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We have the laws. What they’re doing is illegal. I think they need a higher tier of penalties for the repeat offenders, but that would require anyone getting ca

We have the laws. What they’re doing is illegal. I think they need a higher tier of penalties for the repeat offenders, but that would require anyone getting caught first. It’s an enforcement problem. The riders know they’re riding where police cars can’t get them. They also know that the bike cops aren’t allowed to ride ultra powerful electric motorcycles. They also know they can just drive off across some grass into a park if anyone tries to stop them. It’s a hard problem. > I suspect that as time passes, we'll find ways of allowing ebikes to flourish. Electric bikes are flourishing here. Electric motorcycles on bike paths are the problem. I think the electric term is confusing the issue. If it helps, imagine that these were just really quiet but powerful gas powered dirt bikes riding on the pedestrian path. That should give you an idea of what’s going on.

estebank 8mo ago
I know what you're talking about, but a lot of people are conflating them. In some cases it is legislators like a recent attempt to require ebikes have to register and have a drivers' license for them. In others it's parents not realizing that they got their kids an electric dirt bike instead of an ebike. Of course, you do have the antisocial element of people not caring and actually seeking out these, but we need to separate the different problems to address them, as you are doing.
- Aurornis 8mo ago
  > In some cases it is legislators like a recent attempt to require ebikes have to register and have a drivers' license for them. Has any legislation been passed or was this only a proposal? Crazy legislation gets proposed all the time with no possibility of passing. Some times no intent of passing, either.
  - WarmWash 8mo ago
    I made a comment below about the law that just passed in New Jersey. The short of it is "Anything with two wheels and a motor is now legally a motorcycle, and must follow all the laws and regulations of motorcycles.
thwarted 8mo ago
> We have the laws. What they’re doing is illegal. … It’s an enforcement problem. Because some people think laws only ever exist to restrain as a show of power over others and something is only illegal if you get caught. And some people just want to be contrarian and acting against the law is the ultimate punching-up. Some laws are just a good idea, and provide benefit, or even just expectation/predictability, to everyone.
- socalgal2 8mo ago
  Japan puts these uturn fences up. The sign near the uturn part says "get off your bike and walk it" https://pasteboard.co/IlXSlFUOgULW.png https://pasteboard.co/IlXSlFUOgULW.png I'm not sure how I feel about them. I like that the made a way to get you off your bike. I dislike that the path seems plenty wide enough to accomodate bikes and that it would be a useful bike path or 1/2 bike path, but they want it to 100% pedestrian path, even though it's not remotely crowded.
carlosjobim 8mo ago
Motorcycle cops can ride faster than any e-bike, and go anywhere a bicycle can.
- CorrectHorseBat 8mo ago
  A car too, but you might kill the suspect [1]. Chasing kids on e-bikes down with motorcycles is asking for deathly accidents to happen. [1] https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2025/06/03/12-year-old-boy-dies-following-police-chase-in-brussels/ https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2025/06/03/12-year-old-boy-dies...
  - carlosjobim 8mo ago
    That is not to be blamed on the cops. Let's try to be truthful.
    - CorrectHorseBat 8mo ago
      Both sides are to be blamed, only one side are professional adults who are trained protect our community. A pursue is always dangerous, not only for the suspect but also for the cops and bystanders so it should not be done if not absolutely necessary. Setting aside the question who is to be blamed, using motorcycles to pursue kids on bikes will cause the deaths of more kids. Is that a price worth paying? No.
    - throwaway2037 8mo ago
      This reaction is interesting to me. In many jurisdictions around the world, police are required to call off a chase if it is deemed unsafe for any reason. In what world do you think it is OK for a 12-year-old boy riding an e-scooter to die after being chased by police? Before you respond: Ask yourself how you would react if it was your son (or close relative). Any parent would devasted.
      - carlosjobim 8mo ago
        I don't participate in clan mentality, where every tragedy has to be blamed on an outsider. An accident is tragic, it doesn't make it any less tragic that it was the kid's own fault. Or if you can't stand not having somebody else to blame, it's clearly the parent's fault.
spaqin 8mo ago
Why are they illegal in the first place? Obviously people see value in such devices. They don't ride them for the sake of riding them without getting caught. They have great utility, with their power, weight and size. They can be fast for sure, but it's also not on the same level as even a 300cc motorbike either - should they really be put into the same basket? How can that be enveloped by law - if it really has to be - without taking their utility away? If the law is too restrictive, current users won't bother following, since the enforcement is so rare.
- eloisant 8mo ago
  The discussion really depends on which country we're talking about, but basically speed bikes are not illegal. They're just considered as moped, meaning a 50cc motorbike and have to respect all the rules mopeds are subject to, such as: - Having a license plate and back mirror - Be insured - Wear a helmet (not a bike helmet, a moped/motorcycle helmet) - Drive on the road, not on bike lanes Nobody is arguing they're equivalent to a 300cc motorbike.

