Commuting to school by e-bike?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are dangerous too. So is walking in the city especially some intersections. You have to take some risks

Kids in cars are strapped in and surrounded by air bags and a two ton steel cage. Kids on bikes have nothing except their crappy little plastic helmets (and sometimes not even that).

I don't think there is enough data to really know what the odds are at this point. You have to consider the behavior in the whole context. With an ebike I am probably living a less vehicle centered life, traveling at much lower speeds, on much less busy streets. I am an adult experienced rider, not a child. And I am using a well maintained ebike that I am not modifying to go higher speeds. The odds being quoted in those sensationalist articles are not considering the use case we are discussing here.

Nonetheless, I do think it carries increased risks compared to other transit methods. I wish there was better data to know what those odds are.

As a driver, I expect that sooner or later, I will be in a crash, regardless of how safely I drive because there's a lot of people moving around and people make bad decisions. Those on two wheels should assume the same.

+1 and I say this as a huge cycling advocate who does most of my travel around town on bike or on foot. My spouse is an excellent cyclist who is very careful, always wears a helmet, and very used to riding in DC. He was once T-boned by a vehicle making an illegal left turn and wound up in the ER. There was no way for him to prevent the accident unless he literally stopped and looked for people making illegal left turns at every intersection. That driver wasn't even moving that fast -- estimated at 10 miles an hour. But because of the angle at which they hit DH, he was thrown over the hood of their car. He was injured but luckily his helmet protected his head and he didn't need major surgery.

But the thought of that happening to one of our kids? I don't even want to think about it. If I'm walking with them on foot, I can easily check for cars doing that kind of thing at every intersection without it slowing us down. If we're driving, I have more confidence other cars can see me plus the car has enough built-in protection that an accident occurring at 10 miles an hour would likely result in no injuries at all. On a bike? People need to be realistic about what risks they are taking putting their kids in that situation.

People tend to ride a lot more cautiously when they're with kids. Quieter routes, slower speeds, head on a swivel.

People in cars don't drive more cautiously because you have your kids on an e-bike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The protected bike lane along Irving is very nice.

I take my two kids on e-bike to school which we lotteried into.

Pros:
- Much faster and more reliable than any other mode of transit
- Easy to park anywhere
- Easy to carry large amounts of kid stuff
- I am less tired from having to make the trip 4 times a day!

Cons:
- Traffic, cars, bikes, pedestrians it really feels like no one follows the rules
- Construction - there is nearly always some form of construction blocking part of the way that lasts years
- Safety, I do feel like it comes with a much higher likelihood of an accident
- Repairs, these are inevitable and a pain with an ebike.

We ride pretty much in all weather. I invested in good rain and snow clothes. Occasionally we take the bus when the bike is broken or it is too icy.

I use side streets, protected bike lanes when possible and I tend to ride a low speeds without much assist even though I could go much faster.

Another con is cost. We don't have an e-bikes because they are expensive and seem to crap out faster than you'd expect given the cost. We have friends who are on their 3rd e-bike in 10 years. That's like 15k in e-bikes (they aren't buying the cheapest models). And doesn't even include upkeep costs.

People are always trying to convince us to get an e-bike but the economics don't make sense for us even though I see the benefit of having a way to travel with kids that is faster than walking but more eco-friendly and convenient than a car. If e-bikes were more similar in cost to a regular bike, that would be different.

My sister just bought a low-miles Subaru Forester (2015? 2016?) for $15k. She lives in DC and the mandatory liability insurance on this car is about $85/month. Registration is $175 year. At the rate she drives this car, <1500 miles/year, it will certainly last another 10 years.

No way would i spend the same money on what are essentially disposable e-bikes over the same 10 yr period. And no, the petroleum she is consuming in real-world practice is not actually contributing to climate change in a meaningful way.

DP but many addresses are not eligible for RPP. Parking spot costs $2500 per year. Vehicle maintenance is $1000 per year on average.

Not saying OP should bike but people vastly underestimate the cost of owning a vehicle.

