Why are these newer e-bikes not treated same as motorcycles?
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Anonymous
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I live in Arlington and on the bike paths there are legitimately electric motorcycles now on the paths going well over 25mph - I know many can hit over 50m0h.
How is that any different than an actual motocross bike at this point that runs on gas? The noise is the only difference I see. Weights are actually comparable. |
Anonymous
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My family has been wondering this also. We live in Fairfax County and use the walking paths in nearby parks a lot. Lately, electric bikes have zoomed by us several times and I’m concerned about what would happen if a small child would accidentally and suddenly step into the path of one.
Walkers and runners are just not expecting something that fast on those paths and I’m afraid that there’s an accident waiting to happen. I don’t think they should be allowed on the same paths with walkers and runners. |
Anonymous
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After a few pedestrians, dogs and maybe a kid or two are killed they will pass some law to regulate them.
It is ridiculous that there is no enforcement. Just a few years ago those little Motorized cars you could buy at toys r us were banned from bike paths. |
Anonymous
| OMG, I just yesterday was riding, and last week as well, and thinking I should post about this. The behavior of these people side saddling or checking their phones while they cruise at 25+ mph on these paths is insane. People are going to get killed; I'm going to get killed. These bicycles and superfast "scooters" shouldn't be allowed on these trails. I have enough to worry about with the roller bladers tricking into the oncoming lane right in front of me. |
Anonymous
| E-motos are treated like motorcycles. E-bikes are treated like bikes. Also, road cyclists also ride 25+ MPH. |
Anonymous
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They're really scary when walking your dog. I have a new puppy that we're working hard to train. We keep her leash short, but she's jumpy when ebikes/escooters zoom past.
I do not want these on sidewalks at all. Sidewalks have turns that are unsafe at 5+ mph. They're just not rated for that kind of speed and the views aren't good enough either for high speeds. Sidewalks are designed to be pretty while walking in our neighborhood and are more like trails. Whereas the street is straight and bushes are kept low so cars can see over them. Another big issue is that these fools aren't wearing helmets and don't have/use the lights on their scooters! It's insane to me that cops are letting these scooters barrel down our trails in the dark, going 15mph without headlights on. I think we need new state laws. |
Anonymous
| I was wondering this too. I was driving and there was a boy in a short, fat wheeled motorcycle riding down the road along with the cars. not technically a motorcycle. It’s so dangerous and stupid of parents to buy that. They’re not toys and they’re not bikes. Their motorcycle motorcycles. The laws will be very slow to catch up. |
Anonymous
Road cyclists (on bicycles) are NOT on our sidewalks, nor do they belong there. I think cyclists know that sidewalks are a danger to them as well with small kids, dogs and pedestrians darting out. They also always have helmets on, know hand signals, and they stop at stop signs. Sidewalks are fine for kids to bicycle on, but not an actual adult road cyclist. |
Anonymous
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I feel like the only motorized vehicle that should be allowed on mixed use paths should be power wheelchairs.
I also think that adults on bikes belong on the road, not the sidewalk. Mixed use paths are fine for them, but not the sidewalk. |
Anonymous
+1000 |
Anonymous
Depends on the jurisdiction. Here is FFX County's take - A sidewalk is a concrete walkway along the edge of a roadway that is primarily designed for walking, but biking and scooting on sidewalks is legal in Fairfax County unless posted otherwise. |
Anonymous
Do you think thumbing a throttle, not moving your legs, cruising at 25MPH up a hill on a bike trail is cycling? |
Anonymous
Cyclists are not riding 25mph on bikes that weigh 60+ lbs. You have to be a very good cyclist to sustain 25mph on a bike (downhills excepted) and if you’re able to do that, you’re going to be riding a very lightweight road bike. Any collision at that speed will cause harm, but a collision with a big e-bike will be much, much worse. I’m for a ban on them on public paths and sidewalks. |
Anonymous
If emotos were marketed as motorcycles you'd hope parents wouldn't buy them for their middle school kids... Lots of emotos have fake or purely stationary "pedals", are easily modified to go faster than 20mph and get lumped in with traditional ebikes and parents buy them. Then you have young teens doing wheelies down the center of the road. It's a behavior problem and a knowledge problem. They should be treated like motorcycles and require licensing. Yes, there are plenty of road cyclists that also go fast, but that speed usually comes with a level of skill that the young teens riding these emotos do not have. |
Anonymous
The handlebars will break someone's hip. |