Guy on Facebook said Police took a ride on his bike ?

Gaz

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 14, 2016
720
556
54
Eastbourne
I love that this thread is still going after four pages already :D

I was making polite conversation with a Police Officer at Eastbourne Airbourne last year. Was quite disappointed when he declined the offer of having a go on it.

Gaz
 
  • :D
Reactions: flecc and LeighPing

LeighPing

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 27, 2016
2,547
1,944
The Red Ditch
That's really OTT, you would not be losing your liberty, even with confiscation, being free to go wherever and whenever you wanted, even on another e-bike. You're maintaining that it's better to lose your bike for several days or even weeks, rather than for two or minutes. That is just weird.

As said, many of the police are well aware of e-bikes and well aware that many are made illegal. This officer saw an obvious sign of a kit bike and gave it a quick check, hardly an inconvenience.

They don't check racing bikes since they have no fixed speed limits, they are naturally safety limited by the rider's fitness to perform, as I've discussed a few times before.
.
'Weird', as with opinions are subjective viewpoints. :)

I have 3 ebikes. Losing one for a while won't hurt me. Not until I'm harassed for the second and definitely the third to be taken away and checked by Gawd knows who by doing Gawd knows what. Probably, I suspect, just more joyrides.

Racing bikes. Safely limited by the rider's ability to pedal fast. lol! :D
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
Racing bikes. Safely limited by the rider's ability to pedal fast. lol! :D

 
  • Agree
Reactions: LeighPing
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
However, normalising those actions with a 'nothing to hide' attitude is tantamount to infringing on us all being stopped on our ebikes for a speed check. I don't see them checking racing bikes that do 40 plus mph. I'd rather lose my ebike for a while than lose my liberty.
How do you suggest the police detect illegal ebikes?
 
  • Like
Reactions: flecc

Andy McNish

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 28, 2018
303
203
Wait until they break the speed limit.
Erm - what limit? 15.5mph - how can you tell it's assisting over that limit exactly and isn't just under pedal power alone?

By the sound of it this was a self-built/modified bike and may actually be illegal (as the FB user stated he had 'set his speed dial to 15.5mph' which implies he can set it higher if he likes).

And I suspect the conversation may have been along the lines of 'Do you mind if I ride it sir to check it's not assisting above 15.5mph? If not I can take it in for proper assessment if you prefer." - so the FB user will have given his permission. It's not likely PC Plod jumped on it and just cycled off is it?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Racing bikes. Safely limited by the rider's ability to pedal fast. lol!
I posted safety limited, not safely limited. The words used do have importance.

You know say they say about sarcasm. There's far more about this subject than the superficial, it needs thought.

The reason we have pedelec restriction on assist speed and power is because almost anyone can get on and ride to the machine's full potential. They can have seriously defective eyesight, terribly slow reactions, be subject to blackouts, be deaf, absent minded and anything else you care to think of.

However, with unpowered cycling there is a very real link between fitness and safety at all levels for all cyclists.

The twenty something keen club road bike rider for example has to be very fit to keep up with or compete with the group in all terrains. It follows that at that age and general health level they are the most likely to have good reactions, eyesight, hearing, alertness etc.

As age advances and/or injuries or health problems occur, a decline in those facilities sets in and there's less ability to compete, to ride very fast or ride for as long.

It follows that unpowered cycling is largely self policing by individual ability. Those who can't do, don't do. That is not a joke as you seem to have thought, it's a simple medical fact of life, and it applies to race bike riders too. Competitions are irrelevant, risks are taken then by choice of course,
.
 
Last edited:
  • Informative
Reactions: LeighPing

LeighPing

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 27, 2016
2,547
1,944
The Red Ditch
And what about the voltage limit? And the power limit?
.
Was he testing those as well then? Yes, the words used do have importance. So, as you seem to have thought that I had a harsh attitude and you seemed to think that I thought it was a joke. Let me say that I thought neither.