I've owned a car in DC for 20 years and never been ineligible for RPP. We actually have off street parking at our apartment building (comes with our unit, which is competitively priced, nowhere near $2500/yr) and we still choose to street park most of the time because there is ample street parking in our neighborhood and it's more convenient. And 1k per year on maintenance sounds high to me. I think if maintenance is averaging out that high for you, you must be very hard on your car, likely driving it daily with a tough commute. If you live in DC, that's definitely not necessary, as most people have public transit options within the city.

I don't love cars but the idea that e-bikes are cheaper and better is just not the reality. Yet. Maybe with time the costs will come down. Right now it's really mostly an option for people with a lot of disposable income.

Also literally everyone I know with an e-bike has a car. Some of them are two-car families plus one or more e-bikes. Plus regular bikes. That's great it you just have tons of money! Many of us don't and have to pick and choose. My family can afford a car but not an e-bike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The protected bike lane along Irving is very nice.

I take my two kids on e-bike to school which we lotteried into.

Pros:
- Much faster and more reliable than any other mode of transit
- Easy to park anywhere
- Easy to carry large amounts of kid stuff
- I am less tired from having to make the trip 4 times a day!

Cons:
- Traffic, cars, bikes, pedestrians it really feels like no one follows the rules
- Construction - there is nearly always some form of construction blocking part of the way that lasts years
- Safety, I do feel like it comes with a much higher likelihood of an accident
- Repairs, these are inevitable and a pain with an ebike.

We ride pretty much in all weather. I invested in good rain and snow clothes. Occasionally we take the bus when the bike is broken or it is too icy.

I use side streets, protected bike lanes when possible and I tend to ride a low speeds without much assist even though I could go much faster.

Another con is cost. We don't have an e-bikes because they are expensive and seem to crap out faster than you'd expect given the cost. We have friends who are on their 3rd e-bike in 10 years. That's like 15k in e-bikes (they aren't buying the cheapest models). And doesn't even include upkeep costs.

People are always trying to convince us to get an e-bike but the economics don't make sense for us even though I see the benefit of having a way to travel with kids that is faster than walking but more eco-friendly and convenient than a car. If e-bikes were more similar in cost to a regular bike, that would be different.

My sister just bought a low-miles Subaru Forester (2015? 2016?) for $15k. She lives in DC and the mandatory liability insurance on this car is about $85/month. Registration is $175 year. At the rate she drives this car, <1500 miles/year, it will certainly last another 10 years.

No way would i spend the same money on what are essentially disposable e-bikes over the same 10 yr period. And no, the petroleum she is consuming in real-world practice is not actually contributing to climate change in a meaningful way.

because parking. Parking eats up a lot more time than actual driving when you live in dense DC neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights, AdMo, Dupont.

Parking in DC is a huge hassle and one of the things I hate most about driving places.

But parking near my house is really easy, and if I'm taking my kid to school, I'm not parking, just driving through the drop-off lane and then returning home to where I know there will be parking. So it's not really an argument for an e-bike in my specific case. I don't live in one of the neighborhoods you list, though. OP does, maybe that's why she's looking into an e-bike (unclear if OP already has a car or not -- if they have a car, likely they've already worked out the parking issue).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are dangerous too. So is walking in the city especially some intersections. You have to take some risks

Kids in cars are strapped in and surrounded by air bags and a two ton steel cage. Kids on bikes have nothing except their crappy little plastic helmets (and sometimes not even that).

I don't think there is enough data to really know what the odds are at this point. You have to consider the behavior in the whole context. With an ebike I am probably living a less vehicle centered life, traveling at much lower speeds, on much less busy streets. I am an adult experienced rider, not a child. And I am using a well maintained ebike that I am not modifying to go higher speeds. The odds being quoted in those sensationalist articles are not considering the use case we are discussing here.

Nonetheless, I do think it carries increased risks compared to other transit methods. I wish there was better data to know what those odds are.

As a driver, I expect that sooner or later, I will be in a crash, regardless of how safely I drive because there's a lot of people moving around and people make bad decisions. Those on two wheels should assume the same.

