something that's often confused because of their similar looks.
E-bikes use a pedal assist motor and can reach speeds of about 28 miles per hour. Motorbikes don't tend to have pedals and are fully self powered.
LSPD said the laws surrounding e-bikes are murky because they blend bikes and motorbikes into one, and technology is outpacing new laws.
The post noted that electric motorbikes are not street legal in Lee's Summit unless the owners has the proper licenses and registration.
William Cochren saw the department's post while scrolling on Facebook.
"I've had friends get seriously hurt on just bikes alone, moving real fast down hills and stuff around here, so e-bikes are moving much faster," Cochren said.
Cochren was hoping for more clarity on e-bikes.
"Would probably be nice to know, what are the limitations of even where an e-bike should be? Should I be looking for an e-bike on a sidewalk?" Cochren said.
This is not only a problem impacting Lee's Summit. Across state lines in Kansas, Leawood and Overland Park are both looking at the issue.
Overland Park made a city ordinance change last week. One of the changes said people under 16 are not allowed to operate a class 3 e-bike, which reaches that 28 mph speed.
Jackie Brown, whose grandchildren live in Lee's Summit, said the situation has made her more cautious behind the wheel.
"Feel like when I'm driving I always drive slower because you never know if someone's gonna pull out in front of you or the children's gonna make a wrong turn or fall or have an accident," Brown said.
However, she said it's good to let kids be kids, while encouraging safety. She also wants driving to limit distractions.
Brown summed up what every post and person interviewed also felt.
"We all want our children to be safe," Brown said.
LSPD said the bikes are becoming a public safety issue.
"As technology evolves, the laws don’t always keep pace, so we want to help clear up some confusion — especially regarding electric motorcycles /e-motos, which are becoming a major safety concern in our community," the department wrote.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
