Seaside Heights, NJ Passes New Safety Rule For Bike Riders On Boardwalk
If you have ever spent time at the Jersey Shore during the Summer, you know there are rules everywhere and for just about everything.
A lot of rules differ from town to town but there are usually limitations for dogs on beaches, bikes on boardwalks, open containers with booze, marijuana consumption, curfews, parking, speed limits and everything else in-between.
Everything is monitored and controlled the second Memorial Day Weekend hits. It really is like the flip of a switch.
A Jersey Shore town is about to make one their rules even stricter.
According to Shorebeat.com, traditional bicycles are allowed on the Seaside Heights boardwalk but only during certain time frames:
Bikes are allowed on the boardwalk between 6:00 AM and 12:00 PM between April 1 to October 31 on weekends.
Bikes are allowed between 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM on weekdays from June 15 to Labor Day.
Bikes are allowed on the boardwalk anytime between November 1 and March 31.
Now, this rule is about to get a bit stricter.
According to Shorebeat.com, "Seaside Heights borough council adopted an ordinance that would ban powered bicycles and scooters on the boardwalk."
“It’s endangering people, because we’re looking at a whole new plateau of speed with these powered bicycles,” said Mayor Anthony Vaz. “There are also people on scooters and other mobility devices on our boardwalk. It’s not just a bicycle pedaling anymore, and there are crowded conditions here.”
During the Summer, I can see why this new rule is necessary. A human pedaling will stop if they come upon a large crowd. A motorized scooter won't unless the driver reacts fast enough.
There is one loophole to this new rule.
Anyone using a motorized scooter due to a physically disability will be allowed as long as the proper paperwork is filed.
I know this may sound like just another rule at the Jersey Shore but it is being passed with one thing in mind: safety.
Speaking of, have you gotten your Seaside Heights beach badges yet?