+1 and I say this as a huge cycling advocate who does most of my travel around town on bike or on foot. My spouse is an excellent cyclist who is very careful, always wears a helmet, and very used to riding in DC. He was once T-boned by a vehicle making an illegal left turn and wound up in the ER. There was no way for him to prevent the accident unless he literally stopped and looked for people making illegal left turns at every intersection. That driver wasn't even moving that fast -- estimated at 10 miles an hour. But because of the angle at which they hit DH, he was thrown over the hood of their car. He was injured but luckily his helmet protected his head and he didn't need major surgery.

But the thought of that happening to one of our kids? I don't even want to think about it. If I'm walking with them on foot, I can easily check for cars doing that kind of thing at every intersection without it slowing us down. If we're driving, I have more confidence other cars can see me plus the car has enough built-in protection that an accident occurring at 10 miles an hour would likely result in no injuries at all. On a bike? People need to be realistic about what risks they are taking putting their kids in that situation.

People tend to ride a lot more cautiously when they're with kids. Quieter routes, slower speeds, head on a swivel.

People in cars don't drive more cautiously because you have your kids on an e-bike.

Anyone who has ever ridden with a kid on a bike is very well aware of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are dangerous too. So is walking in the city especially some intersections. You have to take some risks

Kids in cars are strapped in and surrounded by air bags and a two ton steel cage. Kids on bikes have nothing except their crappy little plastic helmets (and sometimes not even that).

I don't think there is enough data to really know what the odds are at this point. You have to consider the behavior in the whole context. With an ebike I am probably living a less vehicle centered life, traveling at much lower speeds, on much less busy streets. I am an adult experienced rider, not a child. And I am using a well maintained ebike that I am not modifying to go higher speeds. The odds being quoted in those sensationalist articles are not considering the use case we are discussing here.

Nonetheless, I do think it carries increased risks compared to other transit methods. I wish there was better data to know what those odds are.

As a driver, I expect that sooner or later, I will be in a crash, regardless of how safely I drive because there's a lot of people moving around and people make bad decisions. Those on two wheels should assume the same.

+1 and I say this as a huge cycling advocate who does most of my travel around town on bike or on foot. My spouse is an excellent cyclist who is very careful, always wears a helmet, and very used to riding in DC. He was once T-boned by a vehicle making an illegal left turn and wound up in the ER. There was no way for him to prevent the accident unless he literally stopped and looked for people making illegal left turns at every intersection. That driver wasn't even moving that fast -- estimated at 10 miles an hour. But because of the angle at which they hit DH, he was thrown over the hood of their car. He was injured but luckily his helmet protected his head and he didn't need major surgery.

But the thought of that happening to one of our kids? I don't even want to think about it. If I'm walking with them on foot, I can easily check for cars doing that kind of thing at every intersection without it slowing us down. If we're driving, I have more confidence other cars can see me plus the car has enough built-in protection that an accident occurring at 10 miles an hour would likely result in no injuries at all. On a bike? People need to be realistic about what risks they are taking putting their kids in that situation.

People tend to ride a lot more cautiously when they're with kids. Quieter routes, slower speeds, head on a swivel.

People in cars don't drive more cautiously because you have your kids on an e-bike.

Anyone who has ever ridden with a kid on a bike is very well aware of that.

Well then you should understand why some people don't want to risk it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are dangerous too. So is walking in the city especially some intersections. You have to take some risks

Kids in cars are strapped in and surrounded by air bags and a two ton steel cage. Kids on bikes have nothing except their crappy little plastic helmets (and sometimes not even that).

I don't think there is enough data to really know what the odds are at this point. You have to consider the behavior in the whole context. With an ebike I am probably living a less vehicle centered life, traveling at much lower speeds, on much less busy streets. I am an adult experienced rider, not a child. And I am using a well maintained ebike that I am not modifying to go higher speeds. The odds being quoted in those sensationalist articles are not considering the use case we are discussing here.

Nonetheless, I do think it carries increased risks compared to other transit methods. I wish there was better data to know what those odds are.

As a driver, I expect that sooner or later, I will be in a crash, regardless of how safely I drive because there's a lot of people moving around and people make bad decisions. Those on two wheels should assume the same.

