Some worry that New York City’s crackdown on unsafe cyclists leaves them facing greater consequences than drivers, even though cars cause more fatalities.

  • Steve
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    4 days ago

    These are E-bikes we’re talking about. They can be quite fast. Some can do 50-60 even. Killing people is certainly possible. Requiring both to obey traffic signals, isn’t unreasonable.

    • Damage@feddit.it
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      4 days ago

      Pretty sure in the EU they are supposed to be limited to 25kmh, which is the upper speed limit for bike lanes too

      • huppakee@lemm.ee
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        4 days ago

        Speed-pedelecs are allowed to go 45kmh and are allowed both on bike lanes and car lanes in the Netherlands. They have a license plate as well, looks like a regular ebike.

        • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          In that case the Netherlands is ignoring EU law, which now very clearly defines a regular e-bike: 25km/h, 250W max output, no throttle.

          PS: clarification - if they have a license plate then obviously they’re not regular e-bikes. Seems to me crazy to just allow them in bike lanes.

          • NakedGardenGnome@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            4 days ago

            This is the same as in Belgium, where the faster e-bikes are counted as light mopeds. Max speed of 45km/h, and they must use the bike lane whenever the road speed limit exceeds 50km/h, and the road if not. Most of our city centers are 30km/h speed limit, which also counts for these e-bikes, just as all other motorized traffic.

              • NakedGardenGnome@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                3 days ago

                And they are required to, depending on their motor size, following the same rules. So basically a fast e-bike (spedelec) and petrol mopeds are counted as the same type of vehicle.

                • Damage@feddit.it
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                  3 days ago

                  That was a big culture shock for me, seeing motor vehicles share the same lane with bicycles… I guess nowadays with ebikes and escooters it shouldn’t be as surprising.

      • barsoap@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        They don’t so much have a speed limit but they’re required to stop giving you a boost at 25 km/h. Anything that uses a motor to go faster needs a license plate and everything.

        At least in Germany bike lanes don’t have a speed limit, you can drive as fast as you want as long as it’s safe, you’re in control, etc. Especially relevant when going downhill.

        Sunday or leisurely drivers will go 10 to 25km/h, when you’re fit, the road surface is good and the bike built for it sustaining 35km/h isn’t much of an issue, fastest I ever went on my mountain bike with semi-slicks (so no racing transmission but no unnecessary friction losses either), on flat ground, was 38km/h. But that’s pushing it for the sake of pushing it, my average top speed is just over 30. No lycra, no race bike.

    • errer@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      They also weigh as much as their rider sometimes. Easily 300+ lbs with a full grown man on them.