de-restricting Ezee bikes

tgame

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 6, 2007
284
1
90
Felixstowe
www.axst45.dsl.pipex.com
no such thing as "seat belts" then either (or crash helmets as it goes)
It's true that years ago ideas were very much more relaxed. We are told that seat belts and breath testing and so forth have greatly reduced accidents but to the casual observer there appear to be just as many even allowing for the greater number of cars. I suspect that before long drivers will be obsolete and one will punch in one's destination on the GPS. Let's hope that never happens to ebikes.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
isn't it amazing how opinions have changed over the years? It wasn't too long ago that the police were known to take the occasional tipple and drive about quite merry, I remember being in the car with my dad back in the early seventies and him telling me to watch the road as he felt a bit woozy... no such thing as "seat belts" then either (or crash helmets as it goes) these days they'd tar an feather you for using a phone in a car, smoking a fag at the wheel.... whatever!
So true PinkFloyd.

In the 1960s I used to drive my car into Central London a couple of times a week, park on Piccadilly Circus (yes, really) and spend the night clubbing, knocking back a number of scotches. Afterwards I'd drive back home doing a round tour all over South London dropping off a car load of friends on the way home, and I don't ever remember a single emergency braking, and I've had full no claims bonus ever since I ran into a brontosaurus.

On one of those night runs home I was checked at some traffic lights by police randomly inspecting car and boot contents. Obviously I smelt of booze, but in those days it didn't worry them. A bit like the fact that I rode motorbikes working in the trade from the age of 14 with the certain knowledge of local police officers who used us for a cuppa during their beat walks, again something impossible now.

I like today, but I'd like yesterday's freedoms and responsibilities with it. :)

P.S. I've been teetotal for years now.
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Last edited:
Sep 24, 2007
268
0
Accidents do happen and you don't have to be drunk to be involved in one.
Yes, that's absolutely true but, if you're driving drunk, the chances of having an accident are hugely increased and, because the driver is protected in a car, it's usually pedestrians, children, cyclists and non car drivers who die when the car slews off the road. Yes, cars without drunken drivers slew off the road too but it's a lot less likely.

Yes, attitudes to things do change, thank God, and it's changed re drinking and driving/drugs etc. The press abounds with instances of drunk drivers killing innocent people. Lives are ruined, mothers lose their children, husbands lose their wives, families are devastated and all because someone drives drunk. My advice to any drink driver is to imagine if it's your mother, child, wife or whatever who is at the side of the road bleeding to death, then a lifetime without them. That is not being 'holier than thou', you know. There are many people out there, probably some on this forum, who have driven over the limit but simply who have not been caught like you were.

The point is, needless deaths of other people by drivers who can't control their vehicles properly needs to be stopped. Surely you would agree with that? Then after doing the time for the crime, as it were, start afresh.
 
S

stokepa31

Guest
Straw poll

Would you ride your ebike to work after a heavy session the night before. I've done it but would not dream of getting in the car under the same circumstances. I guess the chances of being done for Pissed in charge of a bike are quite slim but you could still cause danger on the roads.

Paul
 
Straw poll

Would you ride your ebike to work after a heavy session the night before. I've done it but would not dream of getting in the car under the same circumstances. I guess the chances of being done for Pissed in charge of a bike are quite slim but you could still cause danger on the roads.

Paul

Not now, no. Actually it's quite amazing the amount of "drunk" cyclists I have come across on my travels, some so drunk they were weaving about the road, perfectly ok though as they are on bikes.... also perfectly ok for drunk people to cross a busy road..... nobody seems to apply the "you could have done this" type thing to drunk cyclists or pedestrians.... nope it's the car driver who gets the "you could have killed a child" shpiel..... what happens if a pished cyclists weaves out in front of a school bus causing that bus to crash into a wall? What happens if a drunk pedestrian falls onto the road causing the school bus to veer into on coming traffic? Perfectly legal to walk and cycle pished out of your skull but do it in a car and you're nicked..........
 

john

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 1, 2007
531
0
Manchester
Of course, you can cause a serious accident as a pedestrian or a cyclist but the statistics show that a ton of metal travelling at 30+ mph has much more damage potential, hence the stricter regulations (insurance, MOT, alcohol limits etc.)
 
Interesting!

"Can you be charged for riding a cycle or horse whilst under the influence?
Yes, but as neither is a mechanically propelled vehicle, they do not fall within this part of the Road Traffic Act. It is an offence under Section 30(1) to ride a bicycle, tricycle or cycle having 4 or more wheels whilst under the influence of drink. Pursuant to Section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872, it is also an offence to be riding a cycle or to be in charge of any carriage, horse or cattle when drunk. Note, that it needs to be established that the Defendant is "drunk" not merely effected by alcohol."

So they actually have to prove you are "DRUNK" and not over the limit.
 

Footie

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 16, 2007
549
10
Cornwall. PL27
"Can you be charged for riding a cycle or horse whilst under the influence?
I have only ever crashed once on my pushbike coming home from the pub (long time ago). I ended up in a drainage gully - muddy and wet. I tend to be better at crashing when I am sober :(

My Granddad got fined for being drunk in charge of a horse and cart - he was a coal deliveryman in Bristol.
Also, cycling home one night he fell off his pushbike, at a junction, right in front of a copper and he got done for being drunk in charge of a bike.
Unfortunately, he was dead at 45 from drink related problems.