+1 and I say this as a huge cycling advocate who does most of my travel around town on bike or on foot. My spouse is an excellent cyclist who is very careful, always wears a helmet, and very used to riding in DC. He was once T-boned by a vehicle making an illegal left turn and wound up in the ER. There was no way for him to prevent the accident unless he literally stopped and looked for people making illegal left turns at every intersection. That driver wasn't even moving that fast -- estimated at 10 miles an hour. But because of the angle at which they hit DH, he was thrown over the hood of their car. He was injured but luckily his helmet protected his head and he didn't need major surgery.

But the thought of that happening to one of our kids? I don't even want to think about it. If I'm walking with them on foot, I can easily check for cars doing that kind of thing at every intersection without it slowing us down. If we're driving, I have more confidence other cars can see me plus the car has enough built-in protection that an accident occurring at 10 miles an hour would likely result in no injuries at all. On a bike? People need to be realistic about what risks they are taking putting their kids in that situation.

People tend to ride a lot more cautiously when they're with kids. Quieter routes, slower speeds, head on a swivel.

People in cars don't drive more cautiously because you have your kids on an e-bike.

Anyone who has ever ridden with a kid on a bike is very well aware of that.

But apparently not OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The protected bike lane along Irving is very nice.

I take my two kids on e-bike to school which we lotteried into.

Pros:
- Much faster and more reliable than any other mode of transit
- Easy to park anywhere
- Easy to carry large amounts of kid stuff
- I am less tired from having to make the trip 4 times a day!

Cons:
- Traffic, cars, bikes, pedestrians it really feels like no one follows the rules
- Construction - there is nearly always some form of construction blocking part of the way that lasts years
- Safety, I do feel like it comes with a much higher likelihood of an accident
- Repairs, these are inevitable and a pain with an ebike.

We ride pretty much in all weather. I invested in good rain and snow clothes. Occasionally we take the bus when the bike is broken or it is too icy.

I use side streets, protected bike lanes when possible and I tend to ride a low speeds without much assist even though I could go much faster.

Another con is cost. We don't have an e-bikes because they are expensive and seem to crap out faster than you'd expect given the cost. We have friends who are on their 3rd e-bike in 10 years. That's like 15k in e-bikes (they aren't buying the cheapest models). And doesn't even include upkeep costs.

People are always trying to convince us to get an e-bike but the economics don't make sense for us even though I see the benefit of having a way to travel with kids that is faster than walking but more eco-friendly and convenient than a car. If e-bikes were more similar in cost to a regular bike, that would be different.

My sister just bought a low-miles Subaru Forester (2015? 2016?) for $15k. She lives in DC and the mandatory liability insurance on this car is about $85/month. Registration is $175 year. At the rate she drives this car, <1500 miles/year, it will certainly last another 10 years.

No way would i spend the same money on what are essentially disposable e-bikes over the same 10 yr period. And no, the petroleum she is consuming in real-world practice is not actually contributing to climate change in a meaningful way.

because parking. Parking eats up a lot more time than actual driving when you live in dense DC neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights, AdMo, Dupont.

Parking in DC is a huge hassle and one of the things I hate most about driving places.

But parking near my house is really easy, and if I'm taking my kid to school, I'm not parking, just driving through the drop-off lane and then returning home to where I know there will be parking. So it's not really an argument for an e-bike in my specific case. I don't live in one of the neighborhoods you list, though. OP does, maybe that's why she's looking into an e-bike (unclear if OP already has a car or not -- if they have a car, likely they've already worked out the parking issue).

I don’t know about ITDS school, but in most schools you have to park your car and walk your younger kid to classroom. And to pick up it’s the same- you have to park and walk into the school and then wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The protected bike lane along Irving is very nice.

I take my two kids on e-bike to school which we lotteried into.

Pros:
- Much faster and more reliable than any other mode of transit
- Easy to park anywhere
- Easy to carry large amounts of kid stuff
- I am less tired from having to make the trip 4 times a day!

