TBF, E-assist bikes, yeah. But the modified ones that don’t use pedals and are actually classed as electric mopeds - that dickheads ride all over the pavements at huge speeds, while uninsured and uninsurable? Nah. They can get in the bin.
Almost exclusively - round here, at least - driven by drug de;livery boys and wannabe gangsters.
It is due to nobs, and also the bikes. The power output classes them as road vehicles and therefore should be taxed, mot’ed and insured like any other motorbike.
I don’t often see this happening with 125cc bikes or anything like that. The ease of buying a full electric bike or converting one is so easily done which is why nobs are doing it.
I’m all in support for lightweight electric vehicles. It just has to be done within the law, and to be honest the law does need changing to accommodate technology changes like this.
If they were then ridden legally, yeah. As it is, the people riding them are on pavements, speeding (they can go up to 40/50mph) and ignoring traffic laws.
Ooo I dunno mate. Come to Bristol and you’ll see any number of these doing wheelies and jumping pavement curbs and running red lights.
Edit: you’re talking about cars aren’t you? I’m going to leave this comment here because it’s still true of e-scooters and funny to think that cars are popping wheelies in Bristol.
I’ve been learning to ride a bicycle for the my new work commute and have been brushing up on the laws and highway code. I was kind of shocked to learn riding on pavements is indeed illegal unless a sign specifies, since you see people do it all the time with no consequences.
I agree that E-assist bikes that don’t exceed normal cycle speeds should likely be left alone (general education on cycling needs improvement but that’s another matter) and the modified / faster ones absolutely need more scrutiny and possibly a motorcycle license or equivilent.
EDIT: Classic didn’t read the article moment:
Police say it is illegal to ride the bikes without a licence, insurance and vehicle tax and that they are classed as motorcycles.
Sergeant Gareth Davies said: "While it’s not illegal to own an e-bike with an electrical assistance or power output exceeding 25 kph and 250W respectively, you can’t ride it on the public highway as a regular bike without registering and insuring it like a moped.
"This includes both off-road and road rights, such as byways and bridleways. You can only ride unregistered and uninsured electric bikes on private land with the landowner’s permission.
Didn’t help when one flew up behind us on a narrow pavement, no warning, smashed into my best mate and broke his leg. If it was my daughter it would have killed her. This is one instance among almost daily occurances of near misses when I’m walking of cunts on e-bikes and e-scooters speeding with zero care on narrow pedestrian walkways that are already NOT suitable for pushbikes, let alone anything else. Why not use the fucking road?!
They need to be fucking controlled and serious penalties brought in for those who use these without care for others.
TBF, E-assist bikes, yeah. But the modified ones that don’t use pedals and are actually classed as electric mopeds - that dickheads ride all over the pavements at huge speeds, while uninsured and uninsurable? Nah. They can get in the bin.
Almost exclusively - round here, at least - driven by drug de;livery boys and wannabe gangsters.
Here is the issue, it’s not the bikes, it’s the nobs that ride them. Policing should be harm lead, focus on the people being idiots not bikes.
Almost eveything bad is due to the people using them rather than the objects themselves.
It is due to nobs, and also the bikes. The power output classes them as road vehicles and therefore should be taxed, mot’ed and insured like any other motorbike.
I don’t often see this happening with 125cc bikes or anything like that. The ease of buying a full electric bike or converting one is so easily done which is why nobs are doing it.
I’m all in support for lightweight electric vehicles. It just has to be done within the law, and to be honest the law does need changing to accommodate technology changes like this.
Would you like them more if it were possible to insure them?
I’d personally like one to treat it like a moped that’s small enough to keep in my flat
If they were then ridden legally, yeah. As it is, the people riding them are on pavements, speeding (they can go up to 40/50mph) and ignoring traffic laws.
Cars can do 100mph and people speed all the time and ignore traffic laws. Are you calling on a ban or speed limits for cars?
Yes. I think speed limits for cars are probably a good idea. They should also stay off the pavement.
Generally people don’t ride those on pavements. Also, there is a speed limit for cars last I checked
Ooo I dunno mate. Come to Bristol and you’ll see any number of these doing wheelies and jumping pavement curbs and running red lights.
Edit: you’re talking about cars aren’t you? I’m going to leave this comment here because it’s still true of e-scooters and funny to think that cars are popping wheelies in Bristol.
My problem is that there is currently no way they can be ridden legally
I’ve been learning to ride a bicycle for the my new work commute and have been brushing up on the laws and highway code. I was kind of shocked to learn riding on pavements is indeed illegal unless a sign specifies, since you see people do it all the time with no consequences.
I agree that E-assist bikes that don’t exceed normal cycle speeds should likely be left alone (general education on cycling needs improvement but that’s another matter) and the modified / faster ones absolutely
need more scrutiny and possibly a motorcycle license or equivilent.EDIT: Classic didn’t read the article moment:
Didn’t help when one flew up behind us on a narrow pavement, no warning, smashed into my best mate and broke his leg. If it was my daughter it would have killed her. This is one instance among almost daily occurances of near misses when I’m walking of cunts on e-bikes and e-scooters speeding with zero care on narrow pedestrian walkways that are already NOT suitable for pushbikes, let alone anything else. Why not use the fucking road?!
They need to be fucking controlled and serious penalties brought in for those who use these without care for others.
Does the same not happen for normal bikes?
Not at the same speed or ferocity, no.