Ever Been Pulled Over by Police on Your eBike?

I just was last night here in Maine.
Yes, it is true and so funny too!

I was riding the ebike home tonight during my commute and noticed the Veazie, Maine Police car swing in behind me. I knew I was going the speed limit, but he pulled me over just as we got to the Veazie/Bangor line. He was just curious about the ebike. Seems he has gotten a few calls lately of someone riding a bicycle 30-40 mph, wearing a helmet... he tells them that this is perfectly legal, but he was curious what this bike was. So I let him check it out. It was so funny. He told me that he just had his son with him and was sorry that he wasn't here to see it too. He told me my light was good and bright and that he noticed that I was obeying all the rules of the road. Now, he knows what the tell the folks that call in about this strange sight. It was awesome- that I did not get any kind of ticket and he was really interested in how the bike worked. He started talking about gas prices and how he was thinking of getting a motorcycle again to save money....

For me, I was blazing down the street @ 35mph and cops didn't pull me over. I guess most don't know about the 20mph topspeed on ebikes.

If he was just curious about e-bikes he could google them on the internet, not inconvenience a rider in the middle of a ride. Why didn't he give you a voucher for a free Thanksgiving turkey for being a good rider? I guess I'm just used to the police being hostile as they are to all bikes in my area. You're fortunate to have any personal contact with an officer which doesn't result in a negative outcome. I just don't trust anyone around here.

A few years ago I was pulled over. A car came up next to me as I was riding in the bike lane. It slowly passed and signaled for a left turn at the next intersection. They were probably circling the block looking for parking. Without warning, the driver swerved the car right, almost sideswiping me, to get to a parking spot on the right side that they saw at the last second before they turned left. I actually had to put my left leg up and push off of the side of the car to avoid injury. Somehow I didn't hit the curb or the car in the next spot and maintained control. A few blocks away, I was pulled over by Chicago PD. They asked me why I hit the car with my foot and I explained my side of the story. They said that it was my fault, and I protested saying there was no way it was my fault (remember the car was going for a left turn and had it's left signal on when it turned RIGHT into a parking space.) I could tell they weren't going to take much more of my "excuses" so I shut up. They ran my license and came back a few minutes later and gave me a verbal warning and told me that I need to yield to cars!

I was on a currie E-zip at the time and the motor hanging off the back is pretty obvious, but it didn't come up.

mvly said:

For me, I was blazing down the street @ 35mph and cops didn't pull me over. I guess most don't know about the 20mph topspeed on ebikes.

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That is not nationwide though. In Maine, there is no set limit..... Is this true where you live and, if so, how well is it enforced?

V_Mark said:

A few years ago I was pulled over. A car came up next to me as I was riding in the bike lane. It slowly passed and signaled for a left turn at the next intersection. They were probably circling the block looking for parking. Without warning, the driver swerved the car right, almost sideswiping me, to get to a parking spot on the right side that they saw at the last second before they turned left. I actually had to put my left leg up and push off of the side of the car to avoid injury. Somehow I didn't hit the curb or the car in the next spot and maintained control. A few blocks away, I was pulled over by Chicago PD. They asked me why I hit the car with my foot and I explained my side of the story. They said that it was my fault, and I protested saying there was no way it was my fault (remember the car was going for a left turn and had it's left signal on when it turned RIGHT into a parking space.) I could tell they weren't going to take much more of my "excuses" so I shut up. They ran my license and came back a few minutes later and gave me a verbal warning and told me that I need to yield to cars!

I was on a currie E-zip at the time and the motor hanging off the back is pretty obvious, but it didn't come up.

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That sounds really dangerous what happened to you.
I have a pretty narrow bike lane crossing a bridge and there usually cars and trucks will crowd me.
IF that happens, I will take to the sidewalk, which I know is not legal, but it gets me out of dangerous squeeze zone.

The fingers said:

If he was just curious about e-bikes he could google them on the internet, not inconvenience a rider in the middle of a ride. Why didn't he give you a voucher for a free Thanksgiving turkey for being a good rider? I guess I'm just used to the police being hostile as they are to all bikes in my area. You're fortunate to have any personal contact with an officer which doesn't result in a negative outcome. I just don't trust anyone around here.

