MOTC to tighten electric bicycle rules!

Europe is going a similar way, you need insurance and a (license) plate as many electric bicycles drive as fast or faster than small motorcycles, scooters … (most motorcycles, scooters under 50cc are factory limited to 25km’h or 45 km/h).

Electric bicycle’s rules change

I’m pretty sure in Europe the 50cc scooters can drive up to 60 Km/h.

Regulating electric scooters/bicycles is a smart move, anyways.

[quote=“Blaquesmith”]I’m pretty sure in Europe the 50cc scooters can drive up to 60 Km/h.

Regulating electric scooters/bicycles is a smart move, anyways.[/quote]

Sure they can and even 130km’h, but officially they have to be limited (at the factory or by the importer) to 25 km/h or 45 km/h specifically to your license.

I think in Spain the limit is 60 Km/h for 50cc licenses and scooters. Up to 20-25 Km/h, you don’t need any kind of license, if I’m not mistaken.

That’s Spain!

Europe is going a similar way, you need insurance and a (license) plate as many electric bicycles drive as fast or faster than small motorcycles, scooters … (most motorcycles, scooters under 50cc are factory limited to 25km’h or 45 km/h).

Electric bicycle’s rules change[/quote]

Please help me understand their plans. No drinking while driving. No speeding over 25kph. No modifications for extra speed. No passengers on back seat.

I read…“most violations committed by riders are related to speeding, driving the wrong way and ignoring red lights.”

But I also read…“However, the police have no way of issuing citations to riders, as the bikes do not need to display license plates.”

So various old and new rules but no one to enforce the rules?

How about someone driving over 25kph, texting on their mobile, wrong way on one-way street, carrying their friend and a dog, while running a red light? Oh right, no license plate…please just carry on…sorry to bother you.
:unamused:

[quote=“Flakman”]How about someone driving over 25kph, texting on their mobile, wrong way on one-way street, carrying their friend and a dog, while running a red light? Oh right, no license plate…please just carry on…sorry to bother you.
:unamused:[/quote]
Doesn’t make much sense, does it? I mean, if you were doing the same thing with a chainsaw, I don’t think anybody would bother asking for the registration number of your chainsaw.

Surely the point of registration numbers is to identify vehicles in which the driver has done a hit-and-run, or something similar?

Europe is going a similar way, you need insurance and a (license) plate as many electric bicycles drive as fast or faster than small motorcycles, scooters … (most motorcycles, scooters under 50cc are factory limited to 25km’h or 45 km/h).

Electric bicycle’s rules change[/quote]

Please help me understand their plans. No drinking while driving. No speeding over 25kph. No modifications for extra speed. No passengers on back seat.

I read…“most violations committed by riders are related to speeding, driving the wrong way and ignoring red lights.”

But I also read…“However, the police have no way of issuing citations to riders, as the bikes do not need to display license plates.”

So various old and new rules but no one to enforce the rules?

How about someone driving over 25kph, texting on their mobile, wrong way on one-way street, carrying their friend and a dog, while running a red light? Oh right, no license plate…please just carry on…sorry to bother you.
:unamused:[/quote]

I think legally a bicycle rider has a pedestrian status. That’s why they can use the sidewalks. They don’t have to have a drivers licence, therefor they don’t know any traffic rules. If you don’t know what the street signs mean, how do you follow their rules?
It used to be, that no matter what a pedestrian did the driver of a motorized vehicle was always at fault, since his vehicle presented the danger.
Good ruling!
If you can’t catch a beach ball, don’t drive an SUV.
And if you find yourself in a smartphone store asking the shopkeeper where to connect the SUV cable, don’t have either one.
So back to bikes.
There are rules in Europe that the engines can only have 280w power.
That they can not be operated by this scooter throttle without being initiated by pedaling first.
That they can only go 25 KM per hour, actually 24.
If those conditions are met, the bike is considered an engine assisted bicycle. In other words a bicycle that does not require any license.
The so called speed bikes need a license and a license plate.

[quote=“finley”][quote=“Flakman”]How about someone driving over 25kph, texting on their mobile, wrong way on one-way street, carrying their friend and a dog, while running a red light? Oh right, no license plate…please just carry on…sorry to bother you.
:unamused:[/quote]
Doesn’t make much sense, does it? I mean, if you were doing the same thing with a chainsaw, I don’t think anybody would bother asking for the registration number of your chainsaw.

