Police say electric bikes illegal in Northern Ireland

[TedG]

Not quite correct Ted, see my post just above.
.

The use of pedelecs as we know them is by and large illegal in N.I.
As you have suggested there are probably ways around the ability to use them but none of these are of any interest to us personally.
We bought bicycles which made cycling easier due to our age and my health issues.
I have no wish to go around the houses and jump through hoops to use our bicycles, nor will we be spending any more of our pensions to appease the system.
We unwittingly made a mistake upon our return to this part of the UK and we will have to live with that.

 

[flecc]

The use of pedelecs as we know them is by and large illegal in N.I.
As you have suggested there are probably ways around the ability to use them but none of these are of any interest to us personally.
We bought bicycles which made cycling easier due to our age and my health issues.
I have no wish to go around the houses and jump through hoops to use our bicycles, nor will we be spending any more of our pensions to appease the system.
We unwittingly made a mistake upon our return to this part of the UK and we will have to live with that.

Yes that's understood Ted, my post was just to avoid there being any misunderstanding on the full position.
.

 

[TedG]

Yes that's understood Ted, my post was just to avoid there being any misunderstanding on the full position.
.

Fair comment Flecc and I will always bow to your vast experience.
May I add that when I said "we made a mistake upon moving to another part of the UK" I meant the mistake was to assume the laws here were the same as the rest of the UK where the use of my Powabyke was simple and legal.........if a tad on the porky side.

 

[LeighPing]

There must be a lot of Soundwaves in NI now.

 

[Leewee]

I can't say I'm surprised. The local Gestapo have a habit of making laws up to suit their own particular view points. A friend of my son's was 'done' for breaking a non-existent law! He had the wits frightened out of him, spent a night in the cells, and was even fined by the local 'beak' before it was discovered that the actual law (being 'suspected of intending to get in a car and drive whilst over the limit') does not actually exist! He was actually sitting in his (parked) car (passenger side) on his mobile, 'phoning his mum to come and take him home because he knew he was over the limit to drive.......
The charge was eventually overturned and he was let go with a 'warning' (presumably not to 'phone his mum when over the limit ?). Still the whole episode beggared belief. To actually be prosecuted and fined for an offence that doesn't exist.......His solicitor was stunned - even he got a warning for 'talking aggressively' to the policeman he was trying to convince was making up the law as he went

Makes me shudder, I've seen a few instances like this and it has left me a rather distrustful of the police. Even worse, PCSO's (shudder...) but that's another story.........

Phil

That would be "drunk in charge of a vehicle" If hes over the limit in his car with the keys on a public road, that's an offence that comes with a 12 month minimum ban.

 

[Damian.Doherty]

Well, I've had my Woosh Rio MTB for about a year and a half now and recently passed the 1000 mile mark. My daily commute is just over 4 miles (2 there and 2 back). Some of that on roads and some on cycle paths.

Oh, and I still cycle past a police station twice a day!

 

[TedG]

Good luck to you Damian, long may you be safe.
We do envy you but with my luck in the past I would probably be innocently proceeding along the towpath and an off duty plod would be out for a jog, drift towards me and end up in the Lagan.
ello, ello, ello......is that a battery I can see on your velocipede sir?

 

[corsur]

I would like to think that pc plod would turn a blind eye to this unfortunate situation, Here in NI. Knowing it’s a out off date law waiting on the desk off are MPs. To be overturned. But no sitting MPs to sign it . I mean come on, we are middle age men getting out of a cars doing are bit of the environment. I think they should be looking for more important issues and not harassing old men on bicycles.

 

[Danidl]

I would like to think that pc plod would turn a blind eye to this unfortunate situation, Here in NI. Knowing it’s a out off date law waiting on the desk off are MPs. To be overturned. But no sitting MPs to sign it . I mean come on, we are middle age men getting out of a cars doing are bit of the environment. I think they should be looking for more important issues and not harassing old men on bicycles.

Corsur,you are missing the point,all that you say is factual, but missing the point. I see TedG as the type of person who respects the law and at this stage in life does not want the bother. Keeping a clean slate is important to some people..I know, I am one of them. Whether the offduty PSNI would bother to pick on an old duffer in the normal course of events is moot ,they could.
The other point is that while cycling perfectly safely ,an eejit in a car opens their door and your ebike hits their fragile foot breaking a few bones. The PSNI always get involved in personal injury RTAs . They would have no discretion in not prosecuting,and the personal injuries claims by the car passenger, would obviously make great play on the non taxed and insured reckless irresponsible behaviour of the cyclist. Its a no brainer ,and driving a vehicle which should be taxed and insured is by definition reckless.

 

[TedG]

Corsur,you are missing the point,all that you say is factual, but missing the point. I see TedG as the type of person who respects the law and at this stage in life does not want the bother. Keeping a clean slate is important to some people..I know, I am one of them. Whether the offduty PSNI would bother to pick on an old duffer in the normal course of events is moot ,they could.
The other point is that while cycling perfectly safely ,an eejit in a car opens their door and your ebike hits their fragile foot breaking a few bones. The PSNI always get involved in personal injury RTAs . They would have no discretion in not prosecuting,and the personal injuries claims by the car passenger, would obviously make great play on the non taxed and insured reckless irresponsible behaviour of the cyclist. Its a no brainer ,and driving a vehicle which should be taxed and insured is by definition reckless.

