The safety organisation VeiligheidNL estimates that 5,000 fatbike riders are treated in A&E [ i.e Accident & Emergency] departments each year, on the basis of a recent sample of hospitals. “And we also see that especially these young people aged from 12 to 15 have the most accidents,” said the spokesperson Tom de Beus.
Now Amsterdam’s head of transport, Melanie van der Horst, has said “unorthodox measures” are needed and has announced that she will ban these heavy electric bikes from city parks, starting in the Vondelpark. Like the city of Enschede, which is also drawing up a city centre ban, she is acting on a stream of requests “begging me to ban the fatbikes”.
The second I saw the first fat bike I knew it was a bad idea
It’s literally a worst of all worlds type vehicle, why are they so popular anyway? Is it just the “cool” factor?
Fat bikes were originally designed for snow as mountain bikes. I sold one a few years ago and every guy who responded to look at the bike was obese. For some reason, they assumed it was a bike for fat people.
they can go around 45 kph with minimal pedaling and doesn’t require a moped license.
They should require a license…
Exactly, they’re misclassified mopeds (which do require a license, helmet, and rider age at least 16)
I’d even allow kids as young as 14, they’re potentially great mobility enablers… But standards need to be met and they need to prove they’ll follow them. Licencing may be key, and potentially worth teaching through school.
At what speed?
As if it were a bad idea to privilege electric small motorcycles over other small motorcycles.
Big tires are better to ride over potholes and such
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