It’s never been legal to use motorized vehicles on the pedestrian path which runs along the beach from Bal Harbour to South Pointe Park. However, Miami Beach Police are about to enforce the rule like never before.
"Starting this weekend, enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to these motorized bicycles and electric vehicles,” said officer Christopher Bess of the Miami Beach Police Department.
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There are already signs up along the path informing users that electric bicycles and scooters are not allowed.
“There’s a lot of bikes, roller skaters, skateboarders, runners, walkers, you name it, everyone’s out here and to have electric on top of that, even some of the bikers without electric go too fast,” said Michelle Knight, who walks on the beach path regularly.
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Robert Wortham uses the path for exercise almost every day, and says enforcement of the no-motorized-vehicle rule is long overdue.
"I think the majority, they come out here reckless, they run into other people, some people are riding drunk and crashing into things, so it’s definitely safer,” Wortham said. “I’ve seen somebody run into the fences out here drunk, I’ve seen someone, a lady, get run over by someone on a scooter, so there’s accidents happen all the time when they’re out here.”
Police have also noticed the chaos.
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“One of our officers observed one of these motorized vehicles, just on Monday, plow into a pedestrian," Bess said. "We cannot have electric vehicles or motorized devices on our boardwalk because it’s pedestrian friendly."
Even a man who was riding an electric bicycle told us the policy is fair.
“I think it depends how you ride your bicycle, because I can use it totally electric or assisted, you know? But I don’t want to go too fast, I try to be careful with pedestrians,” said Roy Castilla.
If caught on an electric vehicle on the path, it’s a $129 fine, similar to a moving violation traffic ticket.