[color=#FF0000]Surely the point of registration numbers is to identify vehicles in which the driver has done a hit-and-run, or something similar[/color]?[/quote]

They should glue a license plate to your aa… then, too.

Edit:
Before someone gets angry again, that was a joke!

I have a feeling this is another historical anomaly. It derives from vehicles from long, long ago that had 25cc or 30cc engines on them and could barely wheeze their way up a smallish hill:

The rationale was that the average human being can crank out ~280W at full chuff (seriously: try it at the gym sometime) so if it’s an engine doing the same thing … well, same difference.

A 280W electric motor has a lot more grunt than one of those early ICEs, though. And a bicycle barrelling along at 24kph under pedal power can still hurt you.

I have a feeling this is another historical anomaly. It derives from vehicles from long, long ago that had 25cc or 30cc engines on them and could barely wheeze their way up a smallish hill.

The rationale was that the average human being can crank out ~280W at full chuff (seriously: try it at the gym sometime) so if it’s an engine doing the same thing … well, same difference.

A 280W electric motor has a lot more grunt than one of those early ICEs, though. And a bicycle barrelling along at 24kph under pedal power can still hurt you.[/quote]
It can hurt and it still will be a hit and run even without an engine.
Even on foot it will be a hit and run.
There are enough cameras everywhere in the city. No need for more tracking and security.
If someone get seriously hurt, there are enough cameras along the road to track that person down.
Also, don’t walk onto the bike lane then, and stop staring at your phone while walking through the city.
No texting and walking.
I don’t want to go through all the hassle with getting papers and shit for riding a bike.
That’s the whole point for riding a bike and one of the main selling points for E-bikes.

I think that some people only want to slow the e-bike business down. It’s not in their interest.

Also, they should introduce personal liability insurance to Taiwan.

Europe is going a similar way, you need insurance and a (license) plate as many electric bicycles drive as fast or faster than small motorcycles, scooters … (most motorcycles, scooters under 50cc are factory limited to 25km’h or 45 km/h).

Electric bicycle’s rules change[/quote]

Please help me understand their plans. No drinking while driving. No speeding over 25kph. No modifications for extra speed. No passengers on back seat.

I read…“most violations committed by riders are related to speeding, driving the wrong way and ignoring red lights.”

But I also read…“However, the police have no way of issuing citations to riders, as the bikes do not need to display license plates.”

So various old and new rules but no one to enforce the rules?

How about someone driving over 25kph, texting on their mobile, wrong way on one-way street, carrying their friend and a dog, while running a red light? Oh right, no license plate…please just carry on…sorry to bother you.
:unamused:[/quote]

I think legally a bicycle rider has a pedestrian status. That’s why they can use the sidewalks. They don’t have to have a drivers licence, therefor they don’t know any traffic rules. If you don’t know what the street signs mean, how do you follow their rules?
It used to be, that no matter what a pedestrian did the driver of a motorized vehicle was always at fault, since his vehicle presented the danger.
Good ruling!
If you can’t catch a beach ball, don’t drive an SUV.
And if you find yourself in a smartphone store asking the shopkeeper where to connect the SUV cable, don’t have either one.
So back to bikes.
There are rules in Europe that the engines can only have 280w power.
That they can not be operated by this scooter throttle without being initiated by pedaling first.
That they can only go 25 KM per hour, actually 24.
If those conditions are met, the bike is considered an engine assisted bicycle. In other words a bicycle that does not require any license.
The so called speed bikes need a license and a license plate.[/quote]

Since a couple of years you can see grandma and grandpa in a horde of other retirees on their newly aquired electric bikes speeding along the roads in Europe … pretty dangerous situation as in Belgium some have had help of a good Belgian beer on a pitstop.

[quote=“Hamletintaiwan”][quote=“finley”][quote=“Flakman”]How about someone driving over 25kph, texting on their mobile, wrong way on one-way street, carrying their friend and a dog, while running a red light? Oh right, no license plate…please just carry on…sorry to bother you.
:unamused:[/quote]
Doesn’t make much sense, does it? I mean, if you were doing the same thing with a chainsaw, I don’t think anybody would bother asking for the registration number of your chainsaw.