Cons:
- Traffic, cars, bikes, pedestrians it really feels like no one follows the rules
- Construction - there is nearly always some form of construction blocking part of the way that lasts years
- Safety, I do feel like it comes with a much higher likelihood of an accident
- Repairs, these are inevitable and a pain with an ebike.

We ride pretty much in all weather. I invested in good rain and snow clothes. Occasionally we take the bus when the bike is broken or it is too icy.

I use side streets, protected bike lanes when possible and I tend to ride a low speeds without much assist even though I could go much faster.

Another con is cost. We don't have an e-bikes because they are expensive and seem to crap out faster than you'd expect given the cost. We have friends who are on their 3rd e-bike in 10 years. That's like 15k in e-bikes (they aren't buying the cheapest models). And doesn't even include upkeep costs.

People are always trying to convince us to get an e-bike but the economics don't make sense for us even though I see the benefit of having a way to travel with kids that is faster than walking but more eco-friendly and convenient than a car. If e-bikes were more similar in cost to a regular bike, that would be different.

My sister just bought a low-miles Subaru Forester (2015? 2016?) for $15k. She lives in DC and the mandatory liability insurance on this car is about $85/month. Registration is $175 year. At the rate she drives this car, <1500 miles/year, it will certainly last another 10 years.

No way would i spend the same money on what are essentially disposable e-bikes over the same 10 yr period. And no, the petroleum she is consuming in real-world practice is not actually contributing to climate change in a meaningful way.

because parking. Parking eats up a lot more time than actual driving when you live in dense DC neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights, AdMo, Dupont.

Parking in DC is a huge hassle and one of the things I hate most about driving places.

But parking near my house is really easy, and if I'm taking my kid to school, I'm not parking, just driving through the drop-off lane and then returning home to where I know there will be parking. So it's not really an argument for an e-bike in my specific case. I don't live in one of the neighborhoods you list, though. OP does, maybe that's why she's looking into an e-bike (unclear if OP already has a car or not -- if they have a car, likely they've already worked out the parking issue).

I don’t know about ITDS school, but in most schools you have to park your car and walk your younger kid to classroom. And to pick up it’s the same- you have to park and walk into the school and then wait.

Most schools in DC have temporary curb parking areas for these activities. My kids have attended two different elementary schools, and both had areas where you could park and run your kid in for PK drop off, and also park to go pick up. The are not spaces people can park in normally, so they are always available at those times. I think people can park in them on the weekends.

I've never really struggled with parking for drop-off or pick up in DC. We live in a dense part of the city but the schools are surrounded by residential streets, not on big commercial avenues. So it just seems like there is always parking within a block or so. We only drive daily in the dead of winter and occasionally on weekdays where I have to drive to work and do drop off/pick up on the way. But parking has not really been a limiting factor for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The protected bike lane along Irving is very nice.

I take my two kids on e-bike to school which we lotteried into.

Pros:
- Much faster and more reliable than any other mode of transit
- Easy to park anywhere
- Easy to carry large amounts of kid stuff
- I am less tired from having to make the trip 4 times a day!

Cons:
- Traffic, cars, bikes, pedestrians it really feels like no one follows the rules
- Construction - there is nearly always some form of construction blocking part of the way that lasts years
- Safety, I do feel like it comes with a much higher likelihood of an accident
- Repairs, these are inevitable and a pain with an ebike.

We ride pretty much in all weather. I invested in good rain and snow clothes. Occasionally we take the bus when the bike is broken or it is too icy.

I use side streets, protected bike lanes when possible and I tend to ride a low speeds without much assist even though I could go much faster.

Another con is cost. We don't have an e-bikes because they are expensive and seem to crap out faster than you'd expect given the cost. We have friends who are on their 3rd e-bike in 10 years. That's like 15k in e-bikes (they aren't buying the cheapest models). And doesn't even include upkeep costs.

People are always trying to convince us to get an e-bike but the economics don't make sense for us even though I see the benefit of having a way to travel with kids that is faster than walking but more eco-friendly and convenient than a car. If e-bikes were more similar in cost to a regular bike, that would be different.

