Florida wants to fix a weird law that says you can't ride a bike without a seat

A proposed bill would allow riding bicycles without seats if they are designed by the manufacturer to be ridden that way.

By The News Service of Florida
| 11:50 a.m. February 22, 2021

Elliptigo riders. Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia Commons

Palm Coast Observer
News

Florida lawmakers moved ahead Feb. 17 with tweaking a law that can lead to people receiving citations for riding bicycles without seats. The House Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee unanimously approved a bill (HB 353) that sponsor Brett Hage, R-Oxford, said is needed because people in areas such as The Villages retirement community are getting ticketed for riding bikes that are designed without seats.

He cited bikes sold by the company Elliptigo that are used for exercising.

“They’re very popular in coastal towns, and they’re very popular in a place called The Villages," Hage said. "And in The Villages, the retired community are riding these Elliptigos on the golf-cart paths for exercise, and they’re actually getting pulled over by the sheriff’s department and being given citations because the law says they have to have a seat."

The bill would allow riding bicycles without seats if they are designed by the manufacturer to be ridden that way. The citation for riding a bicycle without a seat carries a base fine of $15, though the total can increase to as much as $56.50 because of additional fees, according to a House bill analysis.

An identical Senate bill (SB 738), sponsored by Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, was backed this week by the Senate Transportation Committee. Baxley also represents The Villages. The bills are filed for the legislative session that will start March 2.