Electric Bikes Terrorize the Streets of China (?)

[daniel.weck]

Electric Bicycles Deadly on China's Streets - WSJ.com

 

[monster]

i like the photo if that general on a bike. its like he actually believes in communism or something!

 

[Lloyd]

2469 deaths from e-bikes? Now that's scary. Doesn't surprise me one little bit though after seeing how they ride them over there! They all seem to think they are China's answer to Steve Mcqueen! I wonder how many of those 2469 went over 15.5mph?

 

[flecc]

This bit right at the end of the article, and particularly the last sentence, highlights the real problem:

A nearby saleswoman offered another solution: After getting a new bike registered with police, a simple adjustment to the motor pushes the maximum speed back up to 20 mph. "Any slower and you might as well ride a bicycle," she said.

She failed to appreciate that the whole point of e-bikes is that they should be bicycles and perform like them, not better than them. Clearly she thinks they are a form of motor vehicle, but I bet she would be unwilling to submit to them being registered, insured and taxed like them.

The same attitudes are all too common here and we see them expressed in this forum. E-bike legislation everywhere is based on them remaining like bicycles with some added power to assist the rider to perform as a fully fit cyclist in adverse circumstances like hills and headwinds, not as a motorcyclist.

Just as in China, if we push the legal envelope too far, we'll get a backlash.
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[jerrysimon]

I agree I think the first serious accident or worse fatality envolving an illegal ebike here in the UK, could see a serious backlash for us. Has there been one yet ?

As Flecc says, for me owning an ebike has enabled me as a less fit person to start cycling again and ride to work (10 mile return commute) which would never have happened under my own pedal power. I really see it as assisted bike riding rather than a seperate type of motorised transport.

In fact I don't want to ride faster than 15mph in my city and at that speed I find the whole experience relaxing and enjoyable.

Regards

Jerry

 

[Alex728]

i like the photo if that general on a bike. its like he actually believes in communism or something!

he might just be the traffic warden, In Asia they are fond of uniforms like that for all sorts of officials

The Chinese are very lucky at the moment as their e-bikes would all require CBT/helmet/license in this country, and when I asked my relatives in Malaysia they said e-bikes were either limited to 12mph or banned outright in some areas.

I think the bikes are registered with cops (such as the military gent's one with a number plate) but they don't as yet need license / helmet...

here in England I fear the real problems will start in 5-10 years time when teens/20 somethings turn to e-bikes..

 

[monster]

thats not bad statistics when you think about it. china has 4 times as many ebike as cars yet they make up only 3% of all road death statistics! am i wrong?

 

[Alex728]

TBH if you did the maths I doubt the actual proportion of deaths are much worse than the amount of young people (both drivers and passengers) killed in road traffic collisions in East Anglia.

The US media are just looking for a story when the reality is its a minor domestic traffic law issue for China which I'm sure the govt of a nation which successfully crushed a widespread popular uprising just two decades ago is perfectly capable of dealing with...

 

[Alex728]

I agree I think the first serious accident or worse fatality envolving an illegal ebike here in the UK, could see a serious backlash for us. Has there been one yet ?

not to my knowledge. The only electric vehicle RTC's have been that of elderly folks mobility scooters, with both driver and victims being of similar age groups.

 

[fishingpaul]

This bit right at the end of the article, and particularly the last sentence, highlights the real problem:

A nearby saleswoman offered another solution: After getting a new bike registered with police, a simple adjustment to the motor pushes the maximum speed back up to 20 mph. "Any slower and you might as well ride a bicycle," she said.

She failed to appreciate that the whole point of e-bikes is that they should be bicycles and perform like them, not better than them. Clearly she thinks they are a form of motor vehicle, but I bet she would be unwilling to submit to them being registered, insured and taxed like them.

The same attitudes are all too common here and we see them expressed in this forum. E-bike legislation everywhere is based on them remaining like bicycles with some added power to assist the rider to perform as a fully fit cyclist in adverse circumstances like hills and headwinds, not as a motorcyclist.

Just as in China, if we push the legal envelope too far, we'll get a backlash.
.

