the U.S. Government said:
(15 U.S.C. 2085(b)), CPSC rules stipulate that low speed electric bicycles (to include two- and three-wheel vehicles) are exempt from classification as motor vehicles providing they have fully operable pedals, an electric motor of less than 750W (1 hp), and a top motor-powered speed of less than 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) when operated by a rider weighing 170 pounds. An electric bike remaining within these specifications will be regarded simply as a bicycle for purposes of federal law. Commercially manufactured e-bikes exceeding these power and speed limits are regulated by the federal DOT and NHTSA as motor vehicles, and must meet additional safety requirements. However, such requirements do not apply to e-bikes assembled from parts or kits by an individual. The use of home-built or kit-assembled e-bikes are instead governed by state and local laws, as federal law does not preempt state and local jurisdictions from enacting their own laws governing the operation of such vehicles on public streets and roadways. The legislation enacting this amendment to the CPSC is also known as HR 727.
Title 23, U.S. Code § 217(h)(4).Where federal funds have been used in the construction of bicycle or pedestrian paths, electric bicycles (defined as "any bicycle or tricycle with a low-powered electric motor weighing under 100 pounds, with a top motor-powered speed not in excess of 20 miles per hour" (23 U.S.C. § 217(j)(2)) ) are permitted unless state or local regulations prohibit.
The basic question:
I think the ONLY way they'll ever rate electric bikes is "Watts." We're not really going to have effective laws on these bikes until it's federal law and prevents the adventurers in the individual state legislatures from pushing their own petty fantasies.
I think the laws on the gas engine bikes in California are fairly good, electric should match:
An electric bike without a license, maybe in the 1,000-1,200watt range. This would make the 20mph/32kph reasonable. This will be a small enough bike people can pick it up to put on the rack on the bus, but would still get you several miles, up hills, etc. I've heard some discussion of what it is now, usually people are saying in the 750-900watt range. Gas footboard gopeds (Made to stand on) are essentially motorcycles in California, a motorized skateboard is illegal because there's no handlebars as on a footboard scooter, while the up to 500watt (That I know of) electric footboards are unregulated. If someone made his own 3,000watt footboard scooter, he'd probably be fine, at least legally. Not sure I'd want to ride that.
An electric moped should be under 2,250watts, which would about match what the 50cc 2 cycle mopeds are doing. May or may not reach 30mph/48kph. The stock gas moped I'd say is that 3hp, doing that. Dang, as many as half the mopeds around me are in the hands of the AFFICIONADO, they get the 88cc kit and some of them crack 50mph/80kph. But you leave that out when figuring laws, you just make the stock electric moped match the stock gas moped. When the owner replaces his 48v/48a controller with 72v/60a to keep up with the gas mopeds, that has nothing to do with the original laws.
And it should be illegal for elected officials to vote on the laws and be involved in any way in the creation of. In fact I'd write the legislation calling for imprisonment of any politician who insisted on involving his ignorance in. . . .
. . . .I'll bet you were enjoying that as much as I was.
Bill Clinton at the 2011 Davos conference was speaking of people in politics who only work on grabbing and hanging onto power, at the expense of accomplishing anything meaningful or even good. They all squirmed, waiting for him to get off that subject. We'll never see these 'Good' bike laws.
greenspark said:
Only fools ride motorbikes and mopeds on busy streets in snow and ice.
You're making this too difficult.
No, FOOLS make things too difficult, by doing things like riding in crowds on the snow and ice. Because these fools do that, the power grabbing politicians will insist on punishing all the people who DON'T! Being ". . . . focused on the line that separates. . . ." is being blindly political. Proper laws are supposed to be based on the reality of the situation, as people here keep mentioning. They'll enforce the speed limit, as well as confiscate anything that doesn't seem to be intended to stay at the speed limit.
LockH said:
Sooo... Any "Rules Number Four" out there?
How about the Zeroth rule: You break 1-3 to reduce the harm.