D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
Stop being a kill-joy. This vehicle was going round the event last year, I expect you want it banned too as it's almost certainly illegal in your definition.
Invitation to all E bikers - why not have a go 23 June
- Thread starter Atmosphere
- Start date
It's not my definition. I've not got time to explain to you what the difference is between an Ebike and a motor vehicle, but it has been coverd very clearly on this forum in the past. Also, if you research it on the Internet, you will find further information. Once you have read and understood this, you might have a different opinion.Stop being a kill-joy. This vehicle was going round the event last year, I expect you want it banned too as it's almost certainly illegal in your definition.
What seems starnge to me is the fact that an event has been organised to promote ebikes and a road closure has been obtained on the basis that bicycles will be used to showcase ebikes. So what do the organisers then do? Invite mopeds to take part which makes the basis of the road closure false and also promotes ilegal ebikes. It seems completely nuts to me and totally at odds with what should be happening.
After all that has been said about 50 Cycles not coming clean about the ilegal nature of their S class bikes, there is an unpleasant whiff of hypocrisy about this event. Maybe the organisers should go back to Bristol Council and Avon & Somerset Police and say that they want to close the road so that they can stage moped races. That will give you your answer as to whether this fits my definition of ilegal.
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
I don't know how you jump from electric vehicles to mopeds. The definition is completely different. It's a bit like saying that because a lynx is not a domestic cat, it must be a tiger. Anyway, if you care to look up the definition of a legal electric bicycle, you'll notice that your bike is illegal. Does that make it a moped too?
You know exactly what I am saying, so don't try and cloud the issue. These ilegal ebikes are essentially mopeds and fall outside any easements afforded to compliant ebikes and that includes the ones to which the official blind eye is turned.
You can't close a road in order to race mopeds for prizes. To try and do it on the back of an event which is intended to promote legal ebikes is plain stupid. The moped boys can go and race in a farmer's field or something similar, if that's what does it for them.
My local village would likely be only too happy to stage such an event on one of our local fields actually - provided the patrons of the local boozer and our local resident copper could have a go on them themselves after a few pints as part of the deal. Ah ... I'm seriously looking forward to some months of normality returning where small communities make their own rules and basically no-one gives a hoot about technicalities as long as people are sensible. There may actually be a prospect of a bit of fun now and again. It'll make a welcome change to life in the Urban kindergarten !
Where did you get that idea from?
The old Birmingham Super Prix comes to mind. But there are plenty of other motor vehicle road races around the UK.
If organised properly, your idea might be fun and it might be legal. However, closing a street within a major city on the pretence of it being a cycling event is not the way to do it. Ebikes need to be shown to be a credible form of transport and for that to happen the activity of electrically assisted cycling has to be promoted in a mature and responsible way. If the press got hold of what is going to take place in Bristol and the illegal nature of some of the proposed events, they would focus on that aspect and it would do damage. Something that we could do without.
I really can't see what the organisers want to showcase by inviting grown men and women to taz about on mopeds at a cycling event. Its a form of deception, because the average person watching isn't going to know that they are actually witnessing a man on a moped. There are plenty of good quality legal ebikes out there which will create an excellent impression. Keep the theme to just how good legal eBiking is.
I'm astonished that some of the other suppliers haven't been voicing the same concerns after the bashing that they have given to 50 Cycles recently over illegal ebikes.
Events such as the Birmingham thing required an act of parliament to suspend The Road Traffic Act, which is enormously complicated. There might be a handful of other events, a Jim Clark memorial race is one which springs to mind, for which road closures are granted, but I doubt that the Bristol organisers have anything like this in place.
It's easier to stage a competition on a road if the vehicles taking part comply with the RTA (construction & use, speed limits, MoTs, VEL, insurance in place etc), but unfortunately, the mopeds in question at the Bristol event won't comply, so act of parliament required.
Thankfully, there is a lobby working hard to make it easier to bring proper motor vehicle racing to the mainland UK which I think is a good and exciting thing. What the lobby is not doing is staging motor racing under the cloak of other legal motoring events. That would be a silly and immature course of action which would ultimately damage their cause.
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If there's a Veterans' category, I'll give it a go - Don't much fancy putting up against the young bloods 
)
Ignore the rantings of the Soapbox lawyers - This forum's getting to be tiresome in the extreme - to the point where it's damn nearly not worth contributing to.
If I hadn't had such a great time over the 4 days, so far, of the Eden event, at which I've been amazed at the mutual cameraderie, bull**** & general good-natured p1$$-taking among nearly all of the exhibitors; I would have simply walked away by now.
Rant over - Pardon?
)Ignore the rantings of the Soapbox lawyers - This forum's getting to be tiresome in the extreme - to the point where it's damn nearly not worth contributing to.
If I hadn't had such a great time over the 4 days, so far, of the Eden event, at which I've been amazed at the mutual cameraderie, bull**** & general good-natured p1$$-taking among nearly all of the exhibitors; I would have simply walked away by now.
Rant over - Pardon?
I hope the organizers have considered fully whether they are covered by the insurance of the event and conducted a health and safety review in allowing this addition, if not, they could be liable should anything go wrong.
I also think that prospective customers could get a false perspective of what an ebike can achieve in the realms of performance unless fully explained to the public during the showing of the over power vehicles in competition.
To be honest I can not see any advantages to the dealers in doing this with an already successful event.
Perhaps Atmosphere can explain why?