[color=#FF0000]Surely the point of registration numbers is to identify vehicles in which the driver has done a hit-and-run, or something similar[/color]?[/quote]

They should glue a license plate to your aa… then, too.

Edit:
Before someone gets angry again, that was a joke![/quote]

In Belgium we had tax plates on bicycles, color, number and shape changed each year … than the government decided to include it into your yearly tax (local taxes) statement for reason that they assumed everyone has a bicycle.Dog tax was done away with too.

That’s Spain![/quote]

Well, last time I checked my Spanish license is valid in all EU, so I could technically drive a spanish 50cc scooter able to hit the 60Km/h up to Belgium, and they couldn’t do anything (as long as I wasn’t speeding inside the city or breaking any other particular laws). Same thing when I drove my 125cc bike to France with my car license (which allows you to drive motorcycles up to 125cc, at least in Spain).

Back to topic, They should regulate. Having a license plate for bicycles doesn’t make much sense, but there was a proposal in Spain to engrave a serial number into the bicycle so they could be identified in case of theft or other law-breaking occurences.

More limiters. I can’t stand these idiots ripping through the night market.

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That’s Spain![/quote]

Well, last time I checked my Spanish license is valid in all EU, so I could technically drive a spanish 50cc scooter able to hit the 60Km/h up to Belgium, and they couldn’t do anything (as long as I wasn’t speeding inside the city or breaking any other particular laws). Same thing when I drove my 125cc bike to France with my car license (which allows you to drive motorcycles up to 125cc, at least in Spain).

Back to topic, They should regulate. Having a license plate for bicycles doesn’t make much sense, but there was a proposal in Spain to engrave a serial number into the bicycle so they could be identified in case of theft or other law-breaking occurences.[/quote]

Just try it.

Sorry to bicycle fans…but I want bicycles to follow the same road rules as cars/motorcycles. I mean at least stop at red lights. I am tired of worrying about bicycles (motorized and non-motorized) whipping through the red lights at intersections. At least jay walkers slowly strut across the road but bikes come out of nowhere much faster. (well, no need to mention motorcycles) Please?

Sorry, but that’s all a 120 horse power concern.
As a cyclist my considerations focus on how to get through the traffic without getting killed.
Your’s on the other hand should be concerned on how to move your monster vehicle without killing anyone.
If you feel uncomfortable with that given task then get an electric bike and change the sides.

Also, I find electric bikes with scooter throttle safer than bikes without engine or throttle.
Especially when carrying extra weight like shopping bags, the bike will be stable immediately.
With a front hub engine you can start out of the most dead locked positions and be stable right away.
Waiting diagonal to the traffic light, uphill and loaded the wheel will pull you around and you are moving into that direction all stable.
I have two engines and with those, I am about number three getting to the other side of the intersection.
Therefore, I am away from the crowed and everything starts to spread out already.

A grandma on a normal bike dangling 1.5 meters to the right and left is much more in danger.
She doesn’t have to worry about hitting anything, but is in danger from the fast oncoming traffic from behind.

I forgot my second set of batteries today, therefor riding with only one engine. I must say, I did not feel as safe.
Riding with the flow is the safest and personally I think the safest would be 35 km/h.
If they allowed me to set my engines at that speed I would be willing to accept a registration plate, but not for 25.

What about age restrictions. There are a number of “youngish” international students attending Jr. colleges here. Having motorized wheels makes it easier to get around in a city like K-town.
Even in New Jersey, a gas powered moped was available to thirteen year-olds. Isn’t 18 a bit too old for let’s say a 50 CC scooter?

Of course, NJ was learning permit at 16 1/2 and if you went to driver’s ed you could be licensed at 17.

Bike rules in Jersey

state.nj.us/mvc/Vehicle/Mopeds.htm

Sorry, but that’s all a 120 horse power concern.
As a cyclist my considerations focus on how to get through the traffic without getting killed.
Your’s on the other hand should be concerned on how to move your monster vehicle without killing anyone.
If you feel uncomfortable with that given task then get an electric bike and change the sides.
[/quote]

I am very uncomfortable with that task when bicycles whip through red lights in my direction. If bicycles would stop at red lights than I could concentrate on all of the other necessary tasks to accomplish a safe journey for everyone. Those on bicycles should not consider themselves special with no regard to the other drivers (motorized or non-motorized) around them. :2cents: