Morning - last day at home before new gig starts tomorrow - making the most of it - coffee in the garden in the sunshine...
I've got nowt against e bikes or e scooters, but I have an issue with their users. A lot of spaces they use are also used by pedestrians, footpaths, shared pedestrian pavements and road areas, the ****ers need to slow down. They dart about with a complete disregard for anyone. If a moped does a top speed of 30 mph, you have to have a licence, tax, and a crash helmet for it. Why are these e riders being allowed the same freedom as pushbikes, where you at least have to put in some effort to reach any dangerous speed. Car drivers are made accountable for the space they allow pushbikes, so the same should be between e riders and the walking public, of all ages, young and old. I wouuld love e bikes/scooters to have their freedoms without hassle from the law, but they also need to have accountability for their actions and the manner in which they ride. That also includes paying the injury compensation when they **** up. Soz, get that of my chest.
Yep I agree there needs to be some better laws and guidelines around ebikes and scooters and where they can and can't go and the speeds they go at. The law at the moment says that anybody over the age of 12 can't ride a bike on the pavement, and that goes for ebikes, escooters and normal bikes. So they shouldn't be there at all. That said, more and more town centres are becoming part pedestrianised or completely pedestrianised (which I think is a good thing). So if you're going to allow bikes in town centres, and in shared spaces, then there needs to be some framework around ebikes The problem comes, like you say, where ebikes and pedestrians mix. A lot of that is down to town planning, which up until fairly recently has been aimed either at people on foot, or people in cars. As mentioned the law at the moment for ebikes is 250w motor limited to 15.5mph which has to be pedal assisted. So you're not allowed to use a throttle. Anything over that, then it becomes a moped and you have to have tax, insurance, licence, number plates, MOT etc Off road on private land, you can derestrict these bikes and they can go as fast as they like. Personally I'd like to see the law changed so that ebikes can go faster (up to 25mph which I think is the law is the US) and with the use of a throttle (which can make them safer in traffic) on the roads. But a 10mph limit in town centres. I also think we should follow the Dutch bike laws where all bikes have to have lights, a bell, reflectors. I'm not in favour of making cyclists or ebikers have insurance, tax and a licence etc, as that goes against the ease of access to bikes, which is something I think we should be encouraging people to use, rather than making it more restrictive. But I would say that for ebikes that are used on public roads, that they have to be registered with the local council (even for a small fee) which outlines that they are operating within the framework around motor wattage and top speed. That alone would sift out the folk who go on ebay and buy a 72v 5000w electric motorbike and then ride it on the pavement like a nutter.
All e transport should not be allowed in pedestranised zones. We've got plenty of expensive car parks sitting empty these days, turn the closest ones to pedestrian areas into e type secure parking, charge them for the use while also making the lazy ****ers walk the rest of the journey. People are so bone idle at times.
Kinda defeats the purpose of using a bike / ebike to get into town if you’re going to make people park, charge them and then make them walk the rest of the way. People will just continue to use their cars in that scenario. Better town planning in (increasingly) pedestrianised town centres could easily incorporate a bike lane
Reminds me of a joke - 3 blokes in a pub discussing the fairer sex and which profession 'God' was closest to in terms of designing 'woman': First bloke - "an artist - the vibrancy, the colours on the tapestry, the visual impact" Second bloke - "a poet - the drama, the mood, the rhythm and pathos" Third bloke - "a Town Planner - only those ****ers would place the pleasure garden right next to the sewerage works"
Tough mate, if they want to mix with a pedestrinised area they need to make sure they are insured then (like cars and motorcyclists). I'm talking e scooters and e bikes here, not pushbikes which require a lot more manual handling. You shouldn't be allowed to just turn a throttle or press a button and think you can plough on regardless. If they hit someone they are going to cause a lot of harm, especially if elderly or a toddler. I thought e scooters were illegal in a lot of areas anyway, unless local authority controlled....for the simple reason that there is no accountability with them, at least if they are local authority controlled, they will be supplying the bikes, therefore liable for any harm caused (I'd assume).
That’s why I’d introduce a 10mph speed limit for bikes (of any kind) in town centres. Once you start getting into compulsory insurance you’re just discouraging people from using them. But I do take the point that they can potentially cause more accidents than a push bike. (If you’re using a throttle) Like a lot of these things, it just comes down to the person in control. Whether they are on a bike, scooter, car etc. There’s just no mitigation for dickheads. But I do think that good town planning can create spaces for people on foot and on bikes etc, without them having to share the same space.
Urban bikes are fine. It’s the Bradley Wiggins wannabe lycra sex cases on country roads you want to be wary of.
I see no justification for them even if set at a 10 mph speed limit, if you are setting it at that speed, you may as well remove the risk completely and get off and walk. I don't see why we should create an extra travel space for them either, when they don't pay any road tax...bloody freeloaders.
There’s no such thing as road tax, it’s an emissions tax. So bikes would naturally be zero rated anyway. Also if you want to encourage people to leave their cars at home when they go to town centres, then councils need to incentivise bike use. You just don’t like them because you think they are getting something for free
I don't like E scooters mixing with predestrians, that's my problem with them, they are a lump of metal normally in the hands of young people, riding without due care. And the fact they are illegal in most areas you seem to be overlooking. You'd be the first kicking off on here if your ole mum was hit by one.
Lol what bait ? We're just chatting about ebikes and scooters, there's no fishing here mate. Anyway, e scooters are illegal, but e bikes aren't The whole law on them needs to adapt because they aren't going away. It's another case of the law being slow to catch up with the technology.
Safer for me just to get a taxi/uber home from the pub if no one is driving. I'd enjoy walking more than an ebike as well. Although being pissed and an ebike home from the pub, I could see the fun in that, especially if the cops were chasing me.
Here @PINKIE look what I just read in the local rag... A man in his 80s has suffered serious injuries after being struck by an e-bike rider while walking along the pavement. Police say the suspect fled the scene following the incident on A28 Chart Road in Ashford at about 8pm on Sunday. https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashfor...jured-after-being-hit-by-e-bike-rider-324920/
There was a funny video I saw of the Old Bill trying to chase somebody on an ebike, it was in Europe somewhere. The police were on regular push bikes and they tried to stop him and take away his ebike. He just smoked them as they were pedalling after him
