Had a quick look at their web-site again, seems there`s more options than ever for ebike adventure in N.I. now!!

 

HAVE A BLAST:

Go Further ! .. Join us on top e-blasts, and in the company of our guides, take in some of the most iconic locations across Northern Ireland. Try our top 3 options that include the Titanic Trail & and the Belfast Skyline, the Granite Trail & the Mourne Mountains, and the Giants Trail & the Causeway Coast. E Bikes include helmets, guides, shuttles etc included - 2 hour upwards.

 

More here!! https://discovernorthernireland.com/Electric-Bikes-at-Life-Adventure-Centre-Castlewellan-P52653/

I have to put likes at these two previous comments - simply because I like them but haven't got the nerve to act accordingly.

I know you guys are clever enough to understand and accept our reluctance to take a chance on not being nabbed.

I wasn't born yesterday and have been through a lot in this life especially professionally clean on the roads but as for Sod's Law, well in these uncertain times I feel it is never far away.

We have been at Castlewellan several times Tommie and saw the bikes all sitting after being power washed and ready for hire as per the advert.

The responses to our queries and confusion were along the lines of "we are running a business and providing a service and have no wish to go bankrupt" - words to that effect.

I do envy you guys with youth and health and the will to take a chance. Long may you continue.

Sorry - Off topic for an instant.

By the way Tommie, I did ask a question somewhere but never received a reply.

What is the significance of the bar graph at each member's details? Reactions???

There is green, grey and red so what do they mean. I have blundered about the new format but I can see nothing relating to this.

You seem to have a lot of red and I received an "abusive language" icon on one of mine!!! For what?

There is green, grey and red so what do they mean. I have blundered about the new format but I can see nothing relating to this.

You seem to have a lot of red and I received an "abusive language" icon on one of mine!!! For what?

 

It is the reactions, positive and negative. Tommies red quantity is probably as a result of his outspoken views in the Brexit thread and the opposing side's dissent.

 

As for your abusive language one, it's probably an error. It's all too easy for someone to hover over and click something without realising it and this has happened to many.

.

Sorry - Off topic for an instant.

By the way Tommie, I did ask a question somewhere but never received a reply.

What is the significance of the bar graph at each member's details? Reactions???

There is green, grey and red so what do they mean. I have blundered about the new format but I can see nothing relating to this.

You seem to have a lot of red and I received an "abusive language" icon on one of mine!!! For what?

 

Lol Ted..

 

Yes you got it, wouldn`t pay any attention to those btw........... if you venture anyway near the brexit thread whatever your opinion you`ll get plenty of those `abusive` icons

anyways hope you and the missus keeping well, i`m in much the same boat as yourselves, retired now, and a fairweather bike rider, hoping to get out now this mild weather hangs in.

Lol Ted..

 

Yes you got it, wouldn`t pay any attention to those btw........... if you venture anyway near the brexit thread whatever your opinion you`ll get plenty of those `abusive` icons

anyways hope you and the missus keeping well, i`m in much the same boat as yourselves, retired now, and a fairweather bike rider, hoping to get out now this mild weather hangs in.

Always hoping we will bump into you in Newcastle some day. We will probably be on our Bromptons (no choice) and we always park the Golf at the far end of town opposite the Avoca Hotel.

Keep well.

Hello, just been chatting to a customer who says the police have told him that no electric bikes at all are legal in Northern Ireland. I assured him this was not the case as at the very least the usual EU law applies, and that they're legal across the UK in any case.

 

Anyone heard anything to the contrary, or is this just a case of a local bobby get on his high horse?

 

Anyone been pulled over riding their electric bike anywhere in the UK on such spurious grounds, for that matter?

Yes In Northern Ireland The law is outdated. They are waiting for the Northern Ireland executive to sign the document to put in in line with the rest of the UK. However because they cant agree on anything . They are not in government, and cant sign it. So in NI you have to have it tax insured. Display a full size number plate on your bike. Full motorcycle gear helmet the lot. And your not allowed to ride it on paths or cycle lines. You have to ride in with the ordinary traffic cars bus lorries etc. Really ! Apparently so.

 

Just to see if this is possible. I phoned the DVLA and they need a insurance document to register it . And the insurance company said they need a registration number to insure it. Not frame number. So it catch 22 cant be done.

I can confirm that all of this is correct, however daft.

I am still in contact with Inspector Leech (some of you guys will remember her from the letter she wrote?)

It is obvious what she wants to say but is bound by law(?) not to say it and she is correct.

I still have contact with some retired RUC traffic officers and they say that the current batch of PSNI traffic officers, and perhaps also bobbies on the beat are also obliged to uphold this ludicrous law, and especially if there is an "incident" however innocent whereby injury is involved there would be action as pedelecs here are as illegal as an uninsured, untaxed car.

 

IMO "being careful" and aware on an illegal vehicle e.g. a pedelec is no different to being careful and aware and fingers crossed in an illegal car.

The results may be different but the principle is the same.

 

Those of you folk who don't live in this difficult part of the UK will probably not know how physically sick we feel at the lack of effort of those in "power" to get back to work - but I have tried to stay away from politics on this forum.

