June 8, 201213 yr It's absolutely amazing how many cyclist do not follow the rules of the road. Tons driving the wrong way and running lights galore, We suffer exactly the same in Britain and especially in London. Cyclists really are their own worst enemy where getting the approval of the authorities and gaining concessions are concerned.
June 9, 201213 yr We suffer exactly the same in Britain and especially in London. Cyclists really are their own worst enemy where getting the approval of the authorities and gaining concessions are concerned. In London it all works pretty well, generally cyclists only break the law where it is relatively safe. The authorities are well aware of the law breaking and the response varies from targeting and fining offenders, through indifference to changing the law and legalising some of the moves. Some cyclists are a nuisance but they are a minority and I often see the police stopping them so it's not ignored. People shouldn't froth at the mouth just because a cyclist has gone through a red light but think about whether the cyclist was a danger to himself or others. A big part of what the authorities want to achieve in London is 'permiability', this is where bikes flow through gaps that other transport systems wouldn't use, this works best when rules are bent.
June 9, 201213 yr All absolutely true Mussels, I wouldn't disagree with any of that. The problem though is that the majority of the public who don't cycle have a very different perspective on the issue. They see these safe behaviours of the majority of cyclists as exactly the same as the irresponsibility of the minority of cycling nutters. To them it's all breaking the law, taking big risks and worst of all, mostly getting away with it, which is something they really hate. That is a really big problem which is very clearly and frequently expressed through all the media.
September 27, 201213 yr Author Thought I'd update this thread since I had posted misinformation about the legality of electric bikes in NYC. I didn't know there was a federal law and I had thought previously that all electric bikes were banned in NYC. Even the media seems to suggest such, but NYCEwheels has put the following in their October newsletter suggesting otherwise: "Q: Are electric bikes legal? A: It's a sort of grey issue. Federal law states that they are legal when they can't go over 20 mph and require pedaling. In New York City they're legal under 15 mph. The ticketing is sporadic at best. Most people can't even tell an electric bike from a regular bike visually so it's no wonder the laws aren't enforced very strictly." The last sentence is incorrect IMO. Police know the difference. The average citizen doesn't, but police know most of these bikes zipping though traffic at 25mph without pedaling are electric powered. Some even look like scooters and most of them have the huge battery packs. There are some stealth electric bikes such as the Brompton, but the vast majority should be obvious to police. Regardless, they're stupid laws to outlaw viable green transportation. Edited September 28, 201213 yr by polyphasic
September 28, 201213 yr When I was in NYC at the start of August I couldn't believe the number of eZee bikes I saw, I lost count. That tells me cyclist in NYC don't give a dam if theres a law or not.
September 28, 201213 yr States do not have to comply with the Federal law on e-bikes. As I mentioned above, Illinois for example has a total ban on any e-bike and a "catch 22" that they refuse to register any e-bike as a motor vehicle either. That's as total a ban as one could imagine. I know nothing of 15 mph e-bikes being permitted in NYC, the US sites I've seen listing the legal positions by state say all e-bikes are banned in NYC?
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