Lawmaker pushes for safety laws, targeting faster e-bikes and golf carts

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Glenn Newsome says he's a little bit afraid to find out how fast his new e-bike can go. "If you pedal hard and you're going downhill, you can get quite a bit of speed," said Newsome, standing alongside his bike at Stone Mountain Park on Labor Day. His e-bike is equipped with turn signals and a noisy bell. He's equipped with a helmet. More in Politics His ride pushes the boundary between a recreational bike and a legit motor vehicle. "I don't know how fast you can actually go. When I get to about thirty, I start braking down; that's enough for me. I think about what would happen if there was a crash at that speed," he said. If you're seeing faster e-bikes and golf-cart-style vehicles, so are some Georgia lawmakers. One committee chairman tells us he expects the legislature to consider new laws to add safety measures. State Sen. Albers (R-Roswell) says the tech driving e-bikes has moved faster than state law. "E-bikes have changed pretty drastically over the last many years. Some of these e-bikes go over forty miles per hour. Their big frames – they're like electric motorcycles now," Albers told 11Alive News. Albers says he likes e-bikes. But as head of the Senate Public Safety Committee, he thinks lawmakers will want to look at new laws to keep them safe. "I have a concern that there's going to be a tragedy, and we're going to have to react to a tragedy," Albers said. "I'd rather the tragedy not occur." Albers says the state also needs to look at golf carts – long in use for transportation in towns like Peachtree City and within many gated communities. Newsome says they're popular in his community near Stone Mountain. "I would say most people who have carts don't play golf. They're just around the community," he said. Though the state now licenses low-speed vehicles, or LSVs, which resemble golf carts, Albers says the proliferation of golf carts on public roads warrants legislative review. "There's not much to protect people in a golf cart in an accident," Albers said. "Ultimately we want to make sure people get where they're going and get home safely." Albers says he has not yet drafted a bill directed at golf carts and e-bikes. The legislature convenes in January.