If the speed limit was ror safety i would be all for it,but when you can travel downhill at 50mph with all the extra weight of an up to 40 kilo electric bike,and in most cases no better brakes than a non powered bike,but are restricted to under 15.5 mph on the flat and less than 10mph up hills when far less braking distance is needed,it becomes obvious that the law is an ass,i would be quite happy to be limited to 15mph even downhill if the bike was easilly capable of close to 15mph up steep hills,a bike limited in this way would actually be far safer than they are at present.

 

[fishingpaul]

I agree I think the first serious accident or worse fatality envolving an illegal ebike here in the UK, could see a serious backlash for us. Has there been one yet ?

As Flecc says, for me owning an ebike has enabled me as a less fit person to start cycling again and ride to work (10 mile return commute) which would never have happened under my own pedal power. I really see it as assisted bike riding rather than a seperate type of motorised transport.

In fact I don't want to ride faster than 15mph in my city and at that speed I find the whole experience relaxing and enjoyable.

Regards

Jerry

petrol powered 50cc scooters have been limited to 30mph for many years,riders probably outnumber us by at least 10 to one,and nearly all bikes have been derestricted it seems is dealer practice to offer derestriction,doing over thirty on a scooter is far more noticeable by a car driver or policeman, than doing over 15mph on an electric bike which is much slower than the speed limit on any road,but i have never even seen a mention of a scooter rider being prosecuted for riding a modified bike.

 

[flecc]

but are restricted to under 15.5 mph on the flat and less than 10mph up hills when far less braking distance is needed,it becomes obvious that the law is an ass,i would be quite happy to be limited to 15mph even downhill if the bike was easilly capable of close to 15mph up steep hills,a bike limited in this way would actually be far safer than they are at present.

Although I agree the faster up a hill, the safer, I can't go along with the idea that the law being wrong on this. The legal intention is that an e-bike should be as much like an ordinary bike as possible, just giving help to those who need it. Ordinary bikes aren't ridden uphills faster than 10 mph, in fact it's usually a lot slower even with sport riders. E-bikes aren't restricted to 15.5 mph either, it's only the power assistance that's limited to that. Fit riders who want to pedal faster can still do so.

The same goes for the forthcoming pedelec only rule, ordinary bikes only get propelled when pedalled.

All in all I think that when they are observed, the EU regulations in particular do a good job in keeping e-bikes very close to average normal bikes. We may not like the restrictions and we don't have to put up with them. If we want to do things differently, we can, but then we have to accept that our bikes must then be traceable (with registration) and insured to protect others from the possible consequences.

The position with derestriction of 50cc scooters is different since they are registered, traceable and insured, so the consequences of the law being broken can be dealt with
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[eddieo]

You have to remember, we don't get stuck in traffic, stop at lights or have to faff around looking for parking........So "speed" is all relative as most city journeys are more efficient and far less frustrating by E Bike

average car speed 7mph (London) bike 12 - 15 mph according to this research. So...the car may be capable of 140mph and you only18mph but the reality is you average twice the speed of the car!lol

Average speed of a car in London is just 7mph, says Citroen Bike For All >> The essential resource for everyone who cycles... or is thinking about it.

 

[john]

You have to remember, we don't get stuck in traffic, stop at lights or have to faff around looking for parking........So "speed" is all relative as most city journeys are more efficient and far less frustrating by E Bike

average car speed 7mph (London) bike 12 - 15 mph according to this research. So...the car may be capable of 140mph and you only18mph but the reality is you average twice the speed of the car!lol

Average speed of a car in London is just 7mph, says Citroen Bike For All >> The essential resource for everyone who cycles... or is thinking about it.

Not quite twice I think. The article doesn't actually give the average speed for a bicycle.

 

[flecc]

Not quite twice I think. The article doesn't actually give the average speed for a bicycle.

They did say John:

"An average cyclist can travel at 12-15mph, twice the speed of a car in rush-hour London".

It's alongside to the right of the second photo.
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[john]

They did say John:

"An average cyclist can travel at 12-15mph, twice the speed of a car in rush-hour London".

It's alongside to the right of the second photo.
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That's "average cyclist" not "average speed". Not the same thing.
Journalists seem to love to bend the facts to make a better story.

 

[flecc]

That's "average cyclist" not "average speed". Not the same thing.
Journalists seem to love to bend the facts to make a better story.

True, though it has to be said that for cyclists there's little difference between in-traffic riding speed and average speed, especially for the many in London who ignore the lights.
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