A new bill introduced in the Oregon Legislative Assembly aims to prohibit the operation of Class 3 electric-assisted bicycles on sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and
To keep up with cars on city streets. Most cars will break the law and will pass you without giving you sufficient side clearance. So if they can’t keep the pace, the riders are in danger.
E-bikes don’t need to go faster, but they do need to accelerate quickly out of intersections. That keeps them safe, higher speeds do not.
The problem with e-bikes is that it gives people super-human powers, so getting to 50 km/h is “free”, while trying to do that on a regular bike for any given amount of time takes years of training.
I’m of the opinion that we should punish the rider, not the vehicle, when it comes to e-mobility devices.
But we know that a few riders behaving badly ruins it for everyone. This is why e-scooter programs have been cancelled or banned, and why e-bike laws are coming down hard all over the place.
We can ban this, and cap speeds, and all that… but someone who wants to ride like a jackass will find a way to do it!
How can we punish them without creating more barriers for everyone else?
The problem with e-bikes is that it gives people super-human powers
So do cars and bikes, and it’s not like we licence cars with any degree of scrutiny either.
The problem is that we as a society don’t punish antisocial behaviour enough. Reckless driving should get your vehicle impounded, regardless of it being a push bike, an ebike or a car. And police should be out there looking for it to the point that if you do something stupid, you can expect to be caught.
The problem is that we as a society don’t punish antisocial behaviour enough.
Agreed.
Reckless driving should get your vehicle impounded, regardless of it being a push bike, an ebike or a car.
Also agreed.
And police should be out there looking for it to the point that if you do something stupid, you can expect to be caught.
For sure.
This is why I don’t agree with banning them outright.
But there are too few resources to enforce bad behaviour, and while we can deploy tools like speed cameras, red light cameras, and automated ticketing, how would we do the same for ebikes?
Licensing would unfairly punish the wrong people.
Where I live, asshats on gas powered bikes tear through our trails. And then someone might complain about the “ebike” and we all become targets.
It’s a challenge to find balance. I think law makers ban things when they don’t have others options immediately available to them, especially with fast-moving (no pun intended) technology.
To keep up with cars on city streets. Most cars will break the law and will pass you without giving you sufficient side clearance. So if they can’t keep the pace, the riders are in danger.
I’m torn on that idea.
E-bikes don’t need to go faster, but they do need to accelerate quickly out of intersections. That keeps them safe, higher speeds do not.
The problem with e-bikes is that it gives people super-human powers, so getting to 50 km/h is “free”, while trying to do that on a regular bike for any given amount of time takes years of training.
I’m of the opinion that we should punish the rider, not the vehicle, when it comes to e-mobility devices.
But we know that a few riders behaving badly ruins it for everyone. This is why e-scooter programs have been cancelled or banned, and why e-bike laws are coming down hard all over the place.
We can ban this, and cap speeds, and all that… but someone who wants to ride like a jackass will find a way to do it!
How can we punish them without creating more barriers for everyone else?
So do cars and bikes, and it’s not like we licence cars with any degree of scrutiny either.
The problem is that we as a society don’t punish antisocial behaviour enough. Reckless driving should get your vehicle impounded, regardless of it being a push bike, an ebike or a car. And police should be out there looking for it to the point that if you do something stupid, you can expect to be caught.
Agreed.
Also agreed.
For sure.
This is why I don’t agree with banning them outright.
But there are too few resources to enforce bad behaviour, and while we can deploy tools like speed cameras, red light cameras, and automated ticketing, how would we do the same for ebikes?
Licensing would unfairly punish the wrong people.
Where I live, asshats on gas powered bikes tear through our trails. And then someone might complain about the “ebike” and we all become targets.
It’s a challenge to find balance. I think law makers ban things when they don’t have others options immediately available to them, especially with fast-moving (no pun intended) technology.