My sister just bought a low-miles Subaru Forester (2015? 2016?) for $15k. She lives in DC and the mandatory liability insurance on this car is about $85/month. Registration is $175 year. At the rate she drives this car, <1500 miles/year, it will certainly last another 10 years.

No way would i spend the same money on what are essentially disposable e-bikes over the same 10 yr period. And no, the petroleum she is consuming in real-world practice is not actually contributing to climate change in a meaningful way.

because parking. Parking eats up a lot more time than actual driving when you live in dense DC neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights, AdMo, Dupont.

Parking in DC is a huge hassle and one of the things I hate most about driving places.

But parking near my house is really easy, and if I'm taking my kid to school, I'm not parking, just driving through the drop-off lane and then returning home to where I know there will be parking. So it's not really an argument for an e-bike in my specific case. I don't live in one of the neighborhoods you list, though. OP does, maybe that's why she's looking into an e-bike (unclear if OP already has a car or not -- if they have a car, likely they've already worked out the parking issue).

I don’t know about ITDS school, but in most schools you have to park your car and walk your younger kid to classroom. And to pick up it’s the same- you have to park and walk into the school and then wait.

Most schools in DC have temporary curb parking areas for these activities. My kids have attended two different elementary schools, and both had areas where you could park and run your kid in for PK drop off, and also park to go pick up. The are not spaces people can park in normally, so they are always available at those times. I think people can park in them on the weekends.

I've never really struggled with parking for drop-off or pick up in DC. We live in a dense part of the city but the schools are surrounded by residential streets, not on big commercial avenues. So it just seems like there is always parking within a block or so. We only drive daily in the dead of winter and occasionally on weekdays where I have to drive to work and do drop off/pick up on the way. But parking has not really been a limiting factor for us.

Our school is on 18th st in Adams Morgan and I’ve nearly cried trying to pick up my kid in a car once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are dangerous too. So is walking in the city especially some intersections. You have to take some risks

Kids in cars are strapped in and surrounded by air bags and a two ton steel cage. Kids on bikes have nothing except their crappy little plastic helmets (and sometimes not even that).

I don't think there is enough data to really know what the odds are at this point. You have to consider the behavior in the whole context. With an ebike I am probably living a less vehicle centered life, traveling at much lower speeds, on much less busy streets. I am an adult experienced rider, not a child. And I am using a well maintained ebike that I am not modifying to go higher speeds. The odds being quoted in those sensationalist articles are not considering the use case we are discussing here.

Nonetheless, I do think it carries increased risks compared to other transit methods. I wish there was better data to know what those odds are.

As a driver, I expect that sooner or later, I will be in a crash, regardless of how safely I drive because there's a lot of people moving around and people make bad decisions. Those on two wheels should assume the same.

+1 and I say this as a huge cycling advocate who does most of my travel around town on bike or on foot. My spouse is an excellent cyclist who is very careful, always wears a helmet, and very used to riding in DC. He was once T-boned by a vehicle making an illegal left turn and wound up in the ER. There was no way for him to prevent the accident unless he literally stopped and looked for people making illegal left turns at every intersection. That driver wasn't even moving that fast -- estimated at 10 miles an hour. But because of the angle at which they hit DH, he was thrown over the hood of their car. He was injured but luckily his helmet protected his head and he didn't need major surgery.

But the thought of that happening to one of our kids? I don't even want to think about it. If I'm walking with them on foot, I can easily check for cars doing that kind of thing at every intersection without it slowing us down. If we're driving, I have more confidence other cars can see me plus the car has enough built-in protection that an accident occurring at 10 miles an hour would likely result in no injuries at all. On a bike? People need to be realistic about what risks they are taking putting their kids in that situation.

People tend to ride a lot more cautiously when they're with kids. Quieter routes, slower speeds, head on a swivel.

People in cars don't drive more cautiously because you have your kids on an e-bike.

Anyone who has ever ridden with a kid on a bike is very well aware of that.

And yet you voluntarily put your child in harm's way.

