Scooter riders and Dealing with Bicyclists

[John in CR]

No self respecting "biker" would ever be caught in the bike lane, but debate about bike being a generic term is drifting off topic. It originated with the scooter ebike riders feeling that they're being unfairly treated, even by some ebike riders. Judging by the bigoted nature of a lot of comments both here and past threads it's sadly true.

Chalo3, Bowlofsalad, or whatever your name is, your invalid arguments are quite humorous, so keep them coming. FWIW, I debated even putting the peak efficiency, because I expected some incredulous reactions like yours. Sure I've got multiple motor test reports for all 3 motors, but it could all be made up as easily as the peak efficiency percentages, so why go thru the time consuming process of removing watermarks?

 

[veloman]

I don't care for those e scooters with pedals, but I won't hate. I think they belong in bike lanes if they are around 20mph.

use a bell, not a horn when passing

 

[imorton]

I don't care for those e scooters with pedals, but I won't hate. I think they belong in bike lanes if they are around 20mph.

use a bell, not a horn when passing

I love all this "electric'… whether drones, RC, golf carts, scooters, e-bikes, trikes, Zenn cars, etc…

However, if you look around, you will see that these "e-scooters" are regulated and follow the law, being limited to 500w and 20mph in most places in North America.

As to your "bell", well they come pre-installed with a horn, so I guess it will stay. I guess could change the seat and put an aerodynamic lightweight bicycle seat on it…

As to some people being annoyed about e-scooters, I say to myself "suck it up buttercup, it's the law" and I have no intention of changing the scooter to satisfy a small group of frustrated people.

PS: If I wanted to go faster, I would get a LSM, or some 1500w monster bike frame with 96v pack and heavy-duty disk brakes etc.. (these could be called LSB, low speed bikes).

Anyways, I am courteous and respectful of all other peoples "electric toys"… IAN.

 

[bowlofsalad]

I don't care for those e scooters with pedals, but I won't hate. I think they belong in bike lanes if they are around 20mph.

use a bell, not a horn when passing

I love all this "electric'… whether drones, RC, golf carts, scooters, e-bikes, trikes, Zenn cars, etc…

However, if you look around, you will see that these "e-scooters" are regulated and follow the law, being limited to 500w and 20mph in most places in North America.

As to your "bell", well they come pre-installed with a horn, so I guess it will stay. I guess could change the seat and put an aerodynamic lightweight bicycle seat on it…

As to some people being annoyed about e-scooters, I say to myself "suck it up buttercup, it's the law" and I have no intention of changing the scooter to satisfy a small group of frustrated people.

PS: If I wanted to go faster, I would get a LSM, or some 1500w monster bike frame with 96v pack and heavy-duty disk brakes etc.. (these could be called LSB, low speed bikes).

Anyways, I am courteous and respectful of all other peoples "electric toys"… IAN.

He wasn't suggesting you remove the horn, he was suggesting that instead of honking while in close proximity of cyclists and pedestrians, you get a bell and use that instead of the horn. I think it's an excellent suggestion.

I installed a horn on my ebike but never fully set it up because I was afraid I would accidentally use it around something other than a car, which would surely offend the hell out of them.

 

[imorton]

Good idea, but when I am out on the road in traffic, I need the horn.

Can I keep my headlight, or will this scare/blind cyclists… ?

I could have my MP3/Stereo play some vroom vroom music when I pass someone too..?

I could put one of those 5ft flags to allow people to see me coming on bike paths…

So much to do, so little time, to satisfy the likes of everyone… Hmmm, maybe I will go for a 20 mph ride to unwind…

Just razing everyone… Enjoy the day as I am off to play ping pong… Later.

 

[veloman]

I think we are just trying to say that don't be surprised you get dirty looks from using your horn as you pass cyclists/peds. A bell would fix that. I have both on my bicycle with added electric motor. Horn is for motorists, and bell for peds/cyclists.

 

[amberwolf]

I think we are just trying to say that don't be surprised you get dirty looks from using your horn as you pass cyclists/peds.

That, too, but really I am concerned with those (lots, around here, unfortunately) that *aren't* paying attention to what's around them, so when someone honks at them, even with a small horn, they panic and unfortunatley often react by swerving *toward* the traffic lanes as they turn their head towards them to see what it is that wants them out of the way (cuz that's what most car drivers around here use their horn for: to deliberately frighten pedestrians or cyclists, or to warn them that they are in their way and they aren't going to slow down for them or go around them or any of the other sensible things to do, or just to tell them to get the F out of their sight cuz they don't want them to exist).

