Left Hook by an e-bike

[Revolution]

On my commute this morning, Just entering a 30mph zone at about 25 and I see a woman on an e-bike join the main road from a junction on the left - she didn't look or signal - perhaps she thought that the helmet, hi viz and fluorescent sash would keep her safe from any collision. I passed her and continued 1/4 mile to a red traffic light at a crossroad. I moved up to the asl and positioned myself in primary as I was going straight ahead. A schoolboy was to my left (he would be turning left toward the school) I was vaguely aware of someone to my right and slightly behind. The lights turned green and we moved off but to my astonishment the e-bike (for it was she) accelerated past me on the outside, stuck her left arm out and sailed across taking the left turn and forcing me to brake - I called out (not aggressively) that it was not very clever but she didn't hear - perhaps because as well as the helmet, hi viz and fluorescent sash she was also wearing headphones

[kwackers]

It it's any consolation, last week I was at a set of lights getting ready to turn left. The lights changed and as I pulled off and started to turn I was undertaken by a guy on a mtb that had obviously undertaken all the vehicles to get to the front of the lights and then shot through as they changed.

As I was on an e-bike that looks like one all!

[[XAP]Bob]

Just be grateful they weren't in a car...

[The utility cyclist]

This is an ignored problem with e-bikes, the results in NL where there has been a huge uptake in e-bikes in the older generations has also seen a massive spike/increase in deaths of those in the older groups compared to a significant reduction in deaths in the younger/low ebike using groups.
If the environ is getting safer (hence the significant drop in deaths for the younger groups) then what is having such the exact opposite effect for the older groups to be showing such a marked increase/less safe environment? The only real change is the uptake of e-bikes, given that this is around 50% and rising for the older groups in NL it's pretty obvious that the extra increase in available speed plus the mass plus some extra confidence that having the freedom to go at a decent speed IS having a detrimental effect on safety.
I contatced ECF regarding this and never got a response.
I've heard lots of waffle but so far the introduction of e-bikes is the only sound reason as to why there is such a marked increase in incidents/deaths in these older groups.
I'm not against e-bikes in themselves, they obviously can give mobility to those that otherwise might not have any or are restricted physically to go further and indeed it might persuade a handful to leave their cars (In the UK doubtful that will be significant for the near future), however the speed in which the users of e-bikes can accelerate and the top speed compared to ones normal speed you could do under your own steam is absolutely an issue that is being ignored.

[The utility cyclist]

Just be grateful they weren't in a car...

What if they were a bike rider before, now they've increased the danger to themselves and others, whilst not in the moped range and being unlicensed/unregistered they do have the acceleration ability and often higher top speed than the operator could manage without. At circumstances like the one described and plenty of others this is going to become an increasing problem, as I've mentioned above, the negative effects of big uptakes in e-bikes even in the safest country in the world for bicyclists is clear to see.

[kwackers]

the negative effects of big uptakes in e-bikes even in the safest country in the world for bicyclists is clear to see.

OMG!

Run for the hills! The ebikes are coming and not just any old ebike, an ebike ridden by a woman that on a good day downhill could hit 15mph in as little as 8 seconds!
Get them safely back in cars where they belong. Who amongst us will petition the Queen?

[The utility cyclist]

the negative effects of big uptakes in e-bikes even in the safest country in the world for bicyclists is clear to see.

OMG!

Run for the hills! The ebikes are coming and not just any old ebike, an ebike ridden by a woman that on a good day downhill could hit 15mph in as little as 8 seconds!
Get them safely back in cars where they belong. Who amongst us will petition the Queen?

What are you on about, are you having a funny turn or something
Can you not read or are you having problems digesting what I actually said in relation to the subject matter?
So you don't think the extra speed, potentially double that to what one might travel at or not be used to travelling on a bike at all at any speed plus the acceleration and the extra mass will have zero effect? The stats say otherwise, OMG, petition the queen because someone was ignorant of facts.
And who said anything about getting them back in cars, your post is ignorant and just a laughable rant!

[kwackers]

What are you on about, are you having a funny turn or something
Can you not read or are you having problems digesting what I actually said in relation to the subject matter?
So you don't think the extra speed, potentially double that to what one might travel at or not be used to travelling on a bike at all at any speed plus the acceleration and the extra mass will have zero effect? The stats say otherwise, OMG, petition the queen because someone was ignorant of facts.
And who said anything about getting them back in cars, your post is ignorant and just a laughable rant!

Do I think ebikes are a better alternative to cars? Yes.
Do I think ebikes will encourage people to move out of cars? Yes.
Have I ever had a near miss from an ebike? No.
Have I ever had a near miss from another cyclists? Yes, plenty.

I followed a guy the other day on a normal bike hitting 30mph so I think what you're really suggesting is a blanket speed limit on bicycles.
I'd go for that. Lets limit all bicycles to 15mph thus fixing the issue.

(I got 35mph out of my ebike the other day. 35! When summer is here I'll probably switch to my Kawasaki ZX12 and do a bit more though because tbh, the ebike isn't fast enough to make my commute short and I like to enjoy the long evenings at home doing stuff I like doing).

[MikeF]

What are you on about, are you having a funny turn or something
Can you not read or are you having problems digesting what I actually said in relation to the subject matter?
So you don't think the extra speed, potentially double that to what one might travel at or not be used to travelling on a bike at all at any speed plus the acceleration and the extra mass will have zero effect? The stats say otherwise, OMG, petition the queen because someone was ignorant of facts.
And who said anything about getting them back in cars, your post is ignorant and just a laughable rant!

Yours isn't? Do you have a reliable source of statistics about those problems in Holland with e-bikes?

[Cyril Haearn]

Ban e-bikes now?
Maximum speed limits for real bikes?

If what the utility cyclist writes is true, what then?

[foxyrider]

Some timely policing could help but the Police rarely know the law often making it up at the side of the road.

The OP's e-bike woman is an accident waiting to happen whatever mode of transport she's on/in.

[kwackers]

If what the utility cyclist writes is true, what then?

Looking at their posts in the electric car thread I think they simply have an issue with electric vehicles. Whether it's the vehicles or they're batterophobic who knows.

On the plus side you'd struggle to find any technological shift that didn't have legions of decriers so it's just par for the course of the human race.

[Cyril Haearn]

If what the utility cyclist writes is true, what then?

Looking at their posts in the electric car thread I think they simply have an issue with electric vehicles. Whether it's the vehicles or they're batterophobic who knows.

On the plus side you'd struggle to find any technological shift that didn't have legions of decriers so it's just par for the course of the human race.

I believe what the utility cyclist wrote about older e-bike riders and 'accidents' until I see some figures to prove or disprove

[kwackers]

I believe what the utility cyclist wrote about older e-bike riders and 'accidents' until I see some figures to prove or disprove

The most likely explanation (assuming it's true) is that suddenly a lot of people with no experience of cycling for many years are suddenly cycling again. I suspect you'd have issues if you simply put them all on ordinary bikes too.

Even if it's true so what? As ebikes become more prevalent and folk simply start switching to them rather than giving up cycling you'll end up with an ageing cycling population who have the cycling experience required to cycle safely.

There's some comparison to middle aged men buying motorcycles. For a while the death toll rocketed as they bought back into their youth but had no experience of riding motorcycles for 30 years or more.
Now older motorcyclists are one of the safest groups mainly because there no longer is the gap in experience.

[Cyril Haearn]

+1 for opinion forming and different views, I just learnt a bit more