[Anonymous]

I am a huge e-bike proponent (the real e-bikes and not the electric motorcycles pretending to be e-bikes). I’ve ridden thousands of miles on DC city streets sometimes with my child on the back, sometimes alone, and increasingly now accompanied by my elementary aged child riding their own bike just in front of me. I accept that biking in the city is likely the highest risk activity we partake in. I still think it is worth it. I will say in 8 years of daily riding I’ve never been hit or even had a significant close call. I am cautious and pick my route carefully. I follow the rules of the road (not riding through lights etc) and when not in a bike lane I take the lane (meaning I ride in the middle of the lane so cars can’t miss seeing me or sideswipe me).

I fully understand people who don’t feel comfortable doing it but if you are interested in it I also recommend joining the dc family biking group and testing it out.

And yes my bike was expensive but I we still spend less money on it than our car (even though my bike gets more mileage a year than the car).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a huge e-bike proponent (the real e-bikes and not the electric motorcycles pretending to be e-bikes). I’ve ridden thousands of miles on DC city streets sometimes with my child on the back, sometimes alone, and increasingly now accompanied by my elementary aged child riding their own bike just in front of me. I accept that biking in the city is likely the highest risk activity we partake in. I still think it is worth it. I will say in 8 years of daily riding I’ve never been hit or even had a significant close call. I am cautious and pick my route carefully. I follow the rules of the road (not riding through lights etc) and when not in a bike lane I take the lane (meaning I ride in the middle of the lane so cars can’t miss seeing me or sideswipe me).

I fully understand people who don’t feel comfortable doing it but if you are interested in it I also recommend joining the dc family biking group and testing it out.

And yes my bike was expensive but I we still spend less money on it than our car (even though my bike gets more mileage a year than the car).

How fast do you ride, with your kid on their own bike? And what do you do about hills that are too long for the kid?

Because this is the piece OP's DH hasn't really thought through. Eventually the biggest kid is going to age out of being a passenger, and then how does this work? Inspired Teaching to Columbia Heights involves a change in elevation no matter what route is taken. It's very hard for me to believe the hill up Franklin from Lincoln Road to Michigan Ave, for example, is going to be easy for a kid. It will make it way more than a 15-minute commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:The protected bike lane along Irving is very nice.

I take my two kids on e-bike to school which we lotteried into.

Pros:
- Much faster and more reliable than any other mode of transit
- Easy to park anywhere
- Easy to carry large amounts of kid stuff
- I am less tired from having to make the trip 4 times a day!

Cons:
- Traffic, cars, bikes, pedestrians it really feels like no one follows the rules
- Construction - there is nearly always some form of construction blocking part of the way that lasts years
- Safety, I do feel like it comes with a much higher likelihood of an accident
- Repairs, these are inevitable and a pain with an ebike.

We ride pretty much in all weather. I invested in good rain and snow clothes. Occasionally we take the bus when the bike is broken or it is too icy.

I use side streets, protected bike lanes when possible and I tend to ride a low speeds without much assist even though I could go much faster.

Another con is cost. We don't have an e-bikes because they are expensive and seem to crap out faster than you'd expect given the cost. We have friends who are on their 3rd e-bike in 10 years. That's like 15k in e-bikes (they aren't buying the cheapest models). And doesn't even include upkeep costs.

People are always trying to convince us to get an e-bike but the economics don't make sense for us even though I see the benefit of having a way to travel with kids that is faster than walking but more eco-friendly and convenient than a car. If e-bikes were more similar in cost to a regular bike, that would be different.

My sister just bought a low-miles Subaru Forester (2015? 2016?) for $15k. She lives in DC and the mandatory liability insurance on this car is about $85/month. Registration is $175 year. At the rate she drives this car, <1500 miles/year, it will certainly last another 10 years.

No way would i spend the same money on what are essentially disposable e-bikes over the same 10 yr period. And no, the petroleum she is consuming in real-world practice is not actually contributing to climate change in a meaningful way.

because parking. Parking eats up a lot more time than actual driving when you live in dense DC neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights, AdMo, Dupont.

Parking in DC is a huge hassle and one of the things I hate most about driving places.