Just to see if this is possible. I phoned the DVLA and they need a insurance document to register it . And the insurance company said they need a registration number to insure it. Not frame number. So it catch 22 cant be done.

 

There's a misunderstanding here, the insurance document is only needed by them for a vehicle that is already type approved.

 

Pedelecs are not type approved since the type approval regulation 168/2013 exempts them from being motor vehicles. That is the first catch 22.

 

The method of getting round that in a case such a N.I. is to obtain an individual MSVA (Motor Cycle Vehicle Approval) which results in a certificate that the DVLA accepts to register the machine.

 

The MSVA is obtained at a DVLA vehicle inspectorate testing location, but the second catch is that it will be registered as a low powered moped (maximum 1000 watts and 15.5 mph assist) which means it must have the fittings appropriate to that. Those are lights, a rear view mirror, horn, brakelight and rear number plate mount with illumination. Can be done and some have done it, but it's not easy. The fee for the test is £55.

 

The third catch is that N.I. doesn't have a test centre, you'd need to bring the machine to the mainland UK. The location of the test centres is on the map from a link on this web page.

 

The easy way out of all this but at some cost is to buy an S-Class high speed pedelec. These are mostly 350 watts but can have up to 500 watts, and they motor assist up to 45 kph (28 mph). They also have all the necessary bits but in all other respects are just like any other pedelec. They come with a Certificate of Conformity as pre-approved vehicles and the DVLA registers on presentation of that. Once registered you then get insurance in the usual way. That can be a bit troublesome since they aren't in insurance company lists of vehicles, but many have succeeded, including some of our members.

 

P.S. This high speed class does require an appropriate driving licence. In the UK that's any one of the following:

 

Groups Q, AM, P or A.

.

Edited February 17, 20197 yr by flecc

I can confirm that all of this is correct, however daft.

I am still in contact with Inspector Leech (some of you guys will remember her from the letter she wrote?)

It is obvious what she wants to say but is bound by law(?) not to say it and she is correct.

 

Not quite correct Ted, see my post just above.

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Not quite correct Ted, see my post just above.

.

The use of pedelecs as we know them is by and large illegal in N.I.

As you have suggested there are probably ways around the ability to use them but none of these are of any interest to us personally.

We bought bicycles which made cycling easier due to our age and my health issues.

I have no wish to go around the houses and jump through hoops to use our bicycles, nor will we be spending any more of our pensions to appease the system.

We unwittingly made a mistake upon our return to this part of the UK and we will have to live with that.

The use of pedelecs as we know them is by and large illegal in N.I.

As you have suggested there are probably ways around the ability to use them but none of these are of any interest to us personally.

We bought bicycles which made cycling easier due to our age and my health issues.

I have no wish to go around the houses and jump through hoops to use our bicycles, nor will we be spending any more of our pensions to appease the system.

We unwittingly made a mistake upon our return to this part of the UK and we will have to live with that.

 

Yes that's understood Ted, my post was just to avoid there being any misunderstanding on the full position.

.

Yes that's understood Ted, my post was just to avoid there being any misunderstanding on the full position.

.

Fair comment Flecc and I will always bow to your vast experience.

May I add that when I said "we made a mistake upon moving to another part of the UK" I meant the mistake was to assume the laws here were the same as the rest of the UK where the use of my Powabyke was simple and legal.........if a tad on the porky side.

Edited February 17, 20197 yr by TedG

There must be a lot of Soundwaves in NI now.

I can't say I'm surprised. The local Gestapo have a habit of making laws up to suit their own particular view points. A friend of my son's was 'done' for breaking a non-existent law! He had the wits frightened out of him, spent a night in the cells, and was even fined by the local 'beak' before it was discovered that the actual law (being 'suspected of intending to get in a car and drive whilst over the limit') does not actually exist! He was actually sitting in his (parked) car (passenger side) on his mobile, 'phoning his mum to come and take him home because he knew he was over the limit to drive.......

The charge was eventually overturned and he was let go with a 'warning' (presumably not to 'phone his mum when over the limit ?). Still the whole episode beggared belief. To actually be prosecuted and fined for an offence that doesn't exist.......His solicitor was stunned - even he got a warning for 'talking aggressively' to the policeman he was trying to convince was making up the law as he went

 

Makes me shudder, I've seen a few instances like this and it has left me a rather distrustful of the police. Even worse, PCSO's (shudder...) but that's another story.........

 

Phil

 

That would be "drunk in charge of a vehicle" If hes over the limit in his car with the keys on a public road, that's an offence that comes with a 12 month minimum ban.

Well, I've had my Woosh Rio MTB for about a year and a half now and recently passed the 1000 mile mark. My daily commute is just over 4 miles (2 there and 2 back). Some of that on roads and some on cycle paths.

 

Oh, and I still cycle past a police station twice a day!

 

 

Good luck to you Damian, long may you be safe.

