EV Scooters

Big Nasty

Anyone noticed these half bike / half ev yokes that look like scooters going round? I've seen a few recently and just the other day saw a woman on the road, with a kid on the back, no helmets for either and on the phone whilst driving, steering or whatever. :eek:

Are there no laws for safety with these things?

P.S. - They look like a scooter but have pedals, I guess they are power assisted or something like that.

Nissan doctor

Its electric, so they are the saviours of our future, and so immune to normal laws or danger.:P

Big Nasty

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Dont they get around the rules by the fact you have to pedal in order for the "engine" to power the wheels. I have seen a couple of those petrol powered ones tearing up and down cycle paths recently.

I'm not up on the leagalities of it but even if it was just a normal bike I still don't think someone should get away with using it in the above fashion, i.e. the mother and kid, no helmets and on phone.

Mycroft H

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I'm not up on the leagalities of it but even if it was just a normal bike I still don't think someone should get away with using it in the above fashion, i.e. the mother and kid, no helmets and on phone.

Its a bicycle until it exceeds 50km/h. As daft as it seems I know of no law of using a mobile phone and cycling.

Wossack

unless its power assisted (as in you must be pedaling all the time you wish it to actually move), its technically a motorcycle, and subject to all laws as such

helmet, tax, license plate, license etc

(as is my understanding)

kirving

It must be below 250 Watts, and it must be pedal assisted. It theory though, the motor can provide 99%, while the user can proveid 1% of the power, and it will still be pedal assisted.

I think 250W is a bit of a joke really(should be 500W at least), but that said, an output of 250W over a period of time will get you up to a good speed completely legally with no effort. Add a bit of effort to that and you're flying.

Big Nasty

The things look very similar to this and as you can see have pedals but they look like more of an afterthought.

eth0

MCMLXXV wrote: »

The things look very similar to this and as you can see have pedals but they look like more of an afterthought.

Looks like Choinese crap to me. Don't worry about them, within a year they'll all be broken

Muckie

Solex electric bikes, pretty popular in France.

Big Nasty

Muckie wrote: »

Solex electric bikes, pretty popular in France.

Looks like a scooter, goes like a scooter = is a scooter!:D

I also saw a kid of maybe 14 max in a school uniform riding one of these, again with no helmet.

I don't have any agenda with these or anything and I suppose they're more noticeable because they look like scooters and the riders have no head protection. I just think it's all a bit on the dangerous side when a kid can use one of these with no helmet while a 16 year old on a moped proper needs tax, insurance, licence and helmet.

Sesshoumaru

These things have front lights, brake lights and indicators etc and I've seen one woman going along and not having to pedal at all. My understanding of the law is that it is a mechanically propelled vehicle unless the power only comes on to assist pedaling. These vehicles need to be taxed and insured for starters. For the riders own safety they need to wear helmets and proper gear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#Europe

European Union directive 2002/24/EC exempts vehicles with the following definition from type approval: "Cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kW, of which the output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25 km/h or if the cyclist stops pedaling.” This is the de facto definition of an electrically-assisted pedal cycle in the EU. As with all EU directives, individual member countries of the EU are left to implement the requirements in national legislation.

Alkers

250W is nothing though, the restriction for a motorcycle on a learner permit is 25kW or 25,000W, 100 times as powerful. It's no more dangerous than cycling at the same speed?

eth0

I once seen a bike with a 750W motor in the hub of the front wheel. Unless you were looking you wouldnt tell it apart from an ordinary bicycle. Great yoke

biko

One of these?

All new 2011 style electric bike. No licence. No tax. No insurance. Very environmentally friendly. Ultimate green machine.

Sesshoumaru

Simona1986 wrote: »

250W is nothing though, the restriction for a motorcycle on a learner permit is 25kW or 25,000W, 100 times as powerful. It's no more dangerous than cycling at the same speed?

These things go without having to pedal and they seem to have more than 250W of power.