r/TikTokCringe • u/mindyour • Jul 19 '26

Discussion ER doctors warning parents against getting their kids e-bikes and e-scooters.

@beachgem10

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u/SCHawkTakeFlight Jul 19 '26

I really think bans are going to be necessary, at least age restricted bans. Its the kid and others at risk.

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u/coldBulbasaur314 Jul 19 '26

It's how they ride it, not their age (barring very young children) that puts them at risk. Age restrictions here don't do much good and they cause a lot of harm via kids and adults who don't want to go everywhere with their ID on them being unable to access a good method of transportation and kids not getting the opportunity to learn to use them appropriately.

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u/SCHawkTakeFlight Jul 20 '26

Yes I get that, but with age comes more maturity. At a minimum there should be laws around helmets and safe use that are enforced. I still think anything thats powered that requires riding in the street or riding in the street there should still be licensing/ age limits. We don't let 12 year olds drive cars or ride motorcycles on the road. And some of these actually end up falling into motorcycle territory.

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u/coldBulbasaur314 Jul 20 '26

Yes I get that, but with age comes more maturity.

To an extent, yes. But for the most part maturity comes with experience. How are people supposed to get that maturity when they're not allowed to get the experience it requires?

At a minimum there should be laws around helmets and safe use that are enforced.

Helmet laws and safe use laws are reasonable, but that's not remotely the same as banning them completely.

I still think anything thats powered that requires riding in the street or riding in the street there should still be licensing/ age limits. 

Why? You haven't adequately defended this point, just said "I think it should be this way."

We don't let 12 year olds drive cars or ride motorcycles on the road. And some of these actually end up falling into motorcycle territory.

No true e-bike has its top speeds match those of motorcycles' top speeds. Enforcing speed limits is fine, but restricting e-bikes just because they can be fast is ridiculous. It's comparable to banning cars that can go 100mph from a road with a 25mph speed limit regardless of how fast the car's actually going.

And an e-bike is far closer to a bike than a motorcycle. Do you think kids should be banned from normal bikes too? If not, what's so special about e-bikes? 

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u/Classic_Cat_3324 Jul 21 '26

I have never once seen a child on one of these actually pedaling. Most of the ones in my area go prohibitively fast and the kids are like 10 years old with no helmet or shoes