Special activities held throughout the week
More Goleta residents—from teens to adults—are riding smarter and more safely following the City of Goleta’s E-Bike Safety Awareness Week 2026, held January 19–25. The annual effort brought together local partners to promote education, awareness, and shared responsibility on local roads. This is the fourth consecutive year the City has taken time out to bring attention to this important topic.
The week began with school outreach led by MOVE Santa Barbara County at Goleta Valley Junior High, Dos Pueblos High School, and San Marcos High School. Students tested their knowledge through bicycle and pedestrian safety trivia and received free bike helmets and bike lights to encourage safer riding habits.
At the January 20, 2026, Goleta City Council meeting, MOVE Santa Barbara County Executive Director Sarah Iannarone, Programs Administrator Barry Remis, and Education Coordinator Lainey Djajakusuma accepted a proclamation recognizing E-Bike Safety Awareness Week.
The activities wrapped up with an E-Bike Skills Class and Group Ride on Saturday, January 24, where participants learned pre-ride safety checks, intersection navigation, and obstacle avoidance. Riders practiced safe communication and hazard awareness during a guided ride through Goleta.
E-Bike Safety Awareness Week was made possible through a partnership between MOVE Santa Barbara County, the City of Goleta, the Goleta Police Department, Santa Barbara Cottage Health, and the California Highway Patrol.
Partial funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
It’s great that some are taking advantage of the education process, but my experience is that MANY more are flaunting the laws, regulations, & guidelines than ever before also. I was (almost literally) blown away by how many high-powered 2-wheeled vehicles were speeding along the portion of the Obern Bike path (aka Goleta bike path to many) between UCSB and Patterson last week. They were dangerous, discourteous and intentionally so. I could tell that several of them (captured on video) were very young people. I saw ONE uniformed Sheriff Deputy along the path in recent months, and have requested that more be sent, even better in plain-clothes (or less-than-obvious-from-a-distance). I’d love it if others would second my request if you share the concerns. I’d love to see webcams placed atop some of the solar-powered light poles to document the level of activity.
Republicans love the big government surveillance state. Should there be docents and kiosks too?
I don’t think that’s necessary at this time. It would be great to have somewhere to safely walk, jog, cycle.