Once more, I'm simply discussing what appeared to have occurred and giving my unqualified opinion. :)
 
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
Wait until they break the speed limit.
That's complete nonsense, you are joking right?

Let me explain using a road with a 30mph speed limit for cars as an example:

5mph - illegal on an ebike whose motor can provide assistance above 15.5mph, legal on other ebikes and pedal bikes.

20mph - illegal on an ebike whose motor can provide assistance above 15.5mph, legal on other ebikes and pedal bikes.

35mph - illegal on an ebike whose motor can provide assistance above 15.5mph, legal on other ebikes and pedal bikes.

So, the road speed limit is totally irrelevant to this discussion.

I ask again, how do you suggest the police detect illegal ebikes? ? ?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Was he testing those as well then?
Yes, they are supposed to be tested by a visual check. Here's what the law says about how a legal pedelec is marked:

“(a) it is—

(i) fitted with a plate securely fixed in a conspicuous and readily accessible position showing— (a) the name of the manufacturer of the vehicle, (b) the nominal voltage of the battery (as defined in the 1971 British Standard) of the vehicle, and (c) the continuous rated output (as defined in the 1971 British Standard) of the motor of the vehicle;

or (This second case applies to some very old machines now)

(ii) visibly and durably marked with— (a) the name of the manufacturer of the vehicle, (b) the maximum speed at which the motor can propel the vehicle specified in miles per hour or kilometres per hour, and (c) the maximum continuous rated power (as defined in the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983)(d) of the motor of the vehicle specified in watts or kilowatts;”
.
 
Last edited:
  • Informative
Reactions: LeighPing

LeighPing

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 27, 2016
2,547
1,944
The Red Ditch
That's complete nonsense, you are joking right?

Let me explain using a road with a 30mph speed limit for cars as an example:

5mph - illegal on an ebike whose motor can provide assistance above 15.5mph, legal on other ebikes and pedal bikes.

20mph - illegal on an ebike whose motor can provide assistance above 15.5mph, legal on other ebikes and pedal bikes.

35mph - illegal on an ebike whose motor can provide assistance above 15.5mph, legal on other ebikes and pedal bikes.

So, the road speed limit is totally irrelevant to this discussion.

I ask again, how do you suggest the police detect illegal ebikes? ? ?
I do understand all that. :) But yet again I'll give you the same answer. It may not be the answer that you want. Or even the answer that I want to give, however, it represents the bigger picture. The freedom of legal ebikers against police harassment and any abuse of power to demand free rides. :)
 
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
I do understand all that. :) But yet again I'll give you the same answer. It may not be the answer that you want. Or even the answer that I want to give, however, it represents the bigger picture. The freedom of legal ebikers against police harassment and any abuse of power to demand free rides. :)
I'm not asking how the police shouldn't enforce the law, I'm asking how they should enforce the law....
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
just buy a horse it can go anywhere be parked anywhere free of charge and it can take a 3kg shite right in the middle of the road. :p
 

LeighPing

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 27, 2016
2,547
1,944
The Red Ditch
I'm not asking how the police shouldn't enforce the law, I'm asking how they should enforce the law....
What are you asking me for? I'm retired from policing. Things change over time. :oops:

Perhaps they should ride everyone's ebikes until they find one that goes too fast. o_O Or perhaps they should follow one, as in this case where the guy didn't speed at all, and then pull him over as though he had committed an offence. Only to find that none was being committed. :rolleyes:

Or maybe they could just look at their speedometer, see that no speed restrictions were being abused and let the guy go about his day. :p
 
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
What are you asking me for? I'm retired from policing. Things change over time. :oops:

Perhaps they should ride everyone's ebikes until they find one that goes too fast. o_O Or perhaps they should follow one, as in this case where the guy didn't speed at all, and then pull him over as though he had committed an offence. Only to find that none was being committed. :rolleyes:

Or maybe they could just look at their speedometer, see that no speed restrictions were being abused and let the guy go about his day. :p
All complete nonsense. As I thought, you don't have any serious suggestions.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: LeighPing