Maasmechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Maasmechelen mayor Raf Terwingen plans to ban electric fatbikes near the town hall, park, and De Kommel due to unsafe speeding by kids as young as 10; police will enforce strict checks.
As VRT News reported, the mayor of Maasmechelen, a municipality in the province of Limburg, Belgium, Raf Terwingen, is taking action because of problems with fatbikes. Young people are riding these bikes, especially electric ones that go very fast, in areas around the town hall, the park, and the sports hall De Kommel.
He mentioned that some of these riders are as young as 10 or 12 years old, and they’re riding on paths where people walk, making it unsafe. Many people say they feel unsafe, and the mayor has seen the dangerous behaviour himself. The fast fatbikes are causing problems and making people feel worried in the neighbourhood. The mayor is responding to this growing issue to ensure the safety and peace of the community.
“There are young people, sometimes even children of 10 or 12 years old, who ride around with ‘tuned up’ fat bikes.”
RafTerwingen, mayor of Maasmechelen (CD&V)
Is Maasmechelen’s ban on fast electric fatbikes near De Kommel the solution?
To solve the fatbike problem, Maasmechelen is banning electric bikes, including fatbikes, in certain areas. Fatbikes won’t be allowed near the town hall, park, playground, and sports hall, De Kommel. The police will enforce this ban strictly and can take action against anyone who breaks the rule.
The mayor says this ban is needed to make the area safe again, so people and children can use the paths and playgrounds without worry. The town wants young people to have places to be active, but the current situation has become too dangerous, making the ban the only way to make the neighbourhood safe for everyone.
Mayor Raf Terwingen of Maasmechelen says the law doesn’t let them target fatbikes specifically right now. Because of this, the town had to ban all electric bikes in certain areas to deal with the problems fatbikes were causing.
Terwingen says that fatbikes are becoming a bigger issue, not just in Maasmechelen but in other towns in the area. He wants the government to create new rules that specifically address the problems fatbikes cause, because the current laws don’t cover the risks they bring.
“The city council still has to vote on the ban on Tuesday. If the regulation is approved, it will go into effect immediately, and signs will be placed in the zone. The police will check regularly,”
Terwingen warns.
The mayor of Maasmechelen is calling for more police enforcement to focus on fatbikes, making sure they meet legal standards. He points out that many fatbikes on the streets are cheap imports from China. These bikes are often changed or “boosted” to go faster than the legal limit of 25 kilometres per hour for electric bikes.
Some have an acceleration lever, turning them into scooters. He mentioned that this is a problem because, as scooters, they aren’t covered by insurance. This lack of insurance puts riders, and their families, at risk of financial and legal trouble if there’s an accident. The mayor says that stricter control and clearer laws are needed to keep riders, many of whom are minors, and the community safe.
“The police will also be doing extra checks at schools,”
the mayor concludes.
“Vehicles that are going too fast, have a throttle, or are simply not legal in our country, will be confiscated”
