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I wish states would regulate Class 2+ e-bikes as motor vehicles restricted to motorways only. E-bikes with throttles (instead of just pedal assist) are just mot

I wish states would regulate Class 2+ e-bikes as motor vehicles restricted to motorways only. E-bikes with throttles (instead of just pedal assist) are just motorcycles with electric motors and should be regulated accordingly. They have no business being on trails and sidewalks.

nxx788 3y ago
[dead]
Moto7451 3y ago
I can’t give a blanket statement for the US, but in the cities I’ve lived in, cyclists of all powertrain types are supposed to be on the street and not the sidewalk. When I was a bike commuter, I’d on rare occasion take a stretch of sidewalk, slowly, to avoid road construction and hazards I just didn’t feel safe traversing. I would not bother a single pedestrian and was probably coasting at the speed of a jogger/runner. None the less I’d still get yelled at by cops to get on the road. Meanwhile cops do nothing when, at least in Downtown LA, cyclists are running red lights. I’m not an anti-car/bikes-only person but we do need better awareness for all of the rules of the road for cycles and add protected bike lanes. The situation now with a lack of knowledge, blatant violation of stop signs and lights by bicyclists and motorists, and in some cases conflicting and incompatible stop light rules, is complete madness.
- soco 3y ago
  It might be only my impression but reckless bike driving didn't start with e-bikes. There were always quite a few bikers endangering traffic and themselves, and this only skyrocketed now when bikes started driving constantly at motor powered speeds (and increased weight too)
- antisthenes 3y ago
  > I can’t give a blanket statement for the US, but in the cities I’ve lived in, cyclists of all powertrain types are supposed to be on the street and not the sidewalk. Yes, and once you realize that 99.9% of the US lacks any kind of safety infrastructure for bikes, you begin to understand how utterly insane and hostile it is to anything but cars. Putting 15mph bikes next to 45mph 2-ton cars and then slapping a sign like "bikes may use full lane" is a giant middle finger to current and future bike users.
  - ryandrake 3y ago
    It's a middle finger to everyone, bicyclists and motorists. It's insane that we've normalized the idea of having a single surface shared between 45mph and 15mph vehicles.
- lamontcg 3y ago
  Seattle lets bikes ride on the sidewalk. After getting sort of 'stranded' out in the open going uphill in the travel lanes surrounded by rush hour traffic when a metro bus pulled out and blocked my access to get back over to the right, I started utilizing the sidewalk when the road was a bit too chaotic for my fitness levels.
avgDev 3y ago
I have a class 3 and it doesn't have a throttle. However, it will assist all the way up to 28MPH. We just need speed limits and start issuing some fines. I don't ride fast on sidewalks and at parks. But a lot of the with throttle ebikers are absolutely insane.
bbatha 3y ago
ebikes with throttles are not legal in NYC anyway, however its basically impossible to tell at a distance what kind of ebike someone has from a distance.
UtopiaPunk 3y ago
Do you feel the same about traditional bicycles (not e-bikes)? Practically all e-bikes are limited to 20-25mph, so practically I don't understand what the difference would be between the two. As someone who is trying to commute more with a traditional bicycle and less than a car, I would say that bicycles have no business being on motorways. In all but the quietest neighborhood streets, cars and bicycles just behave so differently. They move at very different speeds, and neither the motorists nor the bicyclist is ever happy when they need to negotiate on the road with one another. Cities and states need to build up much more dedicated bicycle infrastructure, where bikes are separated from cars.
- 6D794163636F756 3y ago
  Class 3 e-bikes go faster. Traditional bikes are usually more in the 10-15 mph range as well. I think the argument that bikes need their own infrastructure is a good one but that we need to figure out where an ebike is different enough to need it's own infrastructure on top. If we have 80+lb e-bikes going 28 mph (typical class 3 top speed) next to a 12 year old going 8 mph that's potentially very dangerous.
- toyg 3y ago
  Most e-bikes are restricted, but unrestricting them is typically trivial - so everyone does. 25mph is extremely dangerous both to people around you and to yourself, when you don't have any protective equipment and no fairings.
- the_snooze 3y ago
  >Practically all e-bikes are limited to 20-25mph, so practically I don't understand what the difference would be between the two. 20-25 MPH is really fast for a human-powered bike. A reasonably fit person can hit those speeds, but generally only in short bursts and/or favorable terrain. I ride into work everyday through mildly uphill paths, and I only average 13 MPH on a good day (closer to 12 on most). The practical difference is that a throttle-equipped e-bike allows someone to sustain high speeds, regardless of fitness level or terrain. An e-bike rider can (and do) mindlessly go at max speed when human-powered bikes naturally can't.

