the snail wrote: ↑15 Apr 2024, 6:29pm
..,
20mph assist limit, throttles allowed, no requirement to pedal.
My personal feeling is that having fairly heavy e-bikes at 20 mph (effectively not cycles) on shared use with babies in push chairs, elderly, etc driving using throttles rather than pedalling would be "high risk".
You will always get a small %age of idiots but limit the speed, etc. reduces the damage compared to same idiots going significantly faster.
There are already idiots going faster than 20mph on these dual use paths etc, including those who use engined dirt bikes. I can't see that raising the limit of ebikes to 20mph is going to change that behaviour in any significant way.
What it might change though is the frequency of close overtakes by impatient dangerous drivers.
I've no argument that with increased speeds come increased dangers but overall I think, cyclists in general can only benefit from these changes as they'll be able to keep up with traffic on certain roads. I don't believe the risk to pedestrians will be much worse.
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Vantage wrote: ↑17 Apr 2024, 11:16am
There are already idiots going faster than 20mph on these dual use paths etc, including those who use engined dirt bikes. I can't see that raising the limit of ebikes to 20mph is going to change that behaviour in any significant way.
...
Might it change the numbers doing it? Put such capable gear into the hands of idiots who currently don't have it?
There is of course that risk. But there again, we might also see many more people taking to cycling and ditching the car as a result.
I know which I'd rather be hit by.
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Vantage wrote: ↑17 Apr 2024, 11:16am
There are already idiots going faster than 20mph on these dual use paths etc, including those who use engined dirt bikes. I can't see that raising the limit of ebikes to 20mph is going to change that behaviour in any significant way.
...
Might it change the numbers doing it? Put such capable gear into the hands of idiots who currently don't have it?
That was my first thought too.
I think a lot of people would end up chugging along faster not particularly because they're bampots but because it's easy to do. When I'm out riding and either e-bikes overtake me or I overtake them they're typically doing about 15 mph, I suspect because that's what the system does without really thinking about it rather than they riders have carefully risk-assessed and range-assessed and time-assessed and come to an optimal speed that just happens to be where the motor stops helping...
Totally anecdotal (and thus meaningless in the scope of discussion about e-bike safety) but the only time I've ever nearly been hit by another bike was by an e-bike in the Netherlands, older rider nearly hammering at speed into the side of me. I managed to take avoiding action ending up on the grass beside the cycle path but brought home to me the problem NL has faced with older not as capable riders restarting cycling thanks to e-bikes and some not being as safe (slower reaction times?, lost some "road sense"?). On tours chatting to dutch cyclists, incl. one couple who organise club rides have raised this as a problem.
