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E-Bike Death & Injuries on the Rise


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Not surprised! This is fairly local but still a good distance from where we ride.  I've seen so many e-bike riders FLYING down the trail. Getting carried away a I see 3 e-bike riders for every pedal rider I see nowadays on the trail. bad thing is that the e-bikes are flying sometimes at 30+. About the helmets, I'd say 90% of the e-bike riders I see are not wearing helmets. Pretty crazy at the speeds they are doing. Not to mention, some of the motor bikes I see on the trail are actual motorcycles.

I've been sitting at the beach stop taking a break and saw a man and wife flying by at about 15 when he cut her off turning into a parking lot without signaling when he took out his wife's front wheel, Probably as good thing she swerved a few times before going down because she fell back and slammed her head into the pavement.  No blood but she ended up laying down falling asleep for a few minutes as her hubby tried to explain to her what she did wrong. Butt face, it was his fault.

I myself don't care for e-bikes and the unskilled riders. I have been riding at about 18 down the trail before and been buzzed by an e-bike lady doing about 30. Seen 10 yo kids on e-bikes doing about 25, wow!

But, pretty sure this is expected. Funny thing about the video, talking to the ER doc, another e-bike rider being taken into the ER.

 

 

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E-bikes have reached "moped" levels of speed and performance (and nearly heft as well).  We generally don't let mopeds on trails or sidewalks or bike lanes, so some consideration needs to be made to regulating what - if any - are still "bikes".  I'm more in line with limiting assist to say 15mph or 18mph, and for it to always require pedaling. No throttle control, no simply letting the motor do all the work.  Any of those would fall under moped rules and require a license plate and/or a drivers license. 

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2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

E-bikes have reached "moped" levels of speed and performance (and nearly heft as well).  We generally don't let mopeds on trails or sidewalks or bike lanes, so some consideration needs to be made to regulating what - if any - are still "bikes".  I'm more in line with limiting assist to say 15mph or 18mph, and for it to always require pedaling. No throttle control, no simply letting the motor do all the work.  Any of those would fall under moped rules and require a license plate and/or a drivers license. 

I agree and hope legislation takes this route.  In the early 80’s mopeds we’re not regulated and as a 13-14 YO was ripping around on one. CA considered them a motorcycle and they were subject to the same requirements to ride a moto.

The article is a pretty tough read though. I can’t imagine being the dad & dealing with that kind of trauma of losing his wife & seeing them all splayed out & injured on the rocks.  

People still consider them bikes, toys even and not a motorized vehicle.

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3 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

E-bikes have reached "moped" levels of speed and performance (and nearly heft as well).  We generally don't let mopeds on trails or sidewalks or bike lanes, so some consideration needs to be made to regulating what - if any - are still "bikes".  I'm more in line with limiting assist to say 15mph or 18mph, and for it to always require pedaling. No throttle control, no simply letting the motor do all the work.  Any of those would fall under moped rules and require a license plate and/or a drivers license. 

I wish they would remove the e-bikes and similar from the trail. As you mentioned, the heft is another factor. I had a lady buzz me on one. Most times I would not think about another rider buzzing me as I am more than likely more heft than them. But a little lady, about 110 pounds on a monster fat tire e-bike doing 25 buzzing me was a bit startling. :angry:

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43 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

I agree and hope legislation takes this route.  In the early 80’s mopeds we’re not regulated and as a 13-14 YO was ripping around on one. CA considered them a motorcycle and they were subject to the same requirements to ride a moto.

The article is a pretty tough read though. I can’t imagine being the dad & dealing with that kind of trauma of losing his wife & seeing them all splayed out & injured on the rocks.  

People still consider them bikes, toys even and not a motorized vehicle.

Yup, I saw a kid about 10-12 years old ripping down the trail at about 25. First thing came to mind was, he should have a license to operate that thing at that speed.

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1 minute ago, Mr Beanz said:

I wish they would remove the e-bikes and similar from the trail. As you mentioned, the heft is another factor. I had a lady buzz me on one. Most times I would not think about another rider buzzing me as I am more than likely more heft than them. But a little lady, about 110 pounds on a monster fat tire e-bike doing 25 buzzing me was a bit startling. :angry:

I think - especially in CA (warm climates) and cities - ebikes can be a good way to get people commuting outside of cars, and for me, less people in cars and get around in other ways is a win. BUT it can't be the willy nilly free-for-all Wild West we're seeing with ebikes (and electric scooters and onewheels and e-skateboards etc).  A cap on power, a limit or licensing process, and ENFORCEMENT are all needed.  I was a kid. You were a kid. I know, had I had an ebike, I would have been a MENACE TO SOCIETY with it!  The few times I got to ride a moped, I was a maniac. 