nxx788 3y ago

[dead]

Moto7451 3y ago

I can’t give a blanket statement for the US, but in the cities I’ve lived in, cyclists of all powertrain types are supposed to be on the street and not the sidewalk. When I was a bike commuter, I’d on rare occasion take a stretch of sidewalk, slowly, to avoid road construction and hazards I just didn’t feel safe traversing. I would not bother a single pedestrian and was probably coasting at the speed of a jogger/runner. None the less I’d still get yelled at by cops to get on the road. Meanwhile cops do nothing when, at least in Downtown LA, cyclists are running red lights. I’m not an anti-car/bikes-only person but we do need better awareness for all of the rules of the road for cycles and add protected bike lanes. The situation now with a lack of knowledge, blatant violation of stop signs and lights by bicyclists and motorists, and in some cases conflicting and incompatible stop light rules, is complete madness.

soco 3y ago
It might be only my impression but reckless bike driving didn't start with e-bikes. There were always quite a few bikers endangering traffic and themselves, and this only skyrocketed now when bikes started driving constantly at motor powered speeds (and increased weight too)
antisthenes 3y ago
> I can’t give a blanket statement for the US, but in the cities I’ve lived in, cyclists of all powertrain types are supposed to be on the street and not the sidewalk. Yes, and once you realize that 99.9% of the US lacks any kind of safety infrastructure for bikes, you begin to understand how utterly insane and hostile it is to anything but cars. Putting 15mph bikes next to 45mph 2-ton cars and then slapping a sign like "bikes may use full lane" is a giant middle finger to current and future bike users.
- ryandrake 3y ago
  It's a middle finger to everyone, bicyclists and motorists. It's insane that we've normalized the idea of having a single surface shared between 45mph and 15mph vehicles.
lamontcg 3y ago
Seattle lets bikes ride on the sidewalk. After getting sort of 'stranded' out in the open going uphill in the travel lanes surrounded by rush hour traffic when a metro bus pulled out and blocked my access to get back over to the right, I started utilizing the sidewalk when the road was a bit too chaotic for my fitness levels.

avgDev 3y ago

I have a class 3 and it doesn't have a throttle. However, it will assist all the way up to 28MPH. We just need speed limits and start issuing some fines. I don't ride fast on sidewalks and at parks. But a lot of the with throttle ebikers are absolutely insane.

bbatha 3y ago

ebikes with throttles are not legal in NYC anyway, however its basically impossible to tell at a distance what kind of ebike someone has from a distance.

UtopiaPunk 3y ago

Do you feel the same about traditional bicycles (not e-bikes)? Practically all e-bikes are limited to 20-25mph, so practically I don't understand what the difference would be between the two. As someone who is trying to commute more with a traditional bicycle and less than a car, I would say that bicycles have no business being on motorways. In all but the quietest neighborhood streets, cars and bicycles just behave so differently. They move at very different speeds, and neither the motorists nor the bicyclist is ever happy when they need to negotiate on the road with one another. Cities and states need to build up much more dedicated bicycle infrastructure, where bikes are separated from cars.

6D794163636F756 3y ago
Class 3 e-bikes go faster. Traditional bikes are usually more in the 10-15 mph range as well. I think the argument that bikes need their own infrastructure is a good one but that we need to figure out where an ebike is different enough to need it's own infrastructure on top. If we have 80+lb e-bikes going 28 mph (typical class 3 top speed) next to a 12 year old going 8 mph that's potentially very dangerous.
toyg 3y ago
Most e-bikes are restricted, but unrestricting them is typically trivial - so everyone does. 25mph is extremely dangerous both to people around you and to yourself, when you don't have any protective equipment and no fairings.
the_snooze 3y ago
>Practically all e-bikes are limited to 20-25mph, so practically I don't understand what the difference would be between the two. 20-25 MPH is really fast for a human-powered bike. A reasonably fit person can hit those speeds, but generally only in short bursts and/or favorable terrain. I ride into work everyday through mildly uphill paths, and I only average 13 MPH on a good day (closer to 12 on most). The practical difference is that a throttle-equipped e-bike allows someone to sustain high speeds, regardless of fitness level or terrain. An e-bike rider can (and do) mindlessly go at max speed when human-powered bikes naturally can't.