Rassy
1 MW
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.
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.