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Help - Police impound bike

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brucehawsker

Pedelecer
Dec 17, 2009
119
0
Hi guys,

Back after a break. Just for the record, I am no longer working for Bearprint Bikes.

On a totally different topic, I have just heard that a contact of mine was stopped by the police last because it was illegal. It was apparently going well over 15mph and the power was still on - this apparently makes it illegal. What is the position on his? Does anyone know of any such incidents?

Thanks

Bruce
 
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nitrambo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2008
8
0
brucehawsker said:
Hi guys,

Back after a break. Just for the record, I am no longer working for Bearprint Bikes.

On a totally different topic, I have just heard that a contact of mine was stopped by the police last because it was illegal. It was apparently going well over 15mph and the power was still on - this apparently makes it illegal. What is the position on his? Does anyone know of any such incidents?

Thanks

Bruce
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It may well have been doing over 15mph with the power still on (its easy enough to do to 40+mph downhill on a normal non-electric bike), but if the motor was not contributing to the speed in excess of 15mph then it is not illegal. It is sad that in these days on often intrusive and authoritarian behaviour by the State (in ignorance of the detail of the law) that this sort of incident may become more common... Its enough to make you want to emigrate.. but where do you go to escape it?
 
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lectureral

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 30, 2007
397
60
Suva, Fiji
nitrambo said:
Its enough to make you want to emigrate.. but where do you go to escape it?
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Well, the French are pretty relaxed about rules. And the croissant are nice.

Brucehawsker, where did this police action take place?
 
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eddieo

Banned
Jul 7, 2008
5,070
6
Yes a bit more detail would be helpful

The co-op do better croissants then I have ever had in France
 
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Alex728

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 16, 2008
1,109
-1
Ipswich
indeed, this is a very diverse and multicultural forum and not everyone is even in England! I think most "EU" e-bikes don't attract too much attention on the flat but doing 20+mph up a steep hill on a very high power bike might well attract the attention of the authorities..
 
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flecc

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,152
30,567
As nitrambo says, it doesn't matter if the power was still switched on in any country, all that matters is that the power assistance ceased at the legislated speed, which often has a tolerance anyway, 10% in our case within Europe.

This is not rider legislation in the UK, it's an e-bike construction law and a rider cannot be prosecuted for excess speed if the bike itself is legal.

Of course if the rider isn't pedalling at over the legal speed, covering some distance and it isn't downhill, that is a bit of a giveaway!
.
 
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rog_london

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 3, 2009
764
2
Harrow, Middlesex
Lack of information and detail, sorry to say.

The police would never normally be able to determine whether 'the power was on' or not. There would be no reason for it NOT to be on irrespective of the speed. What's required is that the motor must not assist you at any speed over 15 mph. In general this is taken care of by the bike's controller and doesn't require any action on the part of the rider, who is entitled to ride as fast as he/she likes subject of course to the old laws relating to 'reckless riding' which can get you if you make a nuisance of yourself - and quite a few of the unassisted riders flout THOSE rules fairly comprehensively.

What could go wrong - and it would be the rider's foolishness - would be if he were exceeding 15 mph substantially either on the flat or especially uphill while obviously not pedalling.

Another thing is that some models are well known to provide assistance over 15 mph either 'out of the box' or with a little simple tweak. The police might be getting wise to those and could know what to look for.

I'm sure we'd all like to know more about the circumstances. The police would need a damn good reason to impound someone's bike and if they had done so without such a good reason could find themselves being at the very least held up to (more) public castigation.

Ah - I see at least some of these points recently covered by Flecc...

Rog.
 
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brucehawsker

Pedelecer
Dec 17, 2009
119
0
Ok a few details but I want to protect my contact in case this thing escalates.

This is third hard but through normally reliable reportage.

Last night the bike was being driven home in the UK and was stopped. The police argued that the bike was illegal and impounded it because the power continued to be applied even when the bike had reached a measured 15.5mph. They essentially tested it there and then against a gun.

Flecc says a 10% tolereance - love to know chapter and verse.

The bike was a "top end" bought from a local shop. From the description it is a Chninese bike with a 36V battery and a Bafeng motor. I understand the controller conventionally cuts out at 15.5mph. But, on the flat, using throttle only, it appears this bike continued to accelerate to above this speed - I guess if the 10% rule applies, clearly above 17mph.

If that is the case, were the police right to take the bike. And what happens next?

And does the owner have redress against the shop (who imports the bikes direclty from China)?

Will try to get make etc tomorrow.

Sorry, not to have all thedetails at my finger tips.

Has this happened before???

Just out of curiosity, how does the power cutout operate? And how is it adjustable? If it is adjustable, could poor quality control in the factory be to blame??
 
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fishingpaul

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 24, 2007
871
86
Can anybody really imagine the police ,waiting around for the 1 local ebike rider that could be travelling at up to 19 mph without pedalling,if he does not notice the police speed cameras in time,i am sure the authorities have to justify spending at the moment,i cannot see a crackdown on illegal electric bikes happening somehow.
 
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fishingpaul

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 24, 2007
871
86
Alex728 said:
indeed, this is a very diverse and multicultural forum and not everyone is even in England! I think most "EU" e-bikes don't attract too much attention on the flat but doing 20+mph up a steep hill on a very high power bike might well attract the attention of the authorities..
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Please tell me what bike you have in mind 20+ up a steep hill i want one.
 
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brucehawsker

Pedelecer
Dec 17, 2009
119
0
I think it is more the case that the bloke (I assume he is male) had been riding fast on the bike near his property and had attracted the attention of neighbours (with whom he has a poor relationship) who complained to the police.....
 
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brucehawsker

Pedelecer
Dec 17, 2009
119
0
Do most people not use the throttle?

Can we also dispense with gears on electric bikes - I have always found 7 gears pretty useless. Just need a low one for start then top....
 
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lemmy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2009
787
3
New Malden SW London
www.dthorpe.net
I can't know in this case but the bike is illegal if it is CAPABLE of powering the bike above 15mph unless registered as a motorcycle.

Thus the offence would be driving without tax, insurance and license (unless you had a car license, which would cover it). Helmet too, I guess.

You can go as fast as you like under your own steam, just not under power unless you comply with the law.

So a rider with a bike CAPABLE of more than 15mpg would be committing the same offence as anyone else driving uninsured etc. He is driving an unregistered, unlicensed motor vehicle.

I know everyone thinks it doesn't matter but that's not the point. It's obvious to anyone from this forum alone that most of us don't give a fig for the law and most of us with illegal bikes will probably get away with it, just like most uninsured drivers do. One more unenforceable and unenforced law.

Witness the flaunting of the law against using mobiles while driving. Better to make driving while on the phone legal and training drivers to do it as part of the test :D
 
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Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
brucehawsker said:
Do most people not use the throttle?

Can we also dispense with gears on electric bikes - I have always found 7 gears pretty useless. Just need a low one for start then top....
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The gears you need depends on your riding, I use all 8 on the Alfine hub and would use more if they were there. I used to use the throttle all of the time but with the new bike it isn't required.
 
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brucehawsker

Pedelecer
Dec 17, 2009
119
0
Authority will be Thames, or Hampshire or Surry. Not sure which. Why the guess of hampshire?
 
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