Does something need to be done about illegal/unlicenced/uninsured electric vehicles on our roads (and pavements)

[Hagar]

I’m not suggesting we target cyclists or bicycles. I’m suggesting there should be licensing and enforcement of electric “motorised” vehicles in the same way there currently is with petrol “motorised” vehicles (motorbikes/mopeds/etc).

Treating electric motorised vehicles as though they were bicycles and comparing them to bicycles is the problem IMO.

The 250w, 15mph, pedal assisted limits was a clear attempt to widen the appeal of cycling to maybe a less fit audience who could then travel to work or the shops without getting in a car.

Making the above licensable is bureaucratic and a nonsense.

Making the drug dealers and gangsters who abuse the above limits responsible for their actions is a duty on the police.

 

[Brazo]

Much like the dogs thread the problem is the chavs that own dogs or use these e bikes and yes something should be done about these people!!

 

[Kenai]

I don't see e-bikes being a particular problem, as you still need to be cycling and generally most cyclists are reasonably sensible (at least up until they see a red light or something ). I suspect it's a pretty small subset of people who go looking for super fast e-bikes.

The e-scooters I think are more problematic - they're appearing all over the place, more often than not seem to be (multiple) teenagers on them, frequently doing something daft like flying round blind junctions on the wrong side of the road, and you can happily go online and buy one that'll do 50mph+ with a token comment on the selling page 'oh btw don't use this on a road'. The rented ones aren't much better.

 

[cheesefest]

Much like the dogs thread the problem is the chavs that own dogs or use these e bikes and yes something should be done about the people!!

Sterilising them first - both the dog and the chavs. Never hear of chavs having difficulties conceiving. Chavs breed future chavs

 

[adidan]

As has been said, the issue isn't the mode of transport it's the user.

Like I say, I've been nearly mown down by mobility scooters, is that really a problem? No.

I appreciate they may be more prevalent in other places but is it really a problem, I mean really?

 

[chaparral]

with a token comment on the selling page 'oh btw don't use this on a road'. The rented ones aren't much better.

Reminds me of how many motorcyclists take note of the “not road legal“ that stamped on many aftermarket exhaust pipes

 

[Trifid]

Does something need to be done about city pollution levels, congestion, excessive cars parked on the roads, children's lack of independence, obesity and other health problems related to inactivity? Yes. Can cycling help with all these problems? Yes. Do electric assisted bikes offer a gateway into enabling this? Yes.

Society really took a wrong turn when travelling short journeys in towns and cities by car was normalised. We now ostracised those who practice or promote other forms of travel, when it is those regularly travelling <5 miles by car that should be shamed.

 

[cheesefest]

Does something need to be done about city pollution levels, congestion, excessive cars parked on the roads, children's lack of independence, obesity and other health problems related to inactivity? Yes. Can cycling help with all these problems? Yes. Do electric assisted bikes offer a gateway into enabling this? Yes.

Society really took a wrong turn when travelling short journeys in towns and cities by car was normalised. We now ostracised those who practice or promote other forms of travel, when it is those regularly travelling <5 miles by car that should be shamed.

Doesn't help with building large estates where public transport is non existent - someone told me that took 18 years for buses to go through an estate about a mile from here and a good mile from the nearest shop.

 

[MikeTimbers]

the issue is people not things. people are horrid, selfish, stupid, irrational beings and the sooner our future AI overlords replace us the better.

 

[Hotwired]

I don't see e-bikes being a particular problem, as you still need to be cycling and generally most cyclists are reasonably sensible (at least up until they see a red light or something ). I suspect it's a pretty small subset of people who go looking for super fast e-bikes.

The e-scooters I think are more problematic - they're appearing all over the place, more often than not seem to be (multiple) teenagers on them, frequently doing something daft like flying round blind junctions on the wrong side of the road, and you can happily go online and buy one that'll do 50mph+ with a token comment on the selling page 'oh btw don't use this on a road'. The rented ones aren't much better.

The law says that. The law also says escooters shouldn't be on public roads.

What actually happens is people know there is no enforcement and that a bike looks largely like a bike. I regularly see primarily delivery riders apparently coasting the entire way through town. Either they're buying wheel kits or they're buying entire bikes which are essentially low grade electric mopeds with functional but optional as opposed to compulsory pedalling.

There's no grey, it's just hilariously unenforced.

 

[Demon]

It's so stupid IMO..

With the push to getting us out of cars, this is a perfect opportunity and only needs 1 change.. remove the 'pedal assistance part' and keep everything else from the e-Bike rules and IMO you are good to go..

What we can't have are e-Bikes or e-Scooters that are overpowered to the point they are at odds with 50cc scooters that need MOT, registration, insurance and mandatory helmet laws..


THen just police the bloody laws..
- Any bike or scooter found on a non-shared pavement - fine them - that should happen anyway.
- Any e-bike or e-scooter believed to be over powered, confiscate, test and deal with it.. Power restricted motorbikes are a thing and has been dealt with before.

How hard is it?
Wa all know they don't want more 'cycles' or equivalent on the roads, and they don't want to police it.. but surely in a move to net zero, it might actually help!

