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CA Ebike licence

bikeama

bikeama

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Bill Harr
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Saw this video today on AB 530 about requiring a licence to operate an Ebike. No one under 13 would be able to ride an Ebike.

[YOUTUBE]XWSCCUGmuek[/YOUTUBE]
 
Whoa. we had to be 15 1/2 back in the day to be the terrors we were... Now 13? Progress?
 
I tried but could not actually listen to that ... dude
but yeah, if you can afford a $$$ e bike you can afford to be held accountable.
 
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I live near two elementary schools, one's a middle school I suppose.

There are a lot of kids on eBikes and eScooters using them to get to school.

I don't know if they're a particular hazard. Most seem to be wearing helmets and well behaved. Has the injury rate soared among youngsters on eBikes?
 
I think that would be a good thing to require licenses. Because if you have a license you must follow rules/laws and be held accountable. None of this riding in the bike lane in the wrong direction, etc... Same with those electric scooters so people don't just willy nilly ride them anyway they want.
 
I've seen ebikes at Costco for not much more than I paid for my kids' pedal bikes at REI (and they're not high-end bikes). I'm not really sure what difference there is that would necessitate a license. They can go a little further, a little faster, a little easier, so you need a license?

This quote bugs me. If you're worried about safety then deal with your kids and leave my kids alone - they already have a mother and it's not Tasha Boerner.

Assembly Member Tasha Boerner explained that the creation of a driver’s license for previously unlicensed e-bike riders is a matter of safety:

As a mother and a legislator, I believe that we must act to prevent our youth from injuries and educate parents on the promise and responsibility of e-bikes, and AB 530 is another step to increase their safety while sharing the road.
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I know in some areas it's not very common now but when I was a kid I rode my bicycle all over the place, to school, to baseball practice, to a creek a few miles away to fish for trout, etc. I honestly don't know if you could even buy bicycle helmets when I was 12, I do know that I never had one until I was in my 20s and started mountain biking. Same thing with headlights and tail lights, pretty sure I never had those either and if I did they would have sucked.
 
This is from the article I read and it seems to conveniently ignore the fact that kids are allowed to ride regular bikes on the road and that most kids are cruising around on bikes, at least not where I live.

Electrek’s Take
While the thought of a driver’s license for e-bikes will likely anger many riders who enjoy the freedom and lack of regulations surrounding e-bikes, I understand the logic. If you’re going to be riding on the road, you should have some form of training about the rules of the road.

It’s naive to expect someone who has never operated a vehicle on the road to understand things like right of way, roundabouts, blind spots, following distance, etc. There are also plenty of moving violations that many people might not realize they’re committing if they haven’t been taught.
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Restrictions on ebikes are coming, due to abuse. Same reason you can't ride off road anywhere anymore, same reason you can't camp next to any river you want anymore, etc. Running stop signs, riding on the wrong side of the road, riding on the sidewalk among pedestrians, 25 miles an hour on bike lanes occupied by people teaching their kids how to ride, and the list goes on. Nothing new here, same old bunch of assholes that helped get mountain bikes off of hiking trails, closed offroad riding for motorcycles, eliminated places to shoot, and the list goes on. I don't like it, but I have seen it all my life.
 
tgrrdr said:
This quote bugs me. If you're worried about safety then deal with your kids and leave my kids alone - they already have a mother and it's not Tasha Boerner.

I know in some areas it's not very common now but when I was a kid I rode my bicycle all over the place, to school, to baseball practice, to a creek a few miles away to fish for trout, etc. I honestly don't know if you could even buy bicycle helmets when I was 12, I do know that I never had one until I was in my 20s and started mountain biking. Same thing with headlights and tail lights, pretty sure I never had those either and if I did they would have sucked.
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Nanny gonna save the Yute. Truth is many parents just send them along. Most will not do any training.

Riding a real bike is much healthier for those kiddo's and like you I went everywhere on my bike as a Yute. I don't think helmets were even invented :afm199

Wheelies were so we had that. :laughing
 
Love it.

Wheelie here camera's. :party
 
bobl said:
Restrictions on ebikes are coming, due to abuse. Same reason you can't ride off road anywhere anymore, same reason you can't camp next to any river you want anymore, etc. Running stop signs, riding on the wrong side of the road, riding on the sidewalk among pedestrians, 25 miles an hour on bike lanes occupied by people teaching their kids how to ride, and the list goes on. Nothing new here, same old bunch of assholes that helped get mountain bikes off of hiking trails, closed offroad riding for motorcycles, eliminated places to shoot, and the list goes on. I don't like it, but I have seen it all my life.
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There really isn't any speed on bike lanes unless there is one posted. I know for sure mopeds max speed is 30mph, so you can ride a moped in the bike lane at 30mph. Since my Light Bee is registered as a moped that's what I do ride in the bike lanes at speed up to 30mph. I stopped riding my Light Bee around town though because I keep getting flat tires in the bike lanes. There are scooters and those large electric scooter that can do like 25mph in the bike lane.
 
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maybe ebikes wil cull the herd.
 
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