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8bitaficionado t1_j9f00rz wrote

Reply to comment by reidmrdotcom in Why Fires From E-Bike Batteries Have Left Cities Helpless by bikeskata

E-Bikes will need safety regulations like cars & motorcycles.

They are motorized vehicles, just because they use electric doesn't mean they are not motorized.

I also believe they should have registrations like other motorized vehicles.

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EWC_2015 t1_j9g97c3 wrote

Given the number of e-bikes that zip around pedestrian spaces, we 100% need this for the inevitable crashes. Anytime I run over the qboro bridge from queens into Manhattan I feel like I’m playing frogger to avoid getting killed by an e-bike because they do NOT pay attention to the line dividing the bike path from the pedestrian path. I’m constantly pointing at the bike lane and yelling at them to get out of our lane and into theirs.

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Wowzlul t1_j9h1qrc wrote

The QBB desperately needs another lane for bikes and peds. I guess ideally you'd have three:

  1. Peds
  2. Non-motorized bikes
  3. Powered vehicles incl. scooters (ICE & electric) and e-bikes. Anything motorized but not car or light truck. Maybe even motorcycles.
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yasth t1_j9fertn wrote

The batteries are swappable, and likely if you have an inspection mechanism people will just bring a valid battery, and swap it for a bad battery at some point.

Even if you could tie it, you can require registration, but what is the enforcement mechanism? There are already packs of dirt bikes that roam the streets all summer that are unregistered vehicles. The police are discouraged from giving chase because of the high risk of death.

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Wowzlul t1_j9h3xjr wrote

Enforcement probably has to come at a higher level than e-bike owners. Regulations on production, imports, retailers, logistics...basically make it more difficult and expensive to get an illegal non-UL battery than a legit one. Would help if there was movement on this in most states or even federally.

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