Bit of a rant but worth a thread as a matter of safety. Anyone else getting fed up of these, and some of the dangerous knackers on them on the roads? The chosen transport of the fast food deliverer. Usually dressed in dark colours, at night, no lights, zero helmet or safety gear, middle of the road or lashing through red lights at junctions to deliver a BigMac. Seen several cars have to swerve to avoid them over the past few days. I was behind one tonight and he was doing 25mph in the middle of the road, straight through a red light, car coming from the right slams on the breaks. Mr orange box backpack heads into an estate meanwhile the driver of the car was visibly shaken after nearly killing someone. I have looked into it and apparently the speed limit is 15.5 mph. Or is it just me?
Does anybody know an owner of one of these things that ride them responsibly, cos I don't. They're like your lycra cyclist on steroids.
What a stupid generalisation It's idiots like these who give us responsible cyclists a bad name . . . . not just the ebike arseholes, but lots of cyclists who think that they 'own the road' who have no respect for car drivers . . . . and they almost certainly are drivers themselves
Them and the idiots flying about on pavements on electric scooters. Somebody will eventually be seriously injured or even killed. I would say ban them but they aren't legal anyway are they?
The issue is consistency. It seems to vary with every e-bike cyclist, and regular cyclists also. Some have full high vis, others have none, some have lights, some seem to actively choose to blend into the dark it appears… Same goes for stopping at red lights, cycling on the pavement, wanting to be treated like a car until it suits them. Does my nut it. No idea how it can be governed or policed.
It’s the disrespectful “I’ll do as I wish “ idiots ( youngsters and so called adults alike) who got me to finally get around to getting a dash cam . When one smashes themselves into my car I ain’t having social media label me as the nasty dangerous driver who wiped out a little darling.
Cyclist or e-biker, get in my way at your peril. I’ll certainly be in no hurry to apply the brakes, if you’re riding like a pillock. PS I’m a professional driver. Bart
In the Lake District their are two types of cyclists those on mountain bikes who happily pull to the side of the road and wave you through, and then theirs the Lycra clad c unts who think they are above the law and ride three wide for miles and don’t even acknowledge you are behind them. I wouldn’t mind if someone wiped all these twats out. Just my opinion like.
A couple of points for clarification. 1. E bikes are not restricted to 15.5 mph, that's the speed point when the battery assist cuts off so any speed beyond 15.5 mph is purely due to the cyclists own efforts. 2. The UK law does not permit the use of ebikes with motorbike type twist handle accelerators which require nil effort from the rider and are quite common and legal in other countries i.e. USA, however I occasionally see these on my local roads. I've been an ebike enthusiast for nearly 5 years now and it's provided me and Mrs Argus with an extension to our cycling life that would otherwise have ended years ago. p.s. the only time I achieve 25 mph is downhill with strong following wind.!
I was behind a ebike yesterday on a flat road and they were doing 25 mph, I now this as i was unable to safely overtake so kept a safe distance behind and I was doing 25mph, I was very astonished. Very little pedaling going on lol. Some nuggets on these bikes are a dangerous. At least you and the other half can enjoy the bikes safely mate.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-67380021 Seen a few of these in South Shields, on the leas and flying down the pavement at the nook.
There seems to be a growing assumption that as long as it's electric and not petrol powered then it's free from all rules. Before this scourge spreads , police need to do operations on specific ''hotspots'' like this Bristol one, get them caught and send the message that these bikes will be confiscated and crushed.
Why don’t the government just ban them as a sale item in this country. Everyone stopped whilst breaking the law should have their bike sent to the crusher. Problem sorted out inside a year.
