Throttle as a safety feature.

[topstone]

In the UK an Ebike used on a public road cannot have a throttle fitted or go faster on electric than 25Km/h. Who the hell knows why? Its quite obvious that the ppl writing these laws have not consulted with the cycling community, and seem to have dreamt the rules up after one of their tax payer funded 6 course taster menus.
Throttles are most definitely a safety feature, as is being able to cycle faster than 15.6 mph when safe or necessary. Most of them have never ridden a bike, but just enact laws with no comeback on them, as a knee jerk reaction to someone causing an accident by riding one too fast.

 

[biknut]

In the UK an Ebike used on a public road cannot have a throttle fitted or go faster on electric than 25Km/h. Who the hell knows why? Its quite obvious that the ppl writing these laws have not consulted with the cycling community, and seem to have dreamt the rules up after one of their tax payer funded 6 course taster menus.
Throttles are most definitely a safety feature, as is being able to cycle faster than 15.6 mph when safe or necessary. Most of them have never ridden a bike, but just enact laws with no comeback on them, as a knee jerk reaction to someone causing an accident by riding one too fast

They're probably taking bribes from the motorcycle lobby.

 

[HoppyUK]

In the UK an Ebike used on a public road cannot have a throttle fitted or go faster on electric than 25Km/h... <snip>

It's not true that you cannot legally have a throttle in UK, although it's a common phrase I've heard a few times from bike sales folks. But they're lying, because they only sell premium mid-motor (eg Bosch) ebikes that don't have throttles.

In simple terms, the law says the throttle-only mode must be limited to 4mph, but when the pedals are turning the throttle can be unlimited. That's exactly how my RadRunner-Plus works and it has a CE/EPAC compliance sticker. In practise, 4mph is enough to get underway safely and be on the pedals again before the cut-off. As a workaround, it's fine.

Furthermore, if you really want a full-time throttle you can have one via a historical loophole in this legislative mess, by submitting your bike for individual testing and approval. Wisper bikes can have this done from new https://wisperbikes.com/full-throttle-option/

In practise, most of the ebikes I see around the UK have throttles and are often used without pedalling. This is clearly illegal but the police don't take any notice. They don't bother with escooters either, even though there are swarms of them and they're all illegal by definition (unless part of an approved hire scheme).

However, if you ride like a nob without consideration for others, you will eventually get pulled over and risk prosecution and confiscation. This happens from time to time, and is well publicised, when police do a round-up of all the ramshackle courier bikes with their blatantly obvious illegal and often lethal DIY conversions.

 

[HumanPerson]

In practise, most of the ebikes I see around the UK have throttles and are often used without pedalling. This is clearly illegal but the police don't take any notice. They don't bother with escooters either, even though there are swarms of them and they're all illegal by definition (unless part of an approved hire scheme).

However, if you ride like a nob without consideration for others, you will eventually get pulled over and risk prosecution and confiscation. This happens from time to time, and is well publicised, when police do a round-up of all the ramshackle courier bikes with their blatantly obvious illegal and often lethal DIY conversions.

 

[neutron]

Well 4 mph is better than nothing and it would help in a lot of situations, but not much help getting home if you couldn't pedal for some reason. I'm especially thinking of the time I had an accident and fractured my sternum. Knocked the wind out of me and I was in a lot of pain and in no condition to pedal. I was only about a mile away but if I had to pedal or walk the bike back, it would have been brutal. Throttle got me home for a car ride to the emergency room.