We do envy you but with my luck in the past I would probably be innocently proceeding along the towpath and an off duty plod would be out for a jog, drift towards me and end up in the Lagan.

ello, ello, ello......is that a battery I can see on your velocipede sir?

I would like to think that pc plod would turn a blind eye to this unfortunate situation, Here in NI. Knowing it’s a out off date law waiting on the desk off are MPs. To be overturned. But no sitting MPs to sign it . I mean come on, we are middle age men getting out of a cars doing are bit of the environment. I think they should be looking for more important issues and not harassing old men on bicycles.

I would like to think that pc plod would turn a blind eye to this unfortunate situation, Here in NI. Knowing it’s a out off date law waiting on the desk off are MPs. To be overturned. But no sitting MPs to sign it . I mean come on, we are middle age men getting out of a cars doing are bit of the environment. I think they should be looking for more important issues and not harassing old men on bicycles.

Corsur,you are missing the point,all that you say is factual, but missing the point. I see TedG as the type of person who respects the law and at this stage in life does not want the bother. Keeping a clean slate is important to some people..I know, I am one of them. Whether the offduty PSNI would bother to pick on an old duffer in the normal course of events is moot ,they could.

The other point is that while cycling perfectly safely ,an eejit in a car opens their door and your ebike hits their fragile foot breaking a few bones. The PSNI always get involved in personal injury RTAs . They would have no discretion in not prosecuting,and the personal injuries claims by the car passenger, would obviously make great play on the non taxed and insured reckless irresponsible behaviour of the cyclist. Its a no brainer ,and driving a vehicle which should be taxed and insured is by definition reckless.

Corsur,you are missing the point,all that you say is factual, but missing the point. I see TedG as the type of person who respects the law and at this stage in life does not want the bother. Keeping a clean slate is important to some people..I know, I am one of them. Whether the offduty PSNI would bother to pick on an old duffer in the normal course of events is moot ,they could.

The other point is that while cycling perfectly safely ,an eejit in a car opens their door and your ebike hits their fragile foot breaking a few bones. The PSNI always get involved in personal injury RTAs . They would have no discretion in not prosecuting,and the personal injuries claims by the car passenger, would obviously make great play on the non taxed and insured reckless irresponsible behaviour of the cyclist. Its a no brainer ,and driving a vehicle which should be taxed and insured is by definition reckless.

Many thanks Danidl

You have written exactly what I was preparing and probably did it better.

Word for word I fully agree.

Thank you.

Edited February 19, 20197 yr by TedG

Yes I get the point. It just makes me mad to think. That this wee S*** hole, bit of land 86 miles vertical and 86 miles horizontal. Is the only place, Probably the whole world that you cant ride Ebike without tax Insurance. Get back to work politicians. Get it sorted. And the **** with your silly no good to anyone Irish language act. That’s is why we in this mess because of that crap.

I try to keep out of the politics of this nightmare even though I have written to so many (apparently) in power and been politely told that it is "out of their hands" - all of them??

In fairness the use of pedelecs is probably low and getting lower on the agenda should they ever stop bickering and get back to work instead of making fools of us in the eyes of the world.

All our 33 years living and working in England and never thinking that coming back "home" to retire would be so complicated - in so many ways.

And the **** with your silly no good to anyone Irish language act. That’s is why we in this mess because of that crap.

 

You`re pretty much spot on there corsur.

 

Held to ransom over something that their President and Party Leader can`t even speak themselves never mind the population.

But as we all know that is only a con, a stunt to destabilise N. Ireland.

 

Unfortunately as well as all that we have a weak and spineless lot in the Tory government at Westminster that wont or can`t stand up to this nonsense.

 

Will this type stop me enjoying my ebike??

 

That would be a NO.

Corsur,you are missing the point,all that you say is factual, but missing the point. I see TedG as the type of person who respects the law and at this stage in life does not want the bother. Keeping a clean slate is important to some people..I know, I am one of them. Whether the offduty PSNI would bother to pick on an old duffer in the normal course of events is moot ,they could.

The other point is that while cycling perfectly safely ,an eejit in a car opens their door and your ebike hits their fragile foot breaking a few bones. The PSNI always get involved in personal injury RTAs . They would have no discretion in not prosecuting,and the personal injuries claims by the car passenger, would obviously make great play on the non taxed and insured reckless irresponsible behaviour of the cyclist. Its a no brainer ,and driving a vehicle which should be taxed and insured is by definition reckless.

 

Hi guys

Sorry for butting in again with this tiresome subject but I can't help but feel certain similarities are currently occuring with e-scooters.

We are sadly still off the road for many well documented reasons but we have seen so many who are flouting this (enforceable) law and on at least two occasions we have heard adverse abuse directed at ebike riders regarding illegality.

As I suspected there are many "law experts" wandering about out there who also have a keen ear for personal litigation.

I see ebikes being ridden in Belfast from time to time by brave souls. What an awful state of affairs if you can ride one with certain restrictions quite legally in the republic and in the rest of the UK but NOT in wee Norn Irn. You can burn the Irish flag on bonfires without hindrance from the police but ride an ebike and you risk the full weight of the law coming down on you.