Santa Monica police enforcing motorized scooter/bike ban for bike path

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) -- If you're planning on taking an e-scooter or motorized bike on the Santa Monica Beach bike path this Memorial Day Weekend, be advised -- it's against the law.

Tyler May was riding a Wheels motorized bike and was flagged down by police lining the bike path.

"We were just looking forward to taking them down the pier over there, going on some of the rides, but I guess they're dangerous out here. Now, we just gotta walk. Change of plans a little bit, but we'll make it work," said May, who is visiting Santa Monica from Sacramento.

Nicole Fraser says she had no idea Wheels aren't allowed anywhere in the city of Santa Monica. She says the bike path was safer than the street.

"I think that's a little ridiculous. They're not going that fast. You bump into someone, you bump into someone. I think you would be going just as fast on bikes if you're pedaling fast enough," said Fraser, who was stopped by police on the bike path.

"If you're going to ride an e-scooter, we ask that you ride in the street, in a bike lane, not on the sidewalk, don't tandem ride. Ride closest to the curb if at all possible and we ask that you don't ride in the parks, the promenade, or the beach bike path," said Lt. Candice Cobarrubias with the Santa Monica Police Department.

Kenny Grant rides his bike on the bike path four days a week. He's relieved that police are out enforcing the city's municipal code that was passed last fall.

"Usually it's too crowded with scooters and they get in your way and they're a nuisance. People park right in the middle of the road. Gotten in two accidents by people in scooters. One person made a u-turn without looking and I T-boned them. That was ugly, I got hurt in that one," said Grant.

This is not a one day show of force. The Santa Monica Police Department says they'll be out on the bike path all summer enforcing with citations.