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A free voucher sounds nice, but no.... there are turkeys about in the area though. Yes, so far everyone has been very nice - except for a few car drivers - about the ebike and very interested, police included. Everyone is looking for ways to save money and reduce gas consumption, so most folks are very interested overall.

Yes, by a bike cop for not completely stopping at a stop sign. He didn't mention anything about the electric part. It was an area near the capitol that is heavily enforced and I didn't realize it at the time.

Now you did it, We're all moving to Maine, they'll get sick of us, and you'll get a 20 mph rule.

We have a 30 mph limit in NM, but you are a moped and need a drivers licence. But since cops will ignore (if you look bicycle) you till you get hit by a car, no big deal. No specified watt limit.

Yes, once before I purchased Magicshine lights and had a Veltop canopy.

A car pulled up and the driver got out and asked if I wanted a High Vis jacket. I looked at him suspiciously but he told me he was a Garda (must have been off-duty) and preceded to hand me one from the boot of the car.

Apparently, it was very hard to see me from behind despite having an aluminium box trailer, flag and rear light. Although it was raining and the evening was overcast. There was a safety campaign at the time to get everyone to wear high visibility jackets.

Most Gardai (police) are quite reasonable - though you will always get the odd egomaniac.

Never pulled over. But I got a good hard glare from a cop sitting shotgun out of his open window, when were both staged at a red light, this morning.

I was tempted to where my full face for the first time today since it was actually cold. I'm thinking the cop might have said something if I had it on instead of a regular bike helmet.

vicmaine said:

mvly said:

For me, I was blazing down the street @ 35mph and cops didn't pull me over. I guess most don't know about the 20mph topspeed on ebikes.

Click to expand...

That is not nationwide though. In Maine, there is no set limit..... Is this true where you live and, if so, how well is it enforced?

Click to expand...

I know for sure it is 20mph here in CA. That being said, I never heard of anyone being pulled over for speeding on a bike.

I guess cops here are cool just as long as you don't do anything stupid like run stop signs or red lights.

Got pulled over again last night. This one didn't flash his lights he just came up beside me and pointed. I pulled over into a gas station and he followed me.

He said he had been meaning to stop me for a while and ask about the bike. I told him about the setup and he took some notes so he could look online. Seemed very interested in building one so I told him to stop me again when he's done some research and is ready to build.

Other time they were interested in my headlights. Really liked them so I gave them their website.

Both times they said: "You were really cruising." It was obvious by their tone and smile that they loved it! I guess compared to people putting along at 10mph on pedal bikes that 25 to 30mph is pretty fast.

So far all my interaction with police in regards to my ebike has been very positive and I try to ride smart so it stays that way.

Gary

I got stopped by a Mass. statey just this weekend. I stopped at a red light behind the cruiser and when the light turned green we both took off. Just on the far side of the intersection the cops stops dead in the middle of the road. I locked up my breaks and manage to bring it to a stop inches from his bumper. I look and see that he is staring at a pizza shop trying to decide if it was open. He looks in his rearview and sees me balancing precariously behind him and kind of gives me a little "I'm sorry" wave and moved over a couple of feet to let me by giving me another apologetic nod as I pass him. Kind of funny having a cop apologize to me My bike looks very much like a normal bike and he didn't give it a second look which is good because in my state I'm suppose to be registered as a moped with a 20 MPH speed limit

mvly said:

I know for sure it is 20mph here in CA. That being said, I never heard of anyone being pulled over for speeding on a bike. I guess cops here are cool just as long as you don't do anything stupid like run stop signs or red lights.

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I got pulled over in CA...police followed me from behind as I California stopped (ran) 4 stop signs.

Didn't get a ticket though. One of the policemen was really interested in my e-bike. I think my e-bike saved me a ticket.

For over 20 years, cops near the Huntington Beach pier have been using radar guns to ticket speeding bicycles on the coastal bikeway.

vicmaine said:

mvly said:

For me, I was blazing down the street @ 35mph and cops didn't pull me over. I guess most don't know about the 20mph topspeed on ebikes.

Click to expand...

That is not nationwide though. In Maine, there is no set limit..... Is this true where you live and, if so, how well is it enforced?

Click to expand...

