Sanibel’s new rangers educate cyclists on path rules and e-bike limits

Sanibel is a popular destination for biking enthusiasts, especially during the busy winter season. With over 26 miles of paved paths, the island offers stunning scenery for cyclists.

Sanibel Police want to ensure everyone knows the rules of the paths to keep everyone safe.

Denise Considine, a frequent visitor to Sanibel, emphasized the need for caution when riding. “You could get killed here if you are not careful,” she said.

Considine enjoys biking on the island but acknowledges the potential dangers, especially with fast-moving cyclists.

“I love young people, but they love to zoom around, and we knew that it would eventually cause a change to happen, and it has, but another thing that does go fast is the professional bikers,” said Considine.

To address safety concerns, the City of Sanibel introduced a new ranger program.

Sanibel Police Captain Patrick Harris explained the initiative.

“We have two non-sworn employees who are working on the bike paths, up and down Periwinkle and throughout the island to educate our bicycling community,” said Harris.

The program focuses on regulations, speed limits, courtesy and the use of e-bikes.

“Having more and more interactions with bicyclists and e-bikes on all of our shared use paths led us to want to educate the community,” said Harris.

Law enforcement clarified that only Class 1 e-bikes, which require pedaling and max out at 20 mph, are allowed on the shared-use paths.

Considine, who owns Class 2 and 3 e-bikes, adapts them for Sanibel’s paths by removing the throttle.

“We made our bikes compliant. We have a class 2 and 3, and we made our bikes compliant by taking off our throttle, so we must peddle to make this bike go,” she said.

Sanibel Police encourage path users to greet rangers, who offer valuable information on navigating the shared-use path safely.