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ByCalum Watson
BBC Scotland
Updated 7 hours ago
From the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh to the streets of the country's biggest cities, a common menace is causing irritation, alarm and in some cases even death.
The sight of young men, their identities hidden by black balaclavas, tearing around on electric bikes or scooters is becoming a familiar one.
The picture above was taken by a man who posted on social media about "morons on electric bikes" scaring a nearby horse, external as they rode illegally on public footpaths.
Aside from being showered with gravel churned up by the "gobby" miscreants, no-one came to harm that day, but others have not been so lucky.
Warning: Contains distressing scenes. Dashcam footage shows the aftermath of the crash that killed a pedestrian in Sunderland
Earlier this year, a court was shown distressing dashcam footage of the moment a masked 18-year-old on an electric motorbike ploughed into a woman on a pedestrian crossing in Sunderland.
Gloria Stephenson, 86, died at the scene. The rider - Billy Stokoe, who had taken cannabis and was using his mobile at the time of the crash - was jailed for more than six years for causing death by dangerous driving.
Few would dispute that illegal e-bikes and scooters are a growing problem, but what can be done about it? Here are some of the options.
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Have you been affected by the issues with electric bikes and scooters?
Seize and destroy illegal bikes
The term e-bike is often used loosely to cover a range of different vehicles.
Strictly speaking it refers to an electrically assisted pedal cycle (an EAPC) where an electric motor kicks in to take the strain off the rider while pedalling.
By law, the motor cuts out at 15.5mph (25km/h) and its continuous power is capped at 250 watts.
But these safeguards are easily bypassed by "tuning kits" or software hacks that make them capable of running much faster, sometimes in excess of 40mph.
A quick search of online marketplaces reveals all sorts of modifications on offer, often shipped from eastern Europe, including motorbike-style twist grip throttles which allow the rider to accelerate without pedalling.
Modifications for e-bikes are openly advertised on online marketplaces
Then there are electric dirt bikes from manufacturers such as Sur-Ron which look like mountain bikes but are capable of about 50mph - and 70mph or more if modified.
Unlike legal e-bikes they require a licence and insurance to be used in public spaces or on roads.
E-scooters are also popular - despite it currently being illegal to ride them on public roads or pavements except in certain rental zones.
What they all have in common is that they are expensive, ranging from a few hundred to several thousands of pounds, and modifications can cost hundreds of pounds more on top.
Seizing and destroying them represents a significant penalty.
A new law and rules introduced this summer gave police in England and Wales greater powers to seize illegal vehicles without the need for a formal warning if they are being used in an anti-social manner.
In Scotland, ministers say they are in favour of increasing police seizure powers, although they point out bikes can already be seized under certain circumstances.
Dedicated police teams
Catching the offenders is a problem for the police - it's a crime where its very nature means the suspects have a fast and highly manoeuvrable method of escape.
A patrol car can easily be evaded by heading down a narrow alleyway or through bollards. David Kennedy from the Scottish Police Federation says more dangerous tactics are also employed.
"These individuals on these bikes will come up one-way streets the wrong way so there's no way a police officer in a car or even on a motorbike would be safe to follow them," he told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast.
Image source, Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police say their fleet of electric dirt bikes is helping to cut crime
Some forces across the UK have responded to the challenge by setting up specialised units backed up by drones.
In parts of inner city London, Metropolitan Police officers have been equipped with a fleet of 25 Sur-Ron dirt bikes - partly funded with proceeds of crime money.
As part of a crackdown targeting mobile phone thefts - which in London often involve such bikes - they claim it has helped cut offences by 13,000 in a year.
Gwent Police, in south Wales, have made use of drones to target illegal e-bikes
A number of forces have successfully used drones to track illegal e-bike riders rather than engaging in risky pursuits.
Officers monitor suspects from above, then their colleagues are directed to move in on foot to make seizures and arrests.
In Devon and Cornwall officers have also sprayed illegal riders and their bikes with SmartWater - a forensic marking product that contains a unique chemical code which becomes visible using ultraviolet light.
Action on face coverings
One of the most sinister aspects of e-bike misuse is that riders often wear black balaclavas or "ballys".
Whether it is a practical attempt to hide their identity or part of a youth sub-culture, there is no doubt that many people find the sight of masked youths intimidating.
The debate about the appropriateness of wearing balaclavas in public places goes wider than e-bikes, encompassing anti-social behaviour, crime and some anti-immigration protests.
Image source, Danni MacRae
A group of boys pictured on top of a former Debenhams store in Nottingham is an example of behaviour that has prompted the restrictions on face coverings
New restrictions introduced just this week under Operation Reclaim in Nottingham give police and council officers the power to order people to remove face coverings, backed up by £70 fixed penalty notices.
Exemptions apply for religious, medical and certain other legitimate reasons.
David Kennedy from the Scottish Police Federation says there is definitely "more to do" on face coverings although he cautions that localised enforcement might simply see youths moving elsewhere.
"If you are on an e-bike and you are wearing a face covering, the concern I have got is you are not wearing a helmet," he adds.
"I don't see many people travelling about the city centre on e-bikes wearing helmets."
Target the parents or sellers
Many parents are unaware that knowingly allowing their child to use an illegal e-bike or an e-scooter in a public place could land them with a fine or points on their driving licence.
Under the current law, e-scooters can only be used legally on private land.
The only exceptions are a number of rental trial zones,, external all of them located in England, yet some parents regard e-scooters as legitimate toys.
Riders of legal electrically assisted pedal bikes must be at least 14, and any illegal modification means the bikes qualify as a motor vehicle/moped, requiring registration, a driving licence, tax and insurance.
If an under-18-year-old is stopped by the police, their parents could potentially be accused of "causing or permitting" a driving offence with a possible £300 fine and six penalty points.
And even a child too young to drive can have points added to a "ghost licence" which can transfer to their provisional when they are old enough to apply for one.
Image source, Fubar News
Parents of children using e-scooters on a road or pavement could potentially face a fine and points on their driving licence
Some argue the problem needs to be addressed earlier, before a young person gets hold of an e-bike or e-scooter, by targeting the point of sale.
This could range from clearer warnings about the rules, to a mandatory buyer information and registration scheme which would make it easier for police to trace vehicles used in crime or anti-social behaviour.
Last year an all-party Westminster inquiry, external called for action to close a legal loophole that allows illegal vehicles to be sold under the guise of off-road use.
The MPs also suggested that online marketplaces be held accountable for unsafe products such as the modification kits that are sold on their platforms.
Offer young people something better to do
Moral outrage at the behaviour of young people is nothing new and predates the invention of e-bikes by a considerable margin. Historians have found texts bemoaning declining standards dating back 4,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia.
Some might argue the e-bike scourge is just the latest manifestation of an age-old problem and that rather than demonising the "bally boys" a better approach is to try to understand the boredom and frustrations that underpin the trend.
In Aberdeen, alongside police enforcement action, one go karting centre is offering free sessions where e-scooter and e-bike riders can use them in a legal and safer environment.
The push to make e-bike riding safer
But given the scale of e-bike misuse, can such schemes make an impact?
The backdrop is a long-term decline in services for young people and financial pressures on local authorities and charities that provide them.
A report from the YMCA, external last year found council-funded youth services in England and Wales have lost more than £1bn since 2010 with hundreds of youth clubs shutting and youth worker posts disappearing.
Youth Scotland, citing research by Unison,, external paints a similar picture.
Whether the answer is drones, dedicated police units or creating more positive ways in which young people can fill their day, the common denominator is fresh thinking and - arguably the biggest challenge - extra resources. %!s(
