A crackdown on dangerous e-scooter and e-bike riding is underway in Maroochydore, with police ramping up patrols during the school holidays.
Under the ongoing Operation Raptor Wheelie, police will increase high visibility and covert patrols due to an expected high volume of traffic and an increase in offending on e-bikes and e-scooters over this school break.
Since the operation began in July, police have taken strong education and enforcement action focused on reducing road trauma and increasing the safety to e-scooter and e-bike riders, and the community around them.
On 10 July, police were patrolling the area between Amberjack Street and Blue Finn Circuit in Mountain Creek after reports of an e-bike riding in parks.
Police intercepted a Zyloyty H9 e-bike, ridden by a 15-year-old Mountain Creek boy, which was classified as a motorbike due to its wattage.
The boy was dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
Around 10pm on 23 August, police detected a 15-year-old Buderim boy allegedly riding dangerously along Mooloolaba Esplanade in Mooloolaba on a heavily modified mountain bike, with over 3000 watts of power.
Police will allege the boy was riding at speed towards oncoming traffic, before he was intercepted by police on the footpath.
The bike was seized and the boy was charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving of motor vehicle without a driver licence, vehicles used on roads must be registered, drive uninsured vehicle and light vehicle must not be driven or parked on a road if defective.
He has been dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
Maroochydore Officer in Charge Acting Senior Sergeant Jacob Flaherty said the community should expect to see police anywhere, any time.
“In addition to proactive high visibility patrols, we also have officers in plain clothes tasked to areas that we know young people gather on school holidays,” Acting Senior Sergeant Flaherty said.
“Our goal through this operation is to educate riders about their responsibilities when riding an e-scooter or e-bike.
“However, we will take action if you are found to be driving a vehicle illegally, or in a way that risks serious injury or death to yourself, or someone else in the community.”
