Class 3 laws

Comment please


  • Total voters
    5
  • Poll closed .
Why mess with the current class 3 specification?, ( this would cause problems for people that currently ride class 3 ). Why not just make an e-moped class and leave the current classes as they are?
Excellent point.
 
What you are describing is an electric scooter and no need to change the current regulations. City streets in the United States will never be safe for cyclists as they are designed to give first priority to motor vehicles and then second priority to providing subsidized parking for motor vehicles.

This is reflected in city and transportation planning over the past 75 years with GM, Firestone Tire, and Standard Oil conspiring and successfully buying all the eletric street car lines in the country and then ripping out the rails and burning all the trolley cars. Vastly different in Europe where the governments do the planning and not capitalist corporations. In the USA corportations can steal and murder with complete impunity and they even get to vote with their funding of politicians and governement agencies. As per the golden rule, those with the gold make the rules.
 
. Carrying a kid in the front and a kid in the rear and a kid carrier with two more kids in it.

Laws need to be simple and straightforward and they need to have the manufacturers involved to agree on a compliance standard which already seems to be the class system any changes should result from a Consortium Round Table of user groups and the manufacturers that would then lobby for bill sponsors.
You ever been to cozumel? Scooters are primarily. Mom dad kid in front mom on back holding another kid in one arm and groceries in the other. Lol its a site
 
eBikes that can't go at least 35 mph are dangerous as phuc for street riding. A typical 20 mph eBike is stuck riding on city trails, because on the street you're just a rolling road block. Fortunately the police in most large citys in America don't waste their time worrying about whether your eBike meets the letter of the law, and are only going to pull you over for stupid conduct. This applys to both the street, and trails. A lot of manufacturers are taking note of this reality, and building bikes now with more power, and so far it hasn't resulted in any increas in fatalities even though eBikes sales are exploding. This is similar to the findings of the Hurt Report back in the early 80s when the government wanted to ban open class motorcycles. The problem was the report findings found that it was the 600 class bikes that were over represented in fatalities, not open class.
 
eBikes that can't go at least 35 mph are dangerous as phuc for street riding. A typical 20 mph eBike is stuck riding on city trails, because on the street you're just a rolling road block. Fortunately the police in most large citys in America don't waste their time worrying about whether your eBike meets the letter of the law, and are only going to pull you over for stupid conduct. This applys to both the street, and trails. A lot of manufacturers are taking note of this reality, and building bikes now with more power, and so far it hasn't resulted in any increas in fatalities even though eBikes sales are exploding. This is similar to the findings of the Hurt Report back in the early 80s when the government wanted to ban open class motorcycles. The problem was the report findings found that it was the 600 class bikes that were over represented in fatalities, not open class.

An e-bike can go as fast as any other bike. You just have to supply the power yourself once you reach the limit of the assist.

I don’t think that the speed specification is for the operator’s safety as much as it is for the safety of other cyclists and pedestrians. If someone feels the need to ride at speeds that exceed the legal classes, they should probably ride an e-scooter, e-moped or e-motorcycle. If it’s an e-bike, it should fall within the specification that defines one.
 
An e-bike can go as fast as any other bike. You just have to supply the power yourself once you reach the limit of the assist.

I don’t think that the speed specification is for the operator’s safety as much as it is for the safety of other cyclists and pedestrians. If someone feels the need to ride at speeds that exceed the legal classes, they should probably ride an e-scooter, e-moped or e-motorcycle. If it’s an e-bike, it should fall within the specification that defines one.

The problem is there's no way to enforce regualtions limiting speed or power of an eBike. No matter what limit you think is permissable, I can meet that limit with the press of a button. It's impossable to limit equipment, but what can be regulated is conduct. When anyone is riding in an unsafe manner that endangers others, they should have to pay the price.
 
The problem is there's no way to enforce regualtions limiting speed or power of an eBike. No matter what limit you think is permissable, I can meet that limit with the press of a button. It's impossable to limit equipment, but what can be regulated is conduct. When anyone is riding in an unsafe manner that endangers others, they should have to pay the price.
If an “e-bike” exceeds the very specification that makes it an e-bike, then it isn’t really an e-bike. It may be an electric motorcycle, moped or motor-scooter and if it is, it should be treated as such. I feel that we are fortunate that the three classes of e-bikes are allowed to be operated for the most part as bicycles.

I was seeing e-bikes in Europe 15 years ago. I actually think that they have the right idea. A class 3 is legal, but it must be registered as a moped. Why not? That’s basically what it is.
 
I have a class 3. It's from bosch and uses a torque sensor. It will go 28mph but the rider has to put much effort to get there. Bosch does not produce motors with throttles. I think that's where the problem starts with higher speeds. With a throttle it's easy to maintain these higher speeds where as a peddle only bike it's rarely going the 28mph because you just can't maintain the effort. I enjoy my access to the awesome bike trails by me. Maybe just maybe the regulations could be changed to if the bike can go 28 or higher it can't get to those speeds with a throttle. I k ow that thought will cause heated debate.
The reality is new laws are going to be placed in a knee jerk fashion. If more and more bikes take to the trails and they are constantly going 30mph you can be sure these bikes are going to be banned. Worst yet they will be classified as mopeds and thus baned from trails. I think as a privileged class 3 rider we need to be in the middle of open discussion b4 we get wiped out.
I'm 63 with advanced arthritis. Just got a ankle replaced and in line for a knee replacement. I need a more powerful higher torque bike. Even if my bike is limited to 20 there is times that I exceed 35 coasting down hill.
So did I break any laws? Analog bikes also can coast at higher speeds. Right now there is very little inforcement but that could change.
Going down hill coasting can hurt people just as much as going 30 under power. Our bikes weight double what an analog bike does but they have Supreme braking.
My vote would be no throttle on trails. It's easy to disguise a class 3 as a class 2.
What really pisses me off is the Jerks with the super high speed/power non peddle bikes on the trails. They are going to wreck it for the rest of us. You know who you are.
 
Ebike class 3
Maximum speed of 35 mph
Throttle or pedal assist
No weight limit
No motor size limit
Must have two mirrors
White headlight and red tail lights
Also side marker light and red brake light
Rewire a auditable horn
Rider must wear safety yellow or safety green with reflective stripes
Require a reflective helmet and eye protection
Must have a drivers license
Must have a license plate
Must have insurance

My thinking is that most residential speed limits are 35 mph and it is more safe to stay up with traffic than be passed by it
Also thinking that ebike riders on the streets would be more inclined to follow the rules that are now in place that state they must use the same traffic laws as automobiles
Paul there are some issues with your thoughts. Basically if this was enacted, you might as well buy a small displacement motorcycle for less than an e bike with those capabilities.
 
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