My secondary concern would be that I wouldn't want you getting a ticket if it happens to be illegal to honk at pedestrians or cyclists where you are, and someone complains. That's probably a lot less likely than the panic swerving though. (but if it *is* illegal, and someone does swerve and end up crashing and police are involved, it could come to that, too).

Basically I'm just trying to save you (the OP) trouble, and help you get along with others better. It's up to you how you feel about that and what you do.

A bell would fix that. I have both on my bicycle with added electric motor. Horn is for motorists, and bell for peds/cyclists.

Yes, exactly. I have a regular car horn for the very few times I need one, and a bell for the many many other times I need one of those. (although around here most people (pedestrians *or* bicycle-riders) don't know what *that* means, either. But at least it doesn't scare them into crashing or actually blocking further into the path I have to take, as they swerve around looking for hte source of a horn).

 

[imorton]

I can crank up my stereo and let the music alert them to my passing them.

I can give them rock, pop, opera, jazz, and blues ... Loll

 

[imorton]

Nobody has came close to crashing after using the horn, it's not like I'm standing on the horn, just a small quick tweet to alert them.

 

[dnmun]

maybe you just don't get it because you never ride a bike. cruisin on juice in a bike lane on a scooter, and honkin at them to get outa the way. what a way to meet new friends and influence people.

 

[imorton]

maybe you just don't get it because you never ride a bike. cruisin on juice in a bike lane on a scooter, and honkin at them to get outa the way. what a way to meet new friends and influence people.

Maybe it's the other way around, maybe you've never been out on the bike lane.

You should get out and try it

 

[skeelo]

aha crazy conversation!

I like the 'bell' ideal, will get one of those.

 

[mistercrash]

Good idea with the bell, but there are a couple different kinds, which one will not surprise or insult the cyclists is the question now. On top of that, maybe dress up in Lycra and get one of those super aerodynamic bike helmets.

 

[imorton]

Good idea with the bell, but there are a couple different kinds, which one will not surprise or insult the cyclists is the question now. On top of that, maybe dress up in Lycra and get one of those super aerodynamic bike helmets.

I love your sense of humor

And you have to get those shoes that lock into your pedals ...

 

[skeelo]

Good idea with the bell, but there are a couple different kinds, which one will not surprise or insult the cyclists is the question now. On top of that, maybe dress up in Lycra and get one of those super aerodynamic bike helmets.

I love your sense of humor

And you have to get those shoes that lock into your pedals ...

lol, I'm gonna get those small black pedal crank arm's though, best way to conceal those ugly bike pedals.

 

[yawstick]

You are always going to have this sort of thing no matter what you are in. Long ago I flew ultralights which were frowned upon by folks flying "real" airplanes. I could land and take off in a cow pasture... fly at treetop level... with a view unlike any other form of flying. Later I got quite a bit of time in sailplanes or gliders as some call them. They too were the object of disdain by real pilots who had to give right of way to them because they had no motor, and towing operations interfered with normal operations at the airport. And on this site I took flak for calling a dirt bike conversion an ebike because it has no pedals. At the end of the day its mostly BS and if you cant laugh it off or laugh at yourself what's the point. I recently was in a bike shop (bicycle shop I should add) and a gal in full biker duds was having carbon wheels put on an all carbon road bike. Wouldn't surprise me if she didn't have more in those wheels than I have in my electrick trike. But its all good.... I can promise you she don't have more fun than I do. Luckily I live in a state where there is no requirement for mopeds to have pedals. There aren't many bike lanes although they are becoming more common and so is the whining by motorists who are held up by them. Mostly in a bigger city nearby where is has been the subject of a few editorial comments in the newspaper.

So bowlofsalad, bagofnachos, sixpackofbud, have one on me.... a laugh that is... and be glad we live in a time and place where we can enjoy the toys of our choosing. Its not so for everyone.

 

[John in CR]

...I can promise you she don't have more fun than I do...

You got that one right, and as proof we have EV grins while they all have the cyclist grimace. Other than those riding at a very leisurely pace I don't recall ever seeing a cyclist smile while riding...definitely not up hill. Put a cyclist on an ebike and they'll fight hard to contain one of these . I need to include this aspect in with my canned responses.

 

[LegendLength]

It's funny that the majority of cyclists seem to have an illogical hate for e-bikes (from my experience) yet they become outraged that motorists have an illogical hate for them. It seems humans just love to demonize other groups.

The root problem for all this is lack of reason, intellectual honesty and over-generalization.

There are certainly gray areas with e-bikes becoming more like scooters and dirt bikes. Personally I'm in favor of letting anyone use whatever machine they want and just fine them if they are operating it in an unsafe way.