But parking near my house is really easy, and if I'm taking my kid to school, I'm not parking, just driving through the drop-off lane and then returning home to where I know there will be parking. So it's not really an argument for an e-bike in my specific case. I don't live in one of the neighborhoods you list, though. OP does, maybe that's why she's looking into an e-bike (unclear if OP already has a car or not -- if they have a car, likely they've already worked out the parking issue).

I don’t know about ITDS school, but in most schools you have to park your car and walk your younger kid to classroom. And to pick up it’s the same- you have to park and walk into the school and then wait.

Most schools in DC have temporary curb parking areas for these activities. My kids have attended two different elementary schools, and both had areas where you could park and run your kid in for PK drop off, and also park to go pick up. The are not spaces people can park in normally, so they are always available at those times. I think people can park in them on the weekends.

I've never really struggled with parking for drop-off or pick up in DC. We live in a dense part of the city but the schools are surrounded by residential streets, not on big commercial avenues. So it just seems like there is always parking within a block or so. We only drive daily in the dead of winter and occasionally on weekdays where I have to drive to work and do drop off/pick up on the way. But parking has not really been a limiting factor for us.

Our school is on 18th st in Adams Morgan and I’ve nearly cried trying to pick up my kid in a car once.

Sounds like driving is a bad solution for you then. Though that location is also pretty easily accessible by bus and I'm betting many families live within a 15 minute walk. OP is talking about ITDS which is not centrally located in that way and would be commuting from NW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a huge e-bike proponent (the real e-bikes and not the electric motorcycles pretending to be e-bikes). I’ve ridden thousands of miles on DC city streets sometimes with my child on the back, sometimes alone, and increasingly now accompanied by my elementary aged child riding their own bike just in front of me. I accept that biking in the city is likely the highest risk activity we partake in. I still think it is worth it. I will say in 8 years of daily riding I’ve never been hit or even had a significant close call. I am cautious and pick my route carefully. I follow the rules of the road (not riding through lights etc) and when not in a bike lane I take the lane (meaning I ride in the middle of the lane so cars can’t miss seeing me or sideswipe me).

I fully understand people who don’t feel comfortable doing it but if you are interested in it I also recommend joining the dc family biking group and testing it out.

And yes my bike was expensive but I we still spend less money on it than our car (even though my bike gets more mileage a year than the car).

Your bike gets more mileage than your car because you live in the city and you are using it to replace walking and public transit trips. We live in the city with a car and no e-bike, and almost never use our car. Instead we walk and take public transit.

An e-bike is a luxury item. It's a great way to make a 20 minute walk into a 5 minute bike ride, and it is useful if you are towing small kids or groceries. But they are expensive, have relatively short life spans (compared to both cars and traditional bikes), kids outgrow them before they can safely bike on their own, and yes, they are more dangerous than other options. I'm glad you enjoy riding your e-bike but it's essentially a hobby for you. It's not a replacement for a family car, as you well know, since you still have a car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a huge e-bike proponent (the real e-bikes and not the electric motorcycles pretending to be e-bikes). I’ve ridden thousands of miles on DC city streets sometimes with my child on the back, sometimes alone, and increasingly now accompanied by my elementary aged child riding their own bike just in front of me. I accept that biking in the city is likely the highest risk activity we partake in. I still think it is worth it. I will say in 8 years of daily riding I’ve never been hit or even had a significant close call. I am cautious and pick my route carefully. I follow the rules of the road (not riding through lights etc) and when not in a bike lane I take the lane (meaning I ride in the middle of the lane so cars can’t miss seeing me or sideswipe me).

I fully understand people who don’t feel comfortable doing it but if you are interested in it I also recommend joining the dc family biking group and testing it out.

And yes my bike was expensive but I we still spend less money on it than our car (even though my bike gets more mileage a year than the car).

I sometimes seeing people doing this when I'm driving and the first thing I do is find another route. I am terrified about driving by an elementary school student on a bike. They don't have the skills or reaction time or the presence of mind to deal with unexpected situations and, as a driver, I want no part of that. I am baffled as to why parents think this is a good idea. It seems spectacularly dangerous. I also don't know what the parent trailing behind them thinks they're going to do. If there's an accident, it will be over before you even know what happened.