OK, yea, depends on where you are. In Massachusetts (read Boston), there are new laws on the the books, put there in part by http://massbike.org/resourcesnew/bike-law/bike-law-update/. So its a murky, changing picture, so stay informed. Even the police may not know the current laws regulating ebikes on the road.

Having recently been in a car-to-ebike accident, I read up to see what's what. I believe it to be true here that the 20mph/750watt ebike rule applies. But maybe not as the law requires case-law for elaboration.

Be warned, Massachusetts is often in the forefront of new law that get promulgated to ever other state in the Union. I believe its just a matter of time before Maine too gets new laws on the books. Make sure that your state does not judge ebikes in the lower than 20mph/750watt range to be "mopeds," meaning they'd have to be registered and require a drivers license to use. I got into this game to give up owning a car and the necessity for a drivers license. It let it expire. I may be frelling fracked with the car owners insurance.

john7700 said:

My bike looks very much like a normal bike and he didn't give it a second look which is good because in my state I'm supposed to be registered as a moped with a 20 MPH speed limit

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Why do you believe that to be true? More info please. Am here in Massachusetts too. Thanks.

got pulled over once for not putting my foot down at a stop sign. He told me to wait three seconds in a complete stop each time which is BS because this was early morning and no one was around. Didn't even notice it was an ebike despite the 3g accelerations from a stop

vicmaine said:

That sounds really dangerous what happened to you.
I have a pretty narrow bike lane crossing a bridge and there usually cars and trucks will crowd me.
IF that happens, I will take to the sidewalk, which I know is not legal, but it gets me out of dangerous squeeze zone.

Click to expand...

If I was in a situation like that, I may opt to take the sidewalk if it's clear of pedestrians, but this was normal everyday city riding on the street with a full bike lane. No car crowding, just one moron who jumped at the chance when he saw an open parking spot and somehow forgot that I was in the bike lane 3 seconds after passing me.

arkmundi said:

john7700 said:

My bike looks very much like a normal bike and he didn't give it a second look which is good because in my state I'm supposed to be registered as a moped with a 20 MPH speed limit

Click to expand...

Why do you believe that to be true? More info please. Am here in Massachusetts too. Thanks.

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Hmm, it seems they raised the speed limit since last time I checked three years ago but this is directly from the DOT web sight

"MOTORIZED BICYCLE
A moped (also known as a motorized bicycle) is a pedal
bicycle with a helper motor, or a non-pedal bicycle with a
motor. Its maximum speed must be thirty (30) miles per hour
(mph) or lower. Its cylinder capacity must be fifty (50) cubic
centimeters or lower. It must have an automatic transmission.
To register a moped, you must complete a Motorized Bicycle (Moped) Registration
application. This application is available at RMV branches or at mass.gov/rmv. The
registration fee is $40.00 for two years. You will also be subject to a 6.25 percent sales/use
tax, as applicable. Once your application is approved, it is stamped and becomes your
registration. You must carry it whenever you operate the moped. You will also be issued a
decal that must be affixed on the rear of the moped so that it is clearly visible."

But then directly bellow it says this:

"Under Massachusetts law, mopeds fall into the category of “motorized bicycles”(with or
without pedals) and are therefore regulated by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles. You must
have a valid driver’s license (any class) or learner’s permit to drive a moped. You must
follow these rules when driving a moped:
• Do not drive faster than 25 mph.
• Do not ride on limited-access or express state highways with signs saying that
bicycles are not allowed.
• Use the correct electronic and hand signals before stopping or turning."

In any event we are supposed to be licensed and registered.

john7700 said:

In any event we are supposed to be licensed and registered.

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Yes, that may be the interpretation that emerges from the courts. Hope my case does not go there. If a big dark cloud isn't already forming over this, it should. There has to be a distinction that allows ebike enthusiasts to put on electric assist motor and ride the streets as a bicyclist, without fear of state retribution.

FYI, have attached part of my accident report that states I'm "Not Motorist".

Not yet, in over 10,000 miles of high speed urban commuting. They see me and leave me be
However, that will change as e-biking becomes more common around here. All good things eventually come to an end...

Enjoy the golden era now boys, while their radars can't pick up e-bikes.

Radar guns clock baseballs thrown by major league pitchers. A person on a bike is a much larger target. I am tempted to ride by one of those flashing speed limit signs to see if my speed gets displayed.