06/01/2026
We continue to receive complaints of dangerous activities by young people on e-bikes and electric motorcycles on the streets of Ashland. We will be taking enforcement action when hazardous traffic violations are observed, out of a concern for the safety of our young people.
We regularly receive reliable reports of stop sign and right-of-way violations, as well as dangerous speeds near and by pedestrians in the park and on sidewalks and streets.
Below are some links with more detailed information, but in short:
• A Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike has pedals and is to be treated just like a conventional bicycle.
• A Class 3 e-bike is more powerful and cannot legally be operated on a public roadway by anyone under the age of 16.
• All e-bikes must have a manufacturer’s label identifying their class and it is a violation to remove or tamper with the label.
Any powered conveyance, even those commonly known as “scooters” that are powered by a gas or electric motor and that do NOT have pedals are considered motor vehicles. They cannot legally be operated on public roadways by anyone that does not possess a valid driver’s license, and may not be legally operated on sidewalks or in city parks by anyone.
And of course, whether an e-bike, conventional bike, motorcycle, scooter, or Model T, it is always illegal to go the wrong way on a one-way street, or ignore traffic control devices such as stop signs.
We ask everyone to know and obey the law. APD would much prefer to arrest a juvenile for committing a traffic violation than respond to a crash involving injuries.
Chief Scott Young, APD
Useful Links:
https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=307.194
https://www.machs.mo.gov/MSHPWeb/Root/MotorcycleScooterFeaturedStatute030112.html
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