A video captured the moment Ryan Billingham found himself unable to halt as he plunged into a torrent while riding his bike.
“My new bike is completely destroyed,” he shared with 9News.
Fortunately, Billingham emerged from the incident without any physical injuries.
“I consider myself very fortunate, but it’s only a matter of time before someone else might not be as lucky,” he expressed.
This wasn’t an isolated event, as numerous sports clubs have clashed with young e-bike riders at the Runaway Bay Sports Precinct.
Theresa Theaker, representing the T-Rex Triathlon Club, accused e-bikers of damaging athletes’ glasses and pushing them off their bikes.
Travis Harker from Runaway Bay Cricket Club said riders had also been known to interrupt ongoing matches.
While Madison Bland of the Gold Coast Cycling Club said the club had made the drastic decision to move all Runaway Bay training and race events to its Nerang facility.
“It’s not all of us that ruin it though,” one young e-bike rider told 9News.
“I think they should also make a track where we could just ride.”
The local council is planning to add a BMX track and junior criterium track as part of the Runaway Bay Sports Precinct Master Plan.
But in the meantime, authorities are taking action
“The city will be moving to restricting the access of e-devices in a trial that commences on the 2nd of March,” councillor Shelley Curtis said.
Police said a 15-year-old boy was being dealt with under the Youth Justice Act for the incident involving Billingham, while another boy is under investigation after video of the incident was posted online.
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