Question: I walk for exercise, on the sidewalk when there is one. Last week this person came buzzing past me from behind, with no warning. It startled me. It looked like a bike, but faster. Is it legal to ride on the sidewalk like this?
Answer: From your description, this might have been an electric bike. No, it’s not legal to ride an electric bike on Oahu sidewalks, said Travis Ota, a spokesman for Honolulu County’s Department of Transportation Services, who cited Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 291C-145(g). It says “no person shall ride a bicycle equipped with a motor on any sidewalk.”
In 2019, Hawaii law (HRS 291C-1(2)) expanded the definition of bicycle to include “a low-speed electric bicycle, as defined under 15 United States Code section 2085.” Under the federal code, that type of electric bike is a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 horsepower). Top speed solely by motor is less than 20 miles per hour when ridden by a 170-pound rider on a paved, flat surface, according to the code.
No one under age 15 is allowed to operate an electric bike, per HRS 291C-143.5.
Even bicycles propelled solely by human power are restricted on sidewalks. They can’t be ridden on sidewalks in business districts such as Waikiki and downtown. Where they are allowed on sidewalks, they must not go faster than 10 mph. “Basically, if you’re not in a residential area, don’t bike on the sidewalk,” the Hawaii Bicycling League says on its website.
All bicyclists — whether on a traditional or electric bike — are required to audibly warn pedestrians when they are approaching unseen. And all bicyclists under age 16 must wear a helmet.
Q: Two years in, what is Hawaii’s COVID-19 fatality rate?
A: The rate is 0.6%, according to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, which posts this and other COVID-19 data at hiema-hub.hawaii.gov.
Q: Does a bald man have alopecia? I never hear it described that way.
A: Yes, possibly. Androgenetic alopecia, also known as androgenic alopecia, is a form of hair loss in men and women, according to the National Library of Medicine. In men, the condition also is called male pattern baldness.
Q: Are food trucks supposed to be licensed?
A: Yes. For a list of requirements, see the link to “Food Truck Information” at honolulu.gov/csd. It’s near the bottom of the page, under “More Services.”
Claim cash
Nearly 8,200 Hawaii residents risk losing out on a total of $8.3 million because they failed to file a 2018 federal income tax return, the Internal Revenue Service says. The median potential unclaimed refund in Hawaii for that year is $873. The window to claim these refunds closes April 18. Find 2018 Form 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ and instructions on the IRS website, irs.gov.
Mahalo
A special mahalo to the Kapolei track team staff member who gave this kupuna a much-needed ride on his golf cart from the softball field to the parking lot. I’m sorry I didn’t get his name but really appreciated his thoughtfulness and wish his team a lot of success. Mahalo, too, to the other spectators who offered to help my daughter and me by carrying our chairs to the parking lot. I wish the schools and even the Central Oahu Regional Park could provide shuttle service for more individuals like myself. The distances are far between parking lots and playing fields, and even bathrooms, and I’m sure more kupuna would go to watch their grandchildren if they had the service available. I’m lucky to have family that take me to the fields and try to get me as close as possible. Much mahalo to them too! — Grateful kupuna
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.