Surprise Surprise Number plates etc

overlander

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Apr 22, 2009
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Surprise surprise, as sure as the sun rises and sets they are using the recent events to further clamp down on any kind of personel transport.

They are using these idiots running around with illegal e-bikes, motorbikes etc and using it as an excuse.

Nothing to do with these 15 minute cities or any other of their nonsensical schemes.

 

guerney

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StuartsProjects

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There are elements in the current Government who whilst on the outside appear to be all in favour of encouraging cycling because it makes them look good to voters, they are not really that keen on some sections of society having cheap and affordable travel to work.

The article from Sky was a pile of junk;

"E-bikes can weigh twice as much as a conventional bicycle, and while most cannot travel faster than 15.5mph by law, some have been modified to go much faster."

An eBike may add around 5kg to a conventional bike, so in terms of weight in a collision (assuming the bike has a rider) the legal eBike is maybe 5% to 10% heavier, big deal.

And yes eBikes have been modified to travel at much faster speeds. Cars and motorbikes need license plates, but still a great many travel at much faster speeds than is legal.

So would license plates on cycles make the riders keep to speed limits ?

"However, many have argued that e-bikes are no longer as safe.
On Friday 9 June, a 15-year-old boy who was riding an eclectic bike died in a collision with an ambulance after being followed by police in Salford."


It reamains to be seen, but the bike in that incident does not appear be be a UK legal Pedalec.

"E-bikes and e-scooters can achieve considerable speeds and cause damage to other vehicles and injure people, so should have to carry the same insurance requirements and tax liabilities as users of motor cars."

Yes, the illegal ones can achieve considerable speeds.

But the legal 'eBikes' travel at much the same speed as non-electric cycles, so those proposing insurance for legal 'eBikes' must logically agree (or are planning too) apply the insurance requirement to all cycles perhaps ?
 
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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It remains to be seen, but the bike in that incident does not appear be be a UK legal Pedalec.
I has been clarified that it was once again a Sur-ron off road electric motorcycle, not in any way an EAPC. Foot pegs, no pedals, and top speed circa 50 mph. The simplest and cheapest version the maker describes as a Off-road Dirt Bike.

But we don't need to start worrying about registration etc. for pedelecs or ordinary bicycles, it isn't going to happen for a number of reasons.
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overlander

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 22, 2009
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There are elements in the current Government who whilst on the outside appear to be all in favour of encouraging cycling because it makes them look good to voters, they are not really that keen on some sections of society having cheap and affordable travel to work.

The article from Sky was a pile of junk;

"E-bikes can weigh twice as much as a conventional bicycle, and while most cannot travel faster than 15.5mph by law, some have been modified to go much faster."

An eBike may add around 5kg to a conventional bike, so in terms of weight in a collision (assuming the bike has a rider) the legal eBike is maybe 5% to 10% heavier, big deal.

And yes eBikes have been modified to travel at much faster speeds. Cars and motorbikes need license plates, but still a great many travel at much faster speeds than is legal.

So would license plates on cycles make the riders keep to speed limits ?

"However, many have argued that e-bikes are no longer as safe.
On Friday 9 June, a 15-year-old boy who was riding an eclectic bike died in a collision with an ambulance after being followed by police in Salford."


It reamains to be seen, but the bike in that incident does not appear be be a UK legal Pedalec.

"E-bikes and e-scooters can achieve considerable speeds and cause damage to other vehicles and injure people, so should have to carry the same insurance requirements and tax liabilities as users of motor cars."

Yes, the illegal ones can achieve considerable speeds.

But the legal 'eBikes' travel at much the same speed as non-electric cycles, so those proposing insurance for legal 'eBikes' must logically agree (or are planning too) apply the insurance requirement to all cycles perhaps ?
In a sane world I agree with all that you say. However with this current mob in power the finer details will be irrelevant. I believe its already happened in Italy, I think its for all bikes so unfortunately its only a matter of time.
 
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overlander

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 22, 2009
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I has been clarified that it was once again a Sur-ron off road electric motorcycle, not in any way an EAPC. Foot pegs, no pedals, and top speed circa 50 mph. The simplest and cheapest version the maker describes as a Off-road Dirt Bike.

But we don't need to start worrying about registration etc. for pedelecs or ordinary bicycles, it isn't going to happen for a number of reasons.
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Hopefully you are correct flecc
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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In a sane world I agree with all that you say. However with this current mob in power the finer details will be irrelevant. I believe its already happened in Italy, I think its for all bikes so unfortunately its only a matter of time.
It hasn't happened in Italy. One leader of a party within their coalition government says he is in favour of it but he doesn't have the final say. And when an opposing party leader recommended the same a little while ago he described it as insane.
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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Hopefully you are correct flecc
I am absolutely certain of it, governments don't make such fundamental policy. If they did the country would be in a far greater mess than it is already.

There's three types of policy. One is the manifesto policies of a parties wishing to be voted into power, and we all know how often governents fail to deliver on those.

Another is policy made "on the hoof" to cope with events, and once again we all know how often that fails.

And then there's the real fundamental policies that endure over time through governments of any persuasion. All originally the policies of past governments which made the most sense, these are administered by the Civil Service, who engineer successive governments into following them.

One of those fundamental policies which is not only Europe wide but Western world wide, is the intention to get populations cycling instead of only driving cars, so nothing is allowed to be done that might harm that ambition.

The briefest of hints of this. The way every attempt over time to introduce compulsory cycle helmets is ruthlessly crushed. Even the more recent attempt to introduce that for Children only was prevented by the government, refusing to allow MPs to even discuss it in parliament.

And of course the pro-cycling measures, like the alterations to the Highway Code to give vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists more priority over motor traffic, the first step in a program of such changes, which includes the 20 mph limits springing up everywhere.

Also the effect of another fundamental policy, that of effectively staying within the EU despite the referendum, which means we have to keep to the identical transport policies that borderless Europe has, including that for cycling. That is why we have the Great Repeal Bill, which actually didn't repeal anything, it simply wrote all 44 years of EU law permanently into UK law.
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Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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One of the morons who rides a suron bike in my neck of the woods was at it again tonight , riding out of the main town road (London Road on to the Tushmore roundabout /A23 ), no lights all blacked up like a you know what and riding on the back wheel only . His front wheel almost up against the rear window of the car he was following , probably one of his boyracer boy friends.
 
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I893469365902345609348566

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 20, 2021
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I was overtaken by one doing a wheelie recently but deleted the video. Here's 7 of them zooming past me ignoring traffic lights.

 
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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Here's 7 of them zooming past me ignoring traffic lights.
They seem to be rapidly becoming as essential as a smartphone with teenage boys, at circa £4K each one wonders where all the money is coming from.

I can only think of the illicit drugs trade as a large enough source. Maybe time for Singapore's approach, their mandatory death sentence for any handling of illicit drugs. That could eliminate half of all criminality in a single stroke.
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guerney

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jimriley

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They seem to be rapidly becoming as essential as a smartphone with teenage boys, at circa £4K each one wonders where all the money is coming from.

I can only think of the illicit drugs trade as a large enough source. Maybe time for Singapore's approach, their mandatory death sentence for any handling of illicit drugs. That could eliminate half of all criminality in a single stroke.
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So would legalising cannabis, like many civilised countries.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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So would legalising cannabis, like many civilised countries.
Partially agree, but it still leaves most of the criminality connected to Cocaine and Heroin addictions.

So I say countries should choose which way. Full legalisation of supply or maximum penalty. Both can work.
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