You can't beat proper west county cider for rotting your guts out - ever seen the bottom of an empty cider barrel :eek:
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rooel

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 14, 2007
357
0
Here and there in this thread, and others of a similar nature, there is a suggestion that being a pedelec forum, we should restrict our comments and suggestions to pedelecs only. However, I can see no advantage in having an electric bike which is technically and mechanically perfect, or at least 100% suited to the owner, if actually riding it exposes the rider to death or serious injury from the anti-social.

Here's a report from yesterday:

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Paralysed victim awarded £230,000

It is only one of many and contains all the elements of the road traffic collision and its consequences:

  1. a drunk driver, (no separate or additional penalty for drink driving, as the practice of the courts is to sentence as if only one composite offence has been committed);
  2. penalty for the dangerous driving 2 years, (if he had killed the victim the penalty could have been up to 14 years, but for injury, no matter how serious two years is the maximum);
  3. a young woman's life ruined;
  4. and huge expense to society in general (police time, hospital services, courts, insurance (the £230.000 is a miniscule fraction of the final total to be paid when the case is finally settled), and the loss of a potentially useful member of society).

Yet all the hysteria whipped up by the government is directed at "terrorists": it is worth remembering that every year on UK roads alone as many people are killed (hundreds of thousands more are injured) as died in the 9/11 attack in New York and every week as many are killed as died in the 7/7 attack in London.

Neither government, courts, or ordinary people will demand the restrictions and penalties which should be applied to the monster in our midst thanks to the "there but for the grace of" attitude which prevails.
 

tgame

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 6, 2007
284
1
90
Felixstowe
www.axst45.dsl.pipex.com
In the 1960s I used to drive my car into Central London a couple of times a week, park on Piccadilly Circus .
Those wonderful 60's!!!

I was sometimes driven into London to park in the centre somewhere (there seemed always plenty of space.) This was in an ancient London taxi driven by one student while at least a dozen others were crushed into the back! All wearing wides (bell bottoms) of course, and with hair tied with red ribbons!! Happy days - but god how hard up we were!!! :)
 

Footie

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 16, 2007
549
10
Cornwall. PL27
Here and there in this thread, and others of a similar nature, there is a suggestion that being a pedelec forum, we should restrict our comments and suggestions to pedelecs only.
What a boring (techy, geeky) place this would be if we ALL followed that rule :rolleyes:
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
Yet all the hysteria whipped up by the government is directed at "terrorists": it is worth remembering that every year on UK roads alone as many people are killed (hundreds of thousands more are injured) as died in the 9/11 attack in New York and every week as many are killed as died in the 7/7 attack in London.
Just one of the many anomalies in our governance Rooel, one I often quote being that in many years, more drown in UK waters than pedestrians are killed on our roads. The great majority of those who drown do so because they are swimmers, non swimmers keeping clear of the water. But governments strongly encourage people to learn to swim, creating a fresh batch for future drowning. They say it could save a life, but as often as not, would be rescuers drown themselves as well.
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Sep 24, 2007
268
0
What a boring (techy, geeky) place this would be if we ALL followed that rule :rolleyes:
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There's only so much one can say about pedals, sprockets and batteries etc. No... I prefer to think of it as a pedelec users' forum which means we can talk about what we want. If a thread is totally boring an uninteresting (like my tandem thread ages ago), then people just don't respond (as nobody did to mine...).

So what's your favourite flavour of yoghourt? Mine's strawberry.... :)
 

keithhazel

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 1, 2007
997
0
totally boring an uninteresting (like my tandem thread ages ago), then people just don't respond (as nobody did to mine...).

So what's your favourite flavour of yoghourt? Mine's strawberry.... :)[/QUOTE]
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i like the muller in double packs..or is that "tandem":rolleyes:
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
Only Greek yoghurt, but the genuine stuff made from sheeps milk is difficult to get hold of.
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Just one of the many anomalies in our governance Rooel, one I often quote being that in many years, more drown in UK waters than pedestrians are killed on our roads. The great majority of those who drown do so because they are swimmers, non swimmers keeping clear of the water. But governments strongly encourage people to learn to swim, creating a fresh batch for future drowning. They say it could save a life, but as often as not, would be rescuers drown themselves as well.
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I believe more people die from smoking related diseases than they do from drowning in the sea. I also believe the British army can invade a country and wipe out as many people as they want "perfectly sober" and get a medal for doing it. This, by the way, is an extremely interesting thread about derestricting Ezee bikes, isn't it?
 
In any case up where he is the only pedestrians he's likely to encounter are Yetis!
Nail on the head mate! The road in question seldom has traffic on it and NEVER has people floating about on it. 3am New Years morning all it had on it was frost and a bloody police car :( I was like "wtf!!?? a police car?" and they probably thought "eh? a car on this road? wow let's get the blue lights a blazin' Bubba - yeehaw!" and the rest, as they say is history.

We'd better stop taking the mickey out of him - he might start gathering the clans! :eek:
Hell, carry on, my skin is as thick as an elephants.... not a member of any clan man unless you consider 80,000 Head-Fiers and 1,000 Rock Grotto members a clan..... in which case........