estebank 8mo ago

I know what you're talking about, but a lot of people are conflating them. In some cases it is legislators like a recent attempt to require ebikes have to register and have a drivers' license for them. In others it's parents not realizing that they got their kids an electric dirt bike instead of an ebike. Of course, you do have the antisocial element of people not caring and actually seeking out these, but we need to separate the different problems to address them, as you are doing.

Aurornis 8mo ago
> In some cases it is legislators like a recent attempt to require ebikes have to register and have a drivers' license for them. Has any legislation been passed or was this only a proposal? Crazy legislation gets proposed all the time with no possibility of passing. Some times no intent of passing, either.
- WarmWash 8mo ago
  I made a comment below about the law that just passed in New Jersey. The short of it is "Anything with two wheels and a motor is now legally a motorcycle, and must follow all the laws and regulations of motorcycles.

thwarted 8mo ago

> We have the laws. What they’re doing is illegal. … It’s an enforcement problem. Because some people think laws only ever exist to restrain as a show of power over others and something is only illegal if you get caught. And some people just want to be contrarian and acting against the law is the ultimate punching-up. Some laws are just a good idea, and provide benefit, or even just expectation/predictability, to everyone.

socalgal2 8mo ago
Japan puts these uturn fences up. The sign near the uturn part says "get off your bike and walk it" https://pasteboard.co/IlXSlFUOgULW.png https://pasteboard.co/IlXSlFUOgULW.png I'm not sure how I feel about them. I like that the made a way to get you off your bike. I dislike that the path seems plenty wide enough to accomodate bikes and that it would be a useful bike path or 1/2 bike path, but they want it to 100% pedestrian path, even though it's not remotely crowded.

carlosjobim 8mo ago

Motorcycle cops can ride faster than any e-bike, and go anywhere a bicycle can.

CorrectHorseBat 8mo ago
A car too, but you might kill the suspect [1]. Chasing kids on e-bikes down with motorcycles is asking for deathly accidents to happen. [1] https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2025/06/03/12-year-old-boy-dies-following-police-chase-in-brussels/ https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2025/06/03/12-year-old-boy-dies...
- carlosjobim 8mo ago
  That is not to be blamed on the cops. Let's try to be truthful.
  - CorrectHorseBat 8mo ago
    Both sides are to be blamed, only one side are professional adults who are trained protect our community. A pursue is always dangerous, not only for the suspect but also for the cops and bystanders so it should not be done if not absolutely necessary. Setting aside the question who is to be blamed, using motorcycles to pursue kids on bikes will cause the deaths of more kids. Is that a price worth paying? No.
  - throwaway2037 8mo ago
    This reaction is interesting to me. In many jurisdictions around the world, police are required to call off a chase if it is deemed unsafe for any reason. In what world do you think it is OK for a 12-year-old boy riding an e-scooter to die after being chased by police? Before you respond: Ask yourself how you would react if it was your son (or close relative). Any parent would devasted.
    - carlosjobim 8mo ago
      I don't participate in clan mentality, where every tragedy has to be blamed on an outsider. An accident is tragic, it doesn't make it any less tragic that it was the kid's own fault. Or if you can't stand not having somebody else to blame, it's clearly the parent's fault.

spaqin 8mo ago

Why are they illegal in the first place? Obviously people see value in such devices. They don't ride them for the sake of riding them without getting caught. They have great utility, with their power, weight and size. They can be fast for sure, but it's also not on the same level as even a 300cc motorbike either - should they really be put into the same basket? How can that be enveloped by law - if it really has to be - without taking their utility away? If the law is too restrictive, current users won't bother following, since the enforcement is so rare.

eloisant 8mo ago
The discussion really depends on which country we're talking about, but basically speed bikes are not illegal. They're just considered as moped, meaning a 50cc motorbike and have to respect all the rules mopeds are subject to, such as: - Having a license plate and back mirror - Be insured - Wear a helmet (not a bike helmet, a moped/motorcycle helmet) - Drive on the road, not on bike lanes Nobody is arguing they're equivalent to a 300cc motorbike.