B.C. police release video highlighting dangers of illegally riding e-motorcycles

The RCMP are highlighting the dangers of illegally riding electric motorcycles with the release of a new video of a young rider.

A B.C. Highway Patrol officer spotted the e-motorcyclist as he blew through a stop sign and nearly collided with a car before fleeing.

It happened on Aug. 28 along Grand Boulevard in North Vancouver.

Police believe the rider is between 14 and 18 years old. The rider’s face is blurred due to the requirements of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

They say there is a troubling new trend of young riders attempting to “bait” officers into a pursuit.

“We have seen instances where people on electric or small gas-powered motorcycles, who are clearly under the age, are driving in front of our police officers, looking back and trying to goad them into some kind of pursuit,” Sgt. Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol told Global News.

“Our officers are too well trained and they’re too focused on safety to do that, but the behavior’s got to stop… We really can’t have young people putting themselves and others at risk with this dangerous and ridiculous behavior.”

Police say electric motorcycles are for off-road use only as they have no pedals, no signal lights and no licence plates.Cpl. Mike Kalanj with Burnaby RCMP said there was no indication that the rider was baiting the police officer in this case.

Our officer advised the rider to pull over on his loudspeaker, to which the rider responded by giving our officer the finger and speeding away,” he said in an email.

“Our officer quickly decided it was not safe to continue and turned his emergency equipment off and turned back to his prior call.”