TheBeastie
1 MW
I don't think there is a "Negative Media on ebikes" thread so I figured I should start one.
Today an ebiker rided his ebike through a major underground tunnel in Melbourne today, the Burnley Tunnel, it hit all the major state news sites/tv stations.
The Burnley tunnel is 3.4km long underground and you can't get out once you start it, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnley_Tunnel
Since there is so much road works in Melbourne and the rise of "UberEats" where people get their food delivered often by electric bikes, ebikes have become so popular its crazy. Walking around the CBD they are charging around on throttle only ebikes everywhere, sometimes during the day in the CBD you can see 3 ebikes for every regular bicycle.
I think vehicle motorists who just hate cyclists period have found new ammunition to attack bikers with ebike folks who misbehave.
Today one of the biggest talkback radio stations picked it up, asking why bikes with motors aren't registered like vehicles and why aren't they paying road tolls etc.
https://omny.fm/shows/mornings-with-neil-mitchell/tony-jones-tells-neil-he-spotted-a-man-riding-a-bi
".. then he noticed the traffic in the left lane slowing almost to a complete stop.
'And there was just no reason why until we got beyond the dip and then noticed this idiot on a bicycle, at least I thought it was a bicycle,' he told 3AW.
'He was holding up the left hand lane and there was a car behind him that might have been some well meaning citizen just trying to protect this fool with its hazard lights on.'
He said people were changing lanes to try and get around the man which was causing other lanes to slow down too.
'It was just absolutely ridiculous, but it does beg the question, when do these motorised bikes stop becoming bicycles and motorbikes,' he said. "
[youtube]GD_JP2h1N1g[/youtube]
https://www.3aw.com.au/electric-bike-cyclists-tries-his-luck-in-the-burnley-tunnel/
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/cyclist-brings-traffic-to-a-standstill-during-peak-hour-as-he-rides-through-melbournes-busiest-tunnel-on-an-electric-bicycle/ar-AAxrNUu
https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/997391522394861569
I have noticed some throttle based ebikes around Melbourne are easy 1000W instead of the 200W legal limit. I have seen the Dominoes pizza delivery ebikes fly up quite steep hills at around 40km/h with no peddling what so ever, no way in hell they are 200w.
http://jobs.dominos.com.au/position-descriptions/electric-bike-rider
I believe this kind of behavior is going to ruin it for everyone, and we end up with New York style ebike laws.
https://www.fastcompany.com/40537103/new-york-is-confiscating-delivery-bikes-hurting-immigrants-and-helping-no-one
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20171019/upper-west-side/city-crack-down-businesses-enabling-e-bike-use/
http://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-and-science/technology/e-bike-crackdown-in-new-york-city-spurs-delivery-worker-concerns/article/510871
Today an ebiker rided his ebike through a major underground tunnel in Melbourne today, the Burnley Tunnel, it hit all the major state news sites/tv stations.
The Burnley tunnel is 3.4km long underground and you can't get out once you start it, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnley_Tunnel
Since there is so much road works in Melbourne and the rise of "UberEats" where people get their food delivered often by electric bikes, ebikes have become so popular its crazy. Walking around the CBD they are charging around on throttle only ebikes everywhere, sometimes during the day in the CBD you can see 3 ebikes for every regular bicycle.
I think vehicle motorists who just hate cyclists period have found new ammunition to attack bikers with ebike folks who misbehave.
Today one of the biggest talkback radio stations picked it up, asking why bikes with motors aren't registered like vehicles and why aren't they paying road tolls etc.
https://omny.fm/shows/mornings-with-neil-mitchell/tony-jones-tells-neil-he-spotted-a-man-riding-a-bi
".. then he noticed the traffic in the left lane slowing almost to a complete stop.
'And there was just no reason why until we got beyond the dip and then noticed this idiot on a bicycle, at least I thought it was a bicycle,' he told 3AW.
'He was holding up the left hand lane and there was a car behind him that might have been some well meaning citizen just trying to protect this fool with its hazard lights on.'
He said people were changing lanes to try and get around the man which was causing other lanes to slow down too.
'It was just absolutely ridiculous, but it does beg the question, when do these motorised bikes stop becoming bicycles and motorbikes,' he said. "
[youtube]GD_JP2h1N1g[/youtube]
https://www.3aw.com.au/electric-bike-cyclists-tries-his-luck-in-the-burnley-tunnel/
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/cyclist-brings-traffic-to-a-standstill-during-peak-hour-as-he-rides-through-melbournes-busiest-tunnel-on-an-electric-bicycle/ar-AAxrNUu
https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/997391522394861569
I have noticed some throttle based ebikes around Melbourne are easy 1000W instead of the 200W legal limit. I have seen the Dominoes pizza delivery ebikes fly up quite steep hills at around 40km/h with no peddling what so ever, no way in hell they are 200w.
http://jobs.dominos.com.au/position-descriptions/electric-bike-rider
I believe this kind of behavior is going to ruin it for everyone, and we end up with New York style ebike laws.
https://www.fastcompany.com/40537103/new-york-is-confiscating-delivery-bikes-hurting-immigrants-and-helping-no-one
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20171019/upper-west-side/city-crack-down-businesses-enabling-e-bike-use/
http://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-and-science/technology/e-bike-crackdown-in-new-york-city-spurs-delivery-worker-concerns/article/510871