I've got 2 x Xiaomi M365 scooters that are sat doing nothing since it was all clarified as illegal, noting that instead of policing scroats on scooters, they camped out in cycle lanes, stopping those with helmets riding responsibly..

 

[jpaul]

I don't see e-bikes being a particular problem, as you still need to be cycling and generally most cyclists are reasonably sensible (at least up until they see a red light or something ). I suspect it's a pretty small subset of people who go looking for super fast e-bikes.

The e-scooters I think are more problematic - they're appearing all over the place, more often than not seem to be (multiple) teenagers on them, frequently doing something daft like flying round blind junctions on the wrong side of the road, and you can happily go online and buy one that'll do 50mph+ with a token comment on the selling page 'oh btw don't use this on a road'. The rented ones aren't much better.

for both, inability to police the power output seems problematic , have a local ebiker who commutes at 30mph+ which is unexpected/dangerous for motorists;
he's usually poorly lit so probably won't be around long.
addressing that with mandatory insurance would introduce some user responsibility, for conduct and machine, component of that could contribute to infrastructure costs too.

[
hadn't appreciated that france does require insurance for escooters, alongside recent/paris banning of rental ones

You must first of all be 12 or older. No one under 12 is allowed to operate one. You can't give 10-year-old Pierre an electric scooter and send him off to the local bakery.​

You have to have special electric scooter insurance while riding such as this policy from Luko. This covers you for such things as damages you may cause to others while driving or injuries in a traffic accident as long as you were wearing a helmet. This can range from €3.30 a month upwards. Depending on where you live and your personal details.​

You can't go over 25 Km/h, even if your electric scooter is capable of it. And if you do, a €1500 fine could be heading your way. Keep to the limit speed demon.​

If you're riding it on faster roads, you must wear a helmet and high-visibility clothing such as a gilet or luminous jacket. Protect your head and make yourself illuminated.​

So you're in complete control and fully aware of everything around you, you are not allowed to wear headphones or operate a mobile phone. No calling your Mum while you're riding on your Xiaomi Mi 3 electric scooter down the l'autoroute du Nord or funking to Zaz while touring the French Riveria on your Inmotion L9. Ok?​

You can be the only rider on the scooter. No giving your mates a lift to the pub or giving your Grandma a spin to the shops. Just you.​

demanding insurance for both would address that - hadn't appreciated that france does require insurance for escooters​

​

​

]

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Treating electric motorised vehicles as though they were bicycles is the problem IMO.

If they go over 15.5 mph then yes - insurance, vehicle tax, MOT, taking a test, helmet, lights etc.

I'd still like to see motorists not going through red lights and committing other major offences though before anything.

 

[SPG]

No, nothing needs to be done apart from the police stopping the ones who drive like idiots.

Other than have it, to long the CAR in the UK has had nothing but attention and love from every single goverment, with a token laughter gesture for anything else.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

No, nothing needs to be done apart from the police stopping the ones who drive like idiots.

Other than have it, to long the CAR in the UK has had nothing but attention and love from every single goverment, with a token laughter gesture for anything else.

but when cars are committing 1000s of major offences every day including maiming, mutilating and killing people then there's no contest.
People driving killing machines vs people on a little piece of metal, I don't know why people worry about it.

 

[Junglist]

I enjoyed riding my EUC to work when I lived within a distance that worked. It was great and saved me so much money by not needing to drive to work.

The issue is you get complete morons who ride these things without a single car for other pedestrians or animals who also use the pavement/cycle paths

 

[Rai200]

Primarily to get around illegal modifications, but yes perhaps peak output is not the same as constant output

What's the point of an illegal modification if the top speed is what's being regulated?

I could upgrade a 250w motor to a 1500w one, if the regulator still doesn't let me go over 15mph it makes no odds. By the same logic, a 250w motor, if properly geared via mods could go over 15mph.

 

[Hotwired]

What's the point of an illegal modification if the top speed is what's being regulated?

I could upgrade a 250w motor to a 1500w one, if the regulator still doesn't let me go over 15mph it makes no odds. By the same logic, a 250w motor, if properly geared via mods could go over 15mph.

If you're illegally modding then what's this regulator going to do

None of the laws are worth spit if enforcement is trash.

There's always going to be a "I need more power" group but that's easily resolved... by getting your licence and buying a full power electric motorbike, insurance and all.

With no licence or really any requirement of competence 250W can do a lot and make hills trivial compared to slogging up manually.

 

[ShiWarrior]

They are calling for number players and insurance for ALL EV bikes and scooters etc i think

i heard they have it in another country ?

 

[Nasher]

E-scooters especially are becoming a menace in towns. I've seen a few close ones with them suddenly darting across the road without looking. The brakes aren't good at all on these things either especially when the speed limiters are removed. They aren't nearly powerful enough to stop from 30mph.

I've watched police sit there and completely ignore them. The laws are not being enforced at all with them.

Also if you fall off at just 30mph without protective clothing, you'll loose about 1cm of skin per second on tarmac.