E-bikes: Threat or promise?

Figured I ought to finish this up. In May American Motorcyclist magazine published a piece on the “10 Biggest Threats to Motorcycling” and I’ve been running through them. Here are numbers 9 and 10.

Distracted Driving
Do I really need to explain this? We’ve all seen the danger, and some of us have suffered the consequences, when people look at their cellphones when they should be paying attention to the road. And other than pedestrians or bicyclists there is no one out there more vulnerable than us. What really matters here is the fix for the problem.

Per the AMA, the way to go is for more states to pass legislation increasing penalties for distracted driving. They do not specifically cite use of cellphones; rather, they focus on all modes of distracted driving. That makes sense. You’re just as badly hurt if the driver was searching for something in a purse as you would be if there was a cellphone involved.

Also, “the AMA supports the prominent placement of signage that notifies roadway users that the state provides specific sanctions for those convicted of moving violations while operating a motor vehicle in a distracted or inattentive manner.”

Does that really go far enough? Probably not, but until all states get on this bandwagon I guess we ought to at least focus on making these basic approaches universal.

E-Bikes, Bad Behavior & Unintended Regulations
I see I’m not the only one who has been harping on the issues with the proliferation of power-assisted bicycles and small electric bikes. Additionally, after writing about this topic a few times I recently received emails from folks associated with Bicycle Colorado, asking me to join with them in addressing the issue because they see it as a threat as well. As one of their emails said, they support the increased options for mobility but “their rapid rise has outpaced the safety measures needed to keep everyone protected.”

The concern the AMA raises is primarily unintended or unfair regulation that might group motorcyclists in with all these (mostly) kids who are riding recklessly and creating the issue. But the AMA is also concerned about their safety, at least to the extent that any two-wheeled crash involving a motor reflects badly on motorcycling.

The fix, says the AMA, “starts with responsible, law-abiding motorcyclists having a strong incentive to promote good behavior and call out conduct that harms the reputation of the riding community as a whole.” They call for education and training for e-bikers, and also for “targeted, well-informed regulation rather than broad sweeping restrictions. The big first step there will be to clearly define what mode of vehicle is what and then focus legislation specifically on that mode that is at issue.

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OK. Those are the major threats, at least in the eyes of the AMA. Whatever each of us can do individually can only help. And if you don’t do anything, and later see your rights getting trampled on, look first in the mirror for one culprit.

Biker Quote for Today

Pretty stoked to be on a bike right now.