Electrtic Assist in Eugene, Oregon, USA

Rassy

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Apr 8, 2007
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2,099
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Eugene, Oregon USA
After my wife of 52 years passed away last year I made a decision to move closer to my Son and Daughter-in-Law, namely to Eugene, Oregon. Another incentive for selecting Eugene was the many miles of multi-use-paths within the city. I had hauled my various electric assist bikes and trikes to Eugene for years to ride with my kids, including setting up my old Sun EZ3-USX delta trike for my Daughter-in-Law.

So about the time I was purchasing a used manufactured home in a nice park I saw a newspaper article that explained the city council would be looking at the 2005 ordinance that made operating an electric assist bike on any of the city's multi-use-paths was illegal except in pedal only mode.

What? I had picked the only city in the State of Oregon that didn't allow the use of electric assist on their paths that allow bicycles? How could a very progressive and green city like Eugene discourage the use of electric assist bikes? I use one fairly busy local street that has a good road edge bike lane that at one point funnels the bikes onto a bike path for a mile or so to avoid an unsafe stretch of the road that has no bike lane. Sure you could just pedal along at that point, but at age 74 with a heavy trike and an inefficient NuVinci auto shift my knees, etc. can't take it for long. I normally use at least enough assist to overcome the weight and transmission penalty.

Of course I've continued to ride and use my electric assist on these paths for the last half year with no issues. Most other users don't even realize the trike has the electric assist. Many regular bicycles pass me every day, and likewise I often pass other regular bicycles.

And now for the rest of the story. Last Monday the issue finally bubbled to the top and the city council accepted oral input. Counting myself there were a half dozen guys that spoke in favor of allowing electric assist (bicycles) to be used on the paths and there were no speakers against making this change. So today the city council voted on the proposed change and only one councilor voted against it with the other seven that were present voting for it.

So Yea! I can now ride legally on the Eugene paths, as well as half a dozen other friends and relatives that occasionally join me with either their own electric assist or they use my second trike.
 
The laws made to deny the access to usual bike paths to electric bike riders are usually dumb because if the bike is really fast, the rider will want more speed and then go to the road. In the other way, if it's not fast enough to ride along with the cars, it's slow enough to ride on the path same speed as not motorized bikes, cause it's probably low power just to help the rider. I suppose these laws intend to avoid enteric bikes going too fast on the bike path, but as I said before, if the bike can go this fast, riding in the road is better due to path conditions, space, no obstacles, etc.
 
The folks presuming to make the rules don't also presume to understand the thing they are regulating. This is not news.

The answer is to choose which approach suits you best (illegal power and speed for the street or illegal access to bike-only infrastructure), and ride inn such a manner as to stay out of trouble.

For what it's worth, pedal cyclists ride in the street at low speed all the time and rarely encounter any issues.
 
Boulder recently implemented a pilot project allowing e-bikes on multi-use paths:

https://bouldercolorado.gov/goboulder/electric-assisted-bikes-policy-review
 
They should allow any low speed vehicle on the paths. Even damn gassers, but they have to go slow. 20 mph max in some places, but others with bigger crowds or narrower paths could be limited as slow as 5 mph.

Speed limits, not vehicle type limits other than a maximum speed, slower than a 30 mph moped.

WTF? is a 100w razor scooter really that dangerous? And a punk will be safer without the motor? Three people walking abreast on the trail will always be the real hazard.
 
Dogman wrote:
Speed limits, not vehicle type limits other than a maximum speed, slower than a 30 mph moped.
I agree with this and most of what you said above, not so sure about 2 stroke gassers.

The ebike changes in Eugene were almost sidelined when the discussion before the vote drifted into Segways, speed limits, etc. They are going to go forward with gathering public input, etc. on these other issues, but I'm glad they passed what they did for now.
 
There's a law here that prohibits the operation of 'motorized bicycles' on multi-use paths 'with the power unit in operation.'
That would, I assume, include all PAS functionality.

So I built a 40mph e-bike to ride on the road, problem solved! :shock:

I don't think anyone cares about enforcing that though, on my bikes they sip power so gently in PAS mode that you would never know it.
Our bike cops thankfully have not cared because I think the general understanding is that only older people not in perfect health ride these things rather slowly and harassing elderly on bikes is not cool. I too ride slowly and really only take the bike paths at night when it is more dangerous to be on the road.
 
dogman said:
They should allow any low speed vehicle on the paths. Even damn gassers, but they have to go slow.

Oh hell no. Anything that makes exhaust fumes should never be allowed on cycle or ped rights of way. Hell, any vehicle that makes exhaust should be required by law to discharge it into the driver's face. Maybe then folks would begin to figure out the key appeal of EVs and muscle power.
 
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