The laws aren’t really harsh, they’re just catching up with new tech. In my area there are tons of 10-15 year olds riding the motocross style e bikes, which isn’t a problem, except that they go like 40+ mph in residential areas with no helmets, and they blow through stop signs all the time. Matter of time before one of those kids get veggied
100% whoever proposed this law doesn’t see the full ramifications it will have (most likely deepended reliance on cars as less people use their ebikes for small trips and hurting poorer people).
Yeah, I certainly hope it was an oversight on how stupid this is on this occasion, because then there’s a chance this is thrown out / reverted later if enough people speak up about it in states that implement this rule.
Because there is a need to control the morons. This is how all laws are started. Same reason speeding tickets are a thing, because people can’t follow the law.
I mean, you are sort of making my point for me. We penalize people for speeding, when they are operating a vehicle that has the capacity to speed. We don’t require license, registration, and insurance for a 10 year old to drive a go cart around their neighborhood - even if we can imagine a 30 year old modifying it to reach highway speeds.
We don’t “need” to have these poorly written laws because of the morons. We need intelligently written laws that will reign in the morons while still allowing new, sensible mobility options to people who want a cheaper and greener way to get around. When we already have the option of intelligently written laws (which other places have adopted and which are already fairly standardized), and then we get poorly written laws, the fault lies with poorly informed (or possibly corrupt) legislators.
Depending on where they are riding it yeah that is probably dangerous. As unfortunate as it is, bad parenting can’t be the reason e-bikes are (pretty much) banned for everyone else who rides them sensibly and safely (which is most people).
This viewpoint is exactly how this law got passed.
No consideration for the electric bikes that either only assist when pedalling, nor throttle controlled bikes that only get to 15-20mph.
Imagine if the laws surrounding atv’s were changed to include ‘anything with four wheels that doesn’t operate primarily on a roadway’, and now someone in an electric wheelchair needs insurance and licencing to get around ‘legally’.
Imagine if the laws surrounding atv’s were changed to include ‘anything with four wheels that doesn’t operate primarily on a roadway’, and now someone in an electric wheelchair needs insurance and licencing to get around ‘legally’.
Not even legally if you legally define ebikes as only being within the 3-class system. They only pass as ebikes at a glance if they’re going slow enough at the time you look or can’t measure their speed (granted, a decent cyclist can get those well past the 20mph cap were you get assistance even on flat paths and downhill gravity will do that with no assistance from the bike or rider, so it becomes harder to prove without just testing it out).
The laws aren’t really harsh, they’re just catching up with new tech. In my area there are tons of 10-15 year olds riding the motocross style e bikes, which isn’t a problem, except that they go like 40+ mph in residential areas with no helmets, and they blow through stop signs all the time. Matter of time before one of those kids get veggied
If I got $100 each time I see a car in NYC blowing through red light or stop sign in NJ I would retire, sit and watch traffic! (Maybe not in 0F lol)
Those are already illegal.
The laws are harsh when they treat a pedal assisted ebike that your grandma can use to what is basically a motorbike, but sold as an “e-bike”.
The real problem is motorbikes being sold as e-bikes (which can also come with deceptive advertising).
Real e-bikes that can’t go 40mph shouldn’t be effected, but it looks like they are blanket banning them.
Yeah, the fact this would affect my class 1 ebike really pisses me off.
100% whoever proposed this law doesn’t see the full ramifications it will have (most likely deepended reliance on cars as less people use their ebikes for small trips and hurting poorer people).
They know exactly what they are doing. Never underestimate the pro-car bullshit American politicians will pull.
Yeah, I certainly hope it was an oversight on how stupid this is on this occasion, because then there’s a chance this is thrown out / reverted later if enough people speak up about it in states that implement this rule.
Blame the people that illegally modify their bikes.
Why not blame the legislators who are passing dumb laws?
Por que no los dos?
Because there is a need to control the morons. This is how all laws are started. Same reason speeding tickets are a thing, because people can’t follow the law.
I mean, you are sort of making my point for me. We penalize people for speeding, when they are operating a vehicle that has the capacity to speed. We don’t require license, registration, and insurance for a 10 year old to drive a go cart around their neighborhood - even if we can imagine a 30 year old modifying it to reach highway speeds.
We don’t “need” to have these poorly written laws because of the morons. We need intelligently written laws that will reign in the morons while still allowing new, sensible mobility options to people who want a cheaper and greener way to get around. When we already have the option of intelligently written laws (which other places have adopted and which are already fairly standardized), and then we get poorly written laws, the fault lies with poorly informed (or possibly corrupt) legislators.
Hope you are helping to do this in your area!
There’s a kid in my neighborhood who rides a pedal assist ebike like 30 mph without a helmet all the time. Kid’s gonna get brained one of these days.
Depending on where they are riding it yeah that is probably dangerous. As unfortunate as it is, bad parenting can’t be the reason e-bikes are (pretty much) banned for everyone else who rides them sensibly and safely (which is most people).
This viewpoint is exactly how this law got passed.
No consideration for the electric bikes that either only assist when pedalling, nor throttle controlled bikes that only get to 15-20mph.
Imagine if the laws surrounding atv’s were changed to include ‘anything with four wheels that doesn’t operate primarily on a roadway’, and now someone in an electric wheelchair needs insurance and licencing to get around ‘legally’.
dont give em ideas
Yeah, but those things got nothing to do with e-bikes. They’re electric motorcycles with added pedals to pass as bicycles legally
Not even legally if you legally define ebikes as only being within the 3-class system. They only pass as ebikes at a glance if they’re going slow enough at the time you look or can’t measure their speed (granted, a decent cyclist can get those well past the 20mph cap were you get assistance even on flat paths and downhill gravity will do that with no assistance from the bike or rider, so it becomes harder to prove without just testing it out).