Electric bikes, bike lane or car lanes?

**Italianangel** · March 5th, 2009, 12:43 PM

We are seeing tons of electric bikes on the roads/sidewalks out here now, they are becoming super popular. They vary in shape, size, power, some look like scooters but are not, some look like bikes but have the little electric motor attachment which is something like 400 bucks to add to most regular pedal bikes.
Should they be in traffic or in bike lane?

I am kinda on fence although as a car driver, if you cannot do car speeds I don't want you in my way......and I feel that way about cyclists too, out here we have cyclist lanes but many of our cyclists prefer to weave in traffic and move through both in the cyclist lane and traffic which I think should be enforced, but now should we have electric bikes also doing this? Most can do regular city speeds yes, but many of the cars drive above city speeds when they can so.......do we let the bikes presence help enforce speed limits, at the possibility of fatalities or force them all to stay in their lane for everyones safety?

**lizzyb** · March 5th, 2009, 04:11 PM

I think that all bikes belong in the bike lanes........unless you are required to have a specific driver's license from the DMV (motor cycles, moped, vespa's etc)

**mooshue** · March 5th, 2009, 04:53 PM

if a device (electric or otherwise) cannot go the speed limit they have no business on the roads, period!

**ProfGumby** · March 7th, 2009, 05:46 PM

I wish there were more bike lanes and bike friendly streets. And while I am at it, I wish there were less idiot bicyclists and drivers who don't know the rules of the road.

If a bike/moped whatever can do the speed limit, they should roll like regular traffic. If not stay to the side and not impede traffic. By the same token, a vehicle driver needs to understand the guy on the bike along the side of the road is not there simply to annoy the driver.

Europe sure seems to have a handle on the 2 co existing, why can't the US figure this out?

**Pankrator** · March 19th, 2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italianangel

if you cannot do car speeds I don't want you in my way......

Hmmm... if you cannot do 173hp-motorbike-speeds I don't want your cars in my way

Just kidding.

In Germany everything that can't drive faster than 30km/h (about 19mph) and doesn't have a license plate HAS to drive the bike lane, if there's one. That leaves enough slow vehiecles on the street, but may be alot safer for the "weaker" traffic participants... so there're no participants on the street that drive slow or have no drivers license.

As electric bikes are limited to 20km/h they're not allowed to be on the street as long as a bike lane is present.

Btw on our "Autobahn" nothing is allowed, that can't drive faster than 31mph. The "recommended" speed there on many parts is about 81mph, although there's no real speedlimit then. I do love it!

**Italianangel** · March 19th, 2009, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pankrator

Hmmm... if you cannot do 173hp-motorbike-speeds I don't want your cars in my way

Just kidding.

In Germany everything that can't drive faster than 30km/h (about 19mph) and doesn't have a license plate HAS to drive the bike lane, if there's one. That leaves enough slow vehiecles on the street, but may be alot safer for the "weaker" traffic participants... so there're no participants on the street that drive slow or have no drivers license.

As electric bikes are limited to 20km/h they're not allowed to be on the street as long as a bike lane is present.

Btw on our "Autobahn" nothing is allowed, that can't drive faster than 31mph. The "recommended" speed there on many parts is about 81mph, although there's no real speedlimit then. I do love it!

Now we're talkin'! OMG yes you need to be in europe if you drive that way, in italy you have 2 lanes, the fast lane and 'holy shieit'
you won't see alot of j walkers in europe hey?????

**Pankrator** · March 19th, 2009, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italianangel

Now we're talkin'! OMG yes you need to be in europe if you drive that way, in italy you have 2 lanes, the fast lane and 'holy shieit'
you won't see alot of j walkers in europe hey?????

Heheh - well - there're enough of them, but as long as they're not on the street......
I got more trouble with cardrivers that don't look into the mirror or just can't estimate the speed of a moto right :-/

**mooshue** · March 19th, 2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfGumby

I wish there were more bike lanes and bike friendly streets. And while I am at it, I wish there were less idiot bicyclists and drivers who don't know the rules of the road.

If a bike/moped whatever can do the speed limit, they should roll like regular traffic. If not stay to the side and not impede traffic. By the same token, a vehicle driver needs to understand the guy on the bike along the side of the road is not there simply to annoy the driver.

Europe sure seems to have a handle on the 2 co existing, why can't the US figure this out?

driving in the us is never going to be fixed. Here are a few reasons why

The tests are offered in multiple languages, yet the signs you have to obey are in ENGLISH!!!!!

Cell phones and tv's and text devices etc.. are not illegal to use while driving in most states.

All the authorities are concerned with campaigns like click it or ticket and slow down and save gas bullshit instead of move your ass along and stop holding up traffic!!!

Speed limits are based on old cars that would either really kill you beyond that speed or would just not be safely controlled at any higher speeds. Most of todays cars and tires can turn on a dime at high speeds safely, i do it in my Kia every day.

These scooter riders who do ride on the street don't bother to get insurance so when they do finally collide with a car, the vehicles insurer has to fit the bill because its an uninsured motorist!!! If it can go the speed limit, then it can go on the street legally and have a plate, and thus should carry insurance at least liability!

When we do ride bikes, we stay on the sidewalk at all times and only cross in the crosswalks just like a pedestrian because i don't feel we have a right to be on the road personally. If you choose to ride on the road you basically take your life into someone elses hands which im not willing to do.

Then again we live in town, in the country its a bit different.

**Pankrator** · March 20th, 2009, 12:47 PM

That's interesting, mooshue.
I don't know from first hand, but isn't the drivers license very easy to get in the US, as soon as your 16 years old? Maybe Germany is the opposite extreme in this, but if one wants to drive a car in germany you have to be 18 y.o., do tough tests, pay about 1500 EUR and get a 2 years trial time.

Are drivers licenses too easy to get to raise the limits?

As you say: scooters, inlineskates, even bikes, aren't for the street.

**mooshue** · March 20th, 2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pankrator

That's interesting, mooshue.
I don't know from first hand, but isn't the drivers license very easy to get in the US, as soon as your 16 years old? Maybe Germany is the opposite extreme in this, but if one wants to drive a car in germany you have to be 18 y.o., do tough tests, pay about 1500 EUR and get a 2 years trial time.

Are drivers licenses too easy to get to raise the limits?

As you say: scooters, inlineskates, even bikes, aren't for the street.

the tests are a joke, it has been 16 for the longest time for the license, i know some state's that allowed permits on the 15th birthday. I believe now they just require a drivers education course and still 16 for the license after you pass a written exam and actual driving test, both of which are a joke as well.

The dmv's here are so horrible, you can go sign up for the test, they hand you a book, while you are waiting for an hour or 2 you can study the book and basically pass the test from short term memory, at least thats how i did it when i moved to nevada.
The driving portion, a person takes you around the block through various scenarios, speed changes, school zones, stop signs, and then has you parallel park.

Then you go wait in line for another hour to get the actual license

The end.

there has been talk of raising driving age for as long as i can remember but who knows when or if it will actually take place.
Im all for it, i hit a utility pole head on 4 days after i got my license, i didn;t drive again for almost 2 years, scared the shit out of me.