Tonight at 6 p.m. I was driving down Electric Avenue and there was a young teen on an e-bike, speeding down Electric. He turned left at some point, to speed down the opposite side of Electric. At some point, he turned around again, because suddenly he came upon my car at top speed, then zoomed past me on the left. It scared me half to death. I could have hit him, if I had even veered left 2 feet . That could have ruined my life, as well as his. I was so ticked off that he could have caused an accident, I had to share. I see these kids doing crazy things all over, all the time on their e-bikes and I say nothing. But this time it just hit too close to home.
He then proceeded to drive up on the grass to do some wheelies and tear up the greenbelt. I pulled to the curb and took this photo. I am not expecting a return call. I just wanted to document this.
Deborah
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for taking the time to tell us what you saw on Electric Avenue. We’re glad you weren’t involved in a crash; what you described would scare anyone. Your note also gives us a chance to clarify how e-bike laws work, how we handle traffic enforcement, and—most importantly—how you can help us in the moment when something dangerous is happening.
What the Briefing Room is (and isn’t)
What it is: Our Briefing Room is a community Q&A where we explain laws, safety tips, and how SBPD handles common concerns. It’s meant to educate, be transparent, and keep a two-way conversation going.
What it is not: It is not a way to file a police report, request immediate service, or “document” an incident for future enforcement. Emails and social posts do not create a case, don’t go into any official database, and don’t trigger a response unit. If you need us to respond, you have to call. For urgent danger, call 911. For non-emergencies, call (562) 594-7232.
How our traffic enforcement actually works
We use a mix of data-driven enforcement and education citywide:
• Collision & complaint-driven deployments: We prioritize corridors with crashes, near schools/parks, and locations with repeated calls from the community.
• Targeted operations: Speed and stop-sign enforcement, crosswalk details, and school-zone emphasis during peak hours.
• Education + accountability: We contact riders and drivers for unsafe behavior, address equipment/helmet issues when applicable, and we involve parents when minors are contacted.
Real-time calls make all the difference: with timely details, officers can find the person, stop the behavior, and—when appropriate—cite, warn, or provide education on the spot.
We can’t be everywhere—please be our eyes and ears
Our officers can’t be on every block at every moment. That’s why your in-the-moment call is essential. When you see dangerous riding or driving right now, call us with:
• Exact location and direction of travel
• Clear description (clothing/backpack/helmet color, vehicle/bike color or type)
• Behavior you’re seeing (speeding, wrong-way travel, stunting, near pedestrians, etc.)
Why officers usually must witness the violation
For most traffic infractions and many misdemeanors, California law limits enforcement action to offenses committed in an officer’s presence (with narrow exceptions like certain DUI situations). Practically, that means if we learn about a violation hours later by email, we typically cannot issue a citation for what was described—we need to see it or receive contemporaneous, specific information that allows a lawful stop.
911 versus our
non-emergency line
Use 911 only for life-or-death or in-progress emergencies (e.g., a serious crash, a dangerous crime in progress, a medical emergency). For active but non-life-threatening issues like reckless riding/driving that isn’t immediately endangering life, call (562) 594-7232 so we can respond without tying up emergency lines.
Deborah, we share the frustration when we get messages long after the fact—by then, the person is gone and accountability is far harder. The fastest way to make a difference is to call us in real time with details we can act on. We’ll keep doing our part with directed enforcement and education on Electric Avenue and throughout the city.
Keep your questions coming, Seal Beach! Email us at askacop@sealbeachca.govtoday!