Many thanks Danidl
You have written exactly what I was preparing and probably did it better.
Word for word I fully agree.
Thank you.

 

[corsur]

Yes I get the point. It just makes me mad to think. That this wee S*** hole, bit of land 86 miles vertical and 86 miles horizontal. Is the only place, Probably the whole world that you cant ride Ebike without tax Insurance. Get back to work politicians. Get it sorted. And the **** with your silly no good to anyone Irish language act. That’s is why we in this mess because of that crap.

 

[TedG]

I try to keep out of the politics of this nightmare even though I have written to so many (apparently) in power and been politely told that it is "out of their hands" - all of them??
In fairness the use of pedelecs is probably low and getting lower on the agenda should they ever stop bickering and get back to work instead of making fools of us in the eyes of the world.
All our 33 years living and working in England and never thinking that coming back "home" to retire would be so complicated - in so many ways.

 

[tommie]

And the **** with your silly no good to anyone Irish language act. That’s is why we in this mess because of that crap.

You`re pretty much spot on there corsur.

Held to ransom over something that their President and Party Leader can`t even speak themselves never mind the population.
But as we all know that is only a con, a stunt to destabilise N. Ireland.

Unfortunately as well as all that we have a weak and spineless lot in the Tory government at Westminster that wont or can`t stand up to this nonsense.

Will this type stop me enjoying my ebike??

That would be a NO.

 

[TedG]

Corsur,you are missing the point,all that you say is factual, but missing the point. I see TedG as the type of person who respects the law and at this stage in life does not want the bother. Keeping a clean slate is important to some people..I know, I am one of them. Whether the offduty PSNI would bother to pick on an old duffer in the normal course of events is moot ,they could.
The other point is that while cycling perfectly safely ,an eejit in a car opens their door and your ebike hits their fragile foot breaking a few bones. The PSNI always get involved in personal injury RTAs . They would have no discretion in not prosecuting,and the personal injuries claims by the car passenger, would obviously make great play on the non taxed and insured reckless irresponsible behaviour of the cyclist. Its a no brainer ,and driving a vehicle which should be taxed and insured is by definition reckless.

Hi guys
Sorry for butting in again with this tiresome subject but I can't help but feel certain similarities are currently occuring with e-scooters.
We are sadly still off the road for many well documented reasons but we have seen so many who are flouting this (enforceable) law and on at least two occasions we have heard adverse abuse directed at ebike riders regarding illegality.
As I suspected there are many "law experts" wandering about out there who also have a keen ear for personal litigation.

 

[MRMAC9]

I see ebikes being ridden in Belfast from time to time by brave souls. What an awful state of affairs if you can ride one with certain restrictions quite legally in the republic and in the rest of the UK but NOT in wee Norn Irn. You can burn the Irish flag on bonfires without hindrance from the police but ride an ebike and you risk the full weight of the law coming down on you.

 

[Damian.Doherty]

I have nearly 1400 miles up on my ebike now, all of it commuting to and from work down here in Derry. I've never had anything said to me yet.

I also think it may have something to do with which ebike your riding, if I was on a Stealth Bomber which looks more like a motocross bike then I would fully expect to have words with the local constabulary, my ebike on the other hand has a fully integrated battery so look just like a mountain bike. I also don't ride it much faster than a regular mountain bike anyway which helps keep the attention of the fuzz away!

 

[TedG]

I have nearly 1400 miles up on my ebike now, all of it commuting to and from work down here in Derry. I've never had anything said to me yet.

I also think it may have something to do with which ebike your riding, if I was on a Stealth Bomber which looks more like a motocross bike then I would fully expect to have words with the local constabulary, my ebike on the other hand has a fully integrated battery so look just like a mountain bike. I also don't ride it much faster than a regular mountain bike anyway which helps keep the attention of the fuzz away!

Damian, we have had this discussion before and I fully accept your views but our position is still the same.
I have had further contact with the Chief of Roads Policing and the reply was as before that the PSNI will be reluctant to become involved in anyone using an ebike e.g. you or the scores of riders who we see each day using ebikes.

The advice I have been given once again is that unless an accident occurs which would cause the PSNI to become involved as an "illegal vehicle" was in use then they would "use discretion".

If an accident occured they would be compelled to act to uphold this ludicrous law and that is when things could become nasty. The rider would have to be prosecuted albeit lightly but at that point the rider would be guilty and a personal claim could be instigated.

A basic solicitor would have little problem winning such a case as the cyclist would have been illegal and prosecuted, therefore worse case - blank cheque time.

I fully understand that we can all say that we will do whatever we can to avoid an accident which could lead to this scenario and we would not ride like idiots.

I have over 60 years on two wheels of various sorts and have been fortunate.
Does that mean that I will always be fortunate?
I simply don't trust life anymore but as before may I wish you all the best and long may you ride in peace and health.

 

[MRMAC9]

I have nearly 1400 miles up on my ebike now, all of it commuting to and from work down here in Derry. I've never had anything said to me yet.

I also think it may have something to do with which ebike your riding, if I was on a Stealth Bomber which looks more like a motocross bike then I would fully expect to have words with the local constabulary, my ebike on the other hand has a fully integrated battery so look just like a mountain bike. I also don't ride it much faster than a regular mountain bike anyway which helps keep the attention of the fuzz away!

I may go for a quality ebike with 16" or 20" wheels. As an OAP I hope to be left alone in peace. The horrendous amount of traffic on the roads is a real bummer.