Ban from the SART and other trails?  Tough call. In VA, the big trails are also big bike commuter routes. Limit the e-bikes, and you screw the responsible ebike commuters. I may want to be one of them some day :D and there are no efficient parallel on-road routes to the big trails since the trails remove the need for parallel bike lanes near them.  All things considered, in VA we're still 80% manual/20% electric bikes (at the most), but half the ebike riders suck and the other half are just cruising at reasonable speeds.  I'd maybe suggest a 15 mph speed limit on the trails for all electronic vehicles, but then you risk the inevitable "make it 15 for everybody" nonsense, and life is ruined for all :(

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17 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I think - especially in CA (warm climates) and cities - ebikes can be a good way to get people commuting outside of cars, and for me, less people in cars and get around in other ways is a win. BUT it can't be the willy nilly free-for-all Wild West we're seeing with ebikes (and electric scooters and onewheels and e-skateboards etc).  A cap on power, a limit or licensing process, and ENFORCEMENT are all needed.  I was a kid. You were a kid. I know, had I had an ebike, I would have been a MENACE TO SOCIETY with it!  The few times I got to ride a moped, I was a maniac. 

Ban from the SART and other trails?  Tough call. In VA, the big trails are also big bike commuter routes. Limit the e-bikes, and you screw the responsible ebike commuters. I may want to be one of them some day :D and there are no efficient parallel on-road routes to the big trails since the trails remove the need for parallel bike lanes near them.  All things considered, in VA we're still 80% manual/20% electric bikes (at the most), but half the ebike riders suck and the other half are just cruising at reasonable speeds.  I'd maybe suggest a 15 mph speed limit on the trails for all electronic vehicles, but then you risk the inevitable "make it 15 for everybody" nonsense, and life is ruined for all :(

True. Sadly the riders here suck.  I have to say that our of every 20 e-bikes I see, 15 of them are FLYING carelessly. There are small groups, maybe clubs that ride together nicely, about 10 of them. Well disciplined but too many with lousy handling skills, etiquette, or just total morons being the menace.

It was strange last night, in the dark, I saw another rider coming the opposite direction in the bike lane. Only saw his lights from a distance so I thought it was a roadie. As it got closer, I thought "this guy is fast!". But once he approached, it was some e-bike Vespa looking thing, in the bike lane doing about 30. Funny thing was, the speed limit on that road was 25. I think he should have been in the vehicular lane and not the bike lane. 

I do think there are some skilled handlers but not enough. I have seen women sitting at a dead stop then begin to accelerate and just about getting jerked off the bike. Sadly the e-bike newbs think the trail is a good place to learn how to handle their bikes. On a dead day maybe. But weekends are filled with various types of cyclists. Cruisers, roadies, young kids, families.

I do know some good e-bike riders. A friend of mine started a company and was a roadie. I've seen him on his bike and he has good handling skills. Most of the newbs and the crowd rushing to get e-bikes, don't. 

Strange thing, I don't see many e bikes on the actual roads out here.  On my Tues and Thurs eve rides, lucky to see 1 e-bike. 

But about a month ago, Gina and I were out for a cruise in the car driving along the roads I frequent on the bike. There was a couple with scooter type motor bike (?). Mother and father, both with a small child tucked between their legs. Flying up a 5-6% grade. I wouldn't do it at 5 with a child but they were doing about 20 while the scooters were swerving and curving almost out of control from the high speed it seemed. Pretty scary as it seems things are getting out of control around here, anyway. 

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IIRC ebikes (any motorized vehicle) is prohibited from the MUPS like SART.  A few months back there was a detour on the San Diego Creek trail due to construction.  As I was re entering the trail from the detour an older man going the opposite direction over cooked the corner leading into the detour, almost took me out & crashed in the dirt off the trail. 

I don’t think he was riding irresponsibly (other than being on a trail he shouldn’t have been on), he just didn’t realize the speed he was carrying into the corner.  E bikes are heavy, carry a lot of speed and I bet that guy would never been on a bike otherwise so his riding skills just weren’t there. 

My point is it’s really a motorized vehicle, not a toy and should be regulated as such.

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26 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

IIRC ebikes (any motorized vehicle) is prohibited from the MUPS like SART.  

That is true, says on the signs too IIRC. That's why I wonder why they even allow them on there. Years ago, the cops would cite roadies for going too fast. I believe the official speed limit is 10. I know roadies go fast but these heavy machines go FASTER! :o

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1 hour ago, Mr Beanz said:

That is true, says on the signs too IIRC. That's why I wonder why they even allow them on there. Years ago, the cops would cite roadies for going too fast. I believe the official speed limit is 10. I know roadies go fast but these heavy machines go FASTER! :o

A speeding ticket on SART! That would be one to frame. 

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