Panorama - Worth Watching Re Ebikes

[barry1010]

Just watched tonight's episode, it's quite frightening. 

Annoying especially is that people can buy ebikes too powerful to use through the government Cycle to Work scheme.

Any bike that is not solely powered by pedalling should be insured, have a number plate and the rider licensed in the same way as mopeds, scooters and motorbikes.

I don't encounter many ebikes where I live, have you had any problems with them, or do you have one and love it?

[webbo3]

Loads in Bristol, probably illegal going by the speed they go

[ToraToraTora]

Cycling was one of the ways we kept fit, I worry about the modern saucepans buzzing about on these things. The law is already adequate it just needs enforcing. Anything more than 250 watts is legally a motor vehicle and must be registered, taxed insured etc, start enforcing that. The  problem is that plod has given up policing pretty much.

[ToraToraTora]

not that many about but I have had a recent run in

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Question1881908.html

 

[vulcan42]

Yes Iv'e nearly been hit twice by these machines but they're no worse than mobility machine riders. they're an even bigger menace because they use their mobile phone while riding. I had to jump off a pavement to avoid being hit only to be nearly struck by a car.

[barry1010]

I gave up trying to read that post when you first posted it. Panorama concentrated on ebikes, not escooters which are all illegal in public places with the exception of council hire scooters

[barry1010]

Ebikes riders use their phones too and can go much faster than any mobility scooter

[ToraToraTora]

yes but if they are over 250 watts the must be registered as a proper motor vehicle, taxed insured etc but plod doesn;t seem to bother.

[barry1010]

Annoying as it might be for the user I do think mobility scooters should have a constant beep with a different tone when reversing 

[barry1010]

I think every bike with an electric motor should be licensed, taxed and insured 

[Old_Geezer]

Sick of them, but more so with those motorised e-scooters.

E-bikes might be barely tolerable (while we still tolerate other bikes for some inexplicable reason) if they were low powered and basically indistinguishable from normal bikes, but not when clearly moped/motorbike lite.

This e-bike/scooter fad are just a menace on the road, mostily scooters to be honest, but it all seems the same issue of allowing more, risky vulnerable vehicles, on the road. Too many use them who have no respect for the rules, or other road users generally. And "rented" versions dumped in areas of the street when finished with. The idiots in government/authorities who have allowed all this change need being brought to book.

[Old_Geezer]

...mostly...

[youngmafbog]

As TTT says, the law is there but Plod wont enforce it as it seems they are only interested in odgy tweets or acting as Starmers SS.

As for the Lard Rovers they do need sorting out.  Menance on the road and pavement.

[davebro3]

I have an e-bike as I'm no longer able to ride far or uphill on a normal bike. I use it as I used to use  my normal bike & it is legal - power assisted only when pedalling & restricted to 250watts.

I don't ride at all in towns only on country roads or bike tracks.

If it were to be restricted as Barry wants I would have to get ridf of it.

[barry1010]

Why would you have to get rid of it, davebro?

[davebro3]

cost & hassle

[davebro3]

Of course the problem riders would still continue without getting the necessary legals & the police would do little about it.

[mushroom25]

the cycling lobby are frothing their wrath on Xwitter about this program as it appears (to them) to be lumping ebikes (that is, power assisted pedal cycles) with e-motorbikes and presents a very skewed view, such that the general population might think all electric bikes are bad......

[barry1010]

The cycling lobby are always frothing. They should be lobbying for compulsory third party insurance for all cyclists and all bikes.

[youngmafbog]

//& the police would do little about it.//

May I correct you there: & the police would do nothing about it.  

[barry1010]

Untrue  https://mol.im/a/13885377 

My local police seized at least ten in December