The Scourge of the Urban Motor Bike

E-bikes, scooters, mopeds — small two-wheeled vehicles that have ruled the D.C. streets for the last few years, thanks to subsidies from the city — are no longer buzzing around like they used to now that federal forces are patrolling the streets. (According to a 2024 piece by the Washington Post, many of the drivers are undocumented immigrants.)

Before this month, on a stroll through my neighborhood, you wouldn’t be able to walk a block without encountering a moped mob. The drivers could usually be seen congregating on street corners, in front of take-out restaurants, collecting warm, Styrofoam packages for DoorDash or UberEats orders.

About the Author

Kayla Bartsch

Kayla Bartsch is a former William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism at National Review.

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E-bikes, scooters, mopeds — small two-wheeled vehicles that have ruled the D.C. streets for the last few years, thanks to subsidies from the city — are no longer buzzing around like they used to now that federal forces are patrolling the streets. (According to a 2024 piece by the Washington Post, many of the drivers are undocumented immigrants.)

Before this month, on a stroll through my neighborhood, you wouldn’t be able to walk a block without encountering a moped mob. The drivers could usually be seen congregating on street corners, in front of take-out restaurants, collecting warm, Styrofoam packages for DoorDash or UberEats orders.