New Yorkers Demand Action On E-Bikes From NYPD
Electric bikes have been revolutionary both for recreators and commuters. The motor allows many riders to cover far more distance than they otherwise could.
Unfortunately, alongside this growth in e-bikes, there has been an explosion in the use of electric motorcycles and mopeds.
As these speedy vehicles have taken over the streets of New York and created anarchy, New Yorkers have become fed up. Watch a news segment about the public response to these vehicles below.
This newscast shows that both anecdotally and according to the data, E-bikes have become more of a problem for New Yorkers. There has been a large uptick in collisions over the past couple of years and people are getting hurt. One woman was even partly paralyzed, ruining her career as a cellist.
The city is making an effort to curb unsafe vehicle use and make the streets safer.
One thing that it is important to make clear is that when people say e-bikes, they mean everything from legally classified electric bikes to any scooter or moped with an electric motor. Those are vastly different things.
To legally be classified as an e-bike, a bike must be pedal-assisted and max out at 20 or 28 mph depending on the class. Read more about e-bike categories here, or see the helpful graphic below.
Juiced Bikes
Anything that does not fit this category is illegal to ride on the road without proper licensing, which many electric motorcycle riders neglect to get.
Legal electric bike manufacturers are likely mad to be included in this mess. As we at Bikemag have covered at great length, there is a distinct difference between electric motorbikes that rip around dangerously and electric bikes for commuting and recreation.
Related: "I'm Going Anyways"- Electric Dirt Bikers Ignore Rules
Though I would never claim that all e-bike riders are safe and follow the law, it is important to distinguish between legal e-bikes and unlicensed e-motorcycles.
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