post the link to the e-bike law in your state

[Matt Gruber]

i googled
texas electric bike law
and in 1 minute i learned
no pedals!
>14" min wheel
100# max weight!
anyway,
i'm convinced if i had a copy of my FL law, i would not have been charged w/criminal violation!
so post it now and prevent future aggravation for u & everyone else.

 

[patrick_mahoney]

The Wikipedia page is pretty good:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws

It has:
* 3.1 Arkansas
* 3.2 California
* 3.3 Colorado
* 3.4 Connecticut
* 3.5 Florida
* 3.6 Hawaii
* 3.7 Indiana
* 3.8 Iowa
* 3.9 Kentucky
* 3.10 Massachusetts
* 3.11 Minnesota
* 3.12 New Jersey
* 3.13 New York
* 3.14 Pennsylvania
* 3.15 Tennessee
* 3.16 Texas
* 3.17 Utah
* 3.18 Virginia
* 3.19 Washington

 

[mvadventure]

Matt, what happened that got you charged with a criminal violation?
Mike, Palm Coast, FL

 

[Matt Gruber]

FL has a GREAT law! NO POWER LIMIT>NO PEDALS, no minimum wheel size, no weight limit!

but it reminds me of that religion promising 72 virgins when u die. turns out it is only ONE,
72 year old virgin(joke by jay leno)

mv-see my post in ev general

pat-great link, quiz for all next week :lol:

 

[Matt Gruber]

OK know it alls
post the penalty for a violation in your state.
TX guys. what if it is overweight? penalty?

Pedal states: No pedals? what is the penalty?

Speeding? what is the penalty?

FL law 1-5 mph over the posted limit NO FINE! WARNING ONLY!

but ebikes often can't go over POSTED limit, so what is the penalty for over 20, but under posted?

in FL most bicycle infractions are a $15 fine. will that be the fine for a LOW SEAT? SPEEDING?

U guys with a motor size limit, post penaly for big motor.

Let's see how smart u guys are
google will be busy today :lol:

 

[TylerDurden]

but ebikes often can't go over POSTED limit, so what is the penalty for over 20, but under posted?

in FL most bicycle infractions are a $15 fine. will that be the fine for a LOW SEAT? SPEEDING?

The terms above are not exactly statutes, but defining characteristics...

Ergo:
low seat means scooter-like motor vehicle
speed in excess of 20 means moped-like motor vehicle
no pedals means scooter-like motor vehicle

You may have more features that say your rig is not a bike, than features that say it is...
That's why you are charged with a crime, not a traffic citation.

Consider that the state has an interest in public safety, to the extent that ambiguities in the laws will be decided more restrictively, not less; until a case shows that public-safety and the state are worse-served by the restrictive interpretation.

 

[Matt Gruber]

makes sense, or at least that must be the case they want to make.
Except DMV says a comfy seat, cargo bags. and a bell etc, don't turn a e-bike into a MV or moped.

 

[Matt Gruber]

At the time i didn't know the FL. law.

so i mentioned HR727 the federal law.

I assume she looked it up, but i don't know for sure. anyway HR727 requires pedals. She wrote ELECTRIC BIKE, NO PEDALS so she figured she "got me" But there IS a fl law,and it doesn't mention pedals. if i gave her the correct law, i assume she would have said HAVE A NICE RIDE, not
"IF U RIDE THIS AGAIN I'LL HANDCUFF U AND TAKE U TO JAIL"
but who knows? to her it looked like a Moped, no pedals, she wanted it OFF the street permantly. BTW i notice the 2 mobility scooters are gone too, and the bike path is void of e-bikes. so she, i presume, is ordering everyone off, and i told her i will make it comply with the law, if necessary.
she said U CAN'T
In retrospect, i should have nodded and smiled, and then complained to the police chief.

 

[Eric G]

Here's a link to the "MTO" (Ministry of Transport Ontario) regarding the rules & regulations of the 3 year pilot test of allowing ebikes on the roads of Ontario Canada...

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/emerging/e-bike-faq.htm#1

 

[Lessss]

Matt you really have to give us the conversational breakdown of your stop by the cop.

http://www.quarkbikes.getmyip.com/quarkbikes.html has links to Transport Canada and NB laws AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE.

Sounds like the cop took pleasure in writing you up.

 

[Matt Gruber]

bottom line is,
my mbike was complete success.
if it is not legal i'll ask the court to please tell me what i can buy, and if i like it, i'll buy it. i'll give as many pics as i can get. if they are anti-e-bike, i'll drive a car. i like cars! lots of fun, i have 3.

 

[knightmb]

Tennessee Law

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12

 

[wren]

Wow, the Pennsylvania law seems quite crippling.

Unfortunately, I just ordered an internal gear hub to use as a manual motor transmission mounted mid-frame.

Hrm.

 

[Lessss]

I find it hilariously interesting that the laws all tend to be deliberately crippling when the only real thing they should be looking at is top speed.

 

[Matt Gruber]

I find it hilariously interesting that the laws all tend to be deliberately crippling when the only real thing they should be looking at is top speed.

yes.
imagine if a speeding ticket was just like for a car, 20 over the limit, or 40 mph,
big fine and points, even tho the posted speed was 40 mph. that's enough to keep safe, slow.

i fear locals are anti-bike as the spandex guys just ride for exersize and get in the way of cars doing real business.

 

[maxwell]

You lucky Americans, we (the British) are stuck with 250W and 15.5mph (25kph). http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/uk_law.shtml

The only bit I like is no low seat restriction, this could be a bummer for my TriceQ the seat of which is only 8" off the ground. I think I will get away with 20mph and 500W, there are precious few cops on the road now, it all depends on speed cameras.