I also think that prospective customers could get a false perspective of what an ebike can achieve in the realms of performance unless fully explained to the public during the showing of the over power vehicles in competition.
To be honest I can not see any advantages to the dealers in doing this with an already successful event.
Perhaps Atmosphere can explain why?
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As d8veh showed above and the former Presteigne event showed annually, this events are fun things for which normal rules are suspended for the sake of everyone's pleasure as they let their hair down and relax.
I doubt if a few over powered e-bikes will give the general public will get any more of a wrong idea about legal e-biking than they already have. After all, they already often sign in here and ask for an e-bike that will take their circa 20 stones up their local steep hill with ease without pedalling! So whether they see events such as this or not, we or dealers still have to gently dispel their notions about e-bikes having motor vehicle capabilities.
I'm sure everyone who goes to the Bristol event will have a great time and am equally sure neither the local authority or the police will be in the least bit concerned about who or what is taking part.
I doubt if a few over powered e-bikes will give the general public will get any more of a wrong idea about legal e-biking than they already have. After all, they already often sign in here and ask for an e-bike that will take their circa 20 stones up their local steep hill with ease without pedalling! So whether they see events such as this or not, we or dealers still have to gently dispel their notions about e-bikes having motor vehicle capabilities.
I'm sure everyone who goes to the Bristol event will have a great time and am equally sure neither the local authority or the police will be in the least bit concerned about who or what is taking part.
First of all, contrary to your previous post, can we agree that this is a competitive event with prizes?
Secondly, would the organisers be comfortable informing Bristol City Council and Avon & Somerset Police that they intend to competatively race machines with no upper power limit and exceeding 250 Watts on a public road?
I'm not being a kill joy and I would like to see this happen as much as the next person, but you can't just do as you like if you want to be taken seriously. It's going to be like watching Last of the Summer Wine on fast forward. Probably the best way to watch it, second only to not at all.
Err.....seems to me that you are?
If you're not going why is it a concern of yours, just let them get on with it. I'm sure everyone who takes part will have a good time, while you're bitterly tapping away on your keyboard.
I dont post much but enjoy reading the forum, however as one of the previous posters said, topics of late on here just seem to come down to slagging matches. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it.
I'm sure there will be some witty response to this post but while your typing that, I'll be out riding my bike!
It concerns me because I enjoy riding my electrically assisted bike, it's very useful and I enjoy the privileges and the easements in law that owning one brings. I want it to stay that way.
I see this official backed illegal event as a potential threat to the privileges which I (we) all enjoy. I would like to bet that the council and police don't know what is taking place because certain facts will have been omitted from the application to stage it. This is as bad as lying, in fact it is lying through omission. Just keep the event legal, use legal ebikes and everyone can have fun and enjoy it.
I wasn't aware that this was a, "slagging match". Perhaps if you read the thread more carefully and learn to decode what is actually being said, you will have more success.
Thank you for the advice regarding what I can and can't post. I will of course ignore it.
Yes, I agree that it is a competitive event of sorts, but hardly a serious one! You really are missing the point, it's not meant to be taken seriously, like all such events it's about fun!
No-one is going to be misled, all those taking part in a sprint up the hill will be pedalling like mad so not giving any idea of how much a motor is contributing.
As a sideline to the fun the organiser hopes to spread some greater awareness that bicycles can be power assisted and reap some sales. I hope they are very successful in this.
When running a Mini Cooper Club region back in the 70's we had several members wanting us to organize a rally, a compromise was found as the restrictions imposed were too great. We were allowed to run treasure hunts (effectively the same thing) but with no timing/speed element, restricted numbers and full safety scrutinizing of the vehicle before taking part.
If only I was young again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzTKR7aq-Co
If only I was young again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzTKR7aq-Co
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Amazing. here's a slightly better version [video=youtube;DBBJCCf86bs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBBJCCf86bs[/video]
No wonder people dont stick their head above the parapets - its not worth it
This was meant to be a chance to be more inclusive - allowing "home builds" to come and take part in a fun event and show how we all in the electric bike world approach things from different directions.
But that doesnt seem to please some people
Anyway i have decided to change the rules slightly to try and get back to the original ethos
Open Event
Class 1) Open to anyone with a road legal bike that just fancies having a go - racing is not really the aim but it was to allow all to enter. Bike will be scrutineer-ed before racing to ensure we dont get anything dangerous entering. Open to ALL Ages ( over 14 to follow the rules)
Class 2) Open to other electric bikes. Bike will be scrutineer-ed before racing. There will be no prizes, no racing but maybe something for best fancy dress
I look forward to meeting you all on the day and hope you all leave with massive smiles
This was meant to be a chance to be more inclusive - allowing "home builds" to come and take part in a fun event and show how we all in the electric bike world approach things from different directions.
But that doesnt seem to please some people
Anyway i have decided to change the rules slightly to try and get back to the original ethos
Open Event
Class 1) Open to anyone with a road legal bike that just fancies having a go - racing is not really the aim but it was to allow all to enter. Bike will be scrutineer-ed before racing to ensure we dont get anything dangerous entering. Open to ALL Ages ( over 14 to follow the rules)
Class 2) Open to other electric bikes. Bike will be scrutineer-ed before racing. There will be no prizes, no racing but maybe something for best fancy dress
I look forward to meeting you all on the day and hope you all leave with massive smiles
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
You definitely are. You've just promoted yourself to the position of Fun Prevention Officer.
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