Where do I belong? :/

[DesignerDan]

I take my e-bike to work and back everyday. There are bike lanes going all the way from where I live to my workplace. (which is extremely convenient) However I would like to use e-bike to go other places but not every road has a bike lane. Most roads where I live actually DON'T have bike lanes and the speeds on almost every road is 45mph (people usually go 60) My e-bike tops out at 32 mph. I've tried using the sidewalk but it's way too dangerous and it's not really fair to drivers or pedestrians. E-bike does not belong on the sidewalk and I would just be a jackass if I continued using it on the sidewalk. So my question is where do I belong when there is no bike lane? I don't think 32mph is fast enough for the car lane and I would probably just piss people off if I was using the car lane and going that slow. (btw most roads in my area are three lanes wide) Should I make my bike a little faster, say 40mph, and ride in the car lane? Or is that just ridiculous and unsafe for a bicycle to be going that fast? Please help me figure out where I belong.

 

[SamTexas]

I think it's ok to use the sidewalk as long as the speed is kept very low when pedestrians are present.

45mph speed limit is too fast for me. I feel relatively safe on roads with a 35mph limit. Anyway to answer your "Where do I belong?" question: IN YOUR CAR!

 

[DesignerDan]

I would take my car everywhere but e-bike saves a considerable about of gas and wear and tear on my car. Maybe I should start saving up for an e-motorcycle or electric car :/ but electric vehicles cost a small fortune at this point in time...

 

[catchinem]

I have a better chance of coming home alive if I ride the sidewalk. The pedestrians have the right of way so you must warn them if you are approaching them. There's too many people talking and text messaging these days on the roads. 3 bike riders have been killed in my area this year. One poor ole guy was biking cross country from California to Jacksonville and was killed down the street from me. From an article..... <<Last year, a man set out to ride from San Diego, California to Jacksonville Beach, Florida over the course of 21 days to raise money for victims of the BP oil spill. On October 6, 2010, the man was killed in a fatal bicycle accident in Bay County, Florida 300 miles away from his goal. The bicyclist was struck by a motorist who later plead to no contest to careless driving, had his license suspended and was fined $1,160.>>
And also, it's against the law to use electric power on the sidewalk. KEEP THOSE PEDALS TURNING!

 

[Brentis]

At 32mph, on the road.
I think you would draw alot of unwanted attention( cops)
traveling that fast on the sidewalk.
I know it's uncomfortable on the road at times.
Mirrors have comforted me some.

Fight for your space on the road.
Pray some texting mother, doesn't smear you.
If it's your time to die. Smile.
No point dying a grump. :lol:

 

[Ykick]

Get some motorcycle safety training and stay off the sidewalks for anything more than a block or two...

 

[neptronix]

I'm in your situation, Dan. My solution is to take my eBike and basically turn it into a slow motorcycle. I run 40mph power on mine and hang with the cars. I miss living in Portland where i could go a bit quicker than a pedal bike and be fine, as it was drastically more efficient..

I'll ride on the sidewalk or in the bike lane at bike speeds whenever possible to save energy.

Bike lanes are rare here. There are cycle paths but you have to cross and travel on 35-45mph roads to get through them which is extremely unsafe. So i said **** it, i'm gonna run stupid amounts of power. It's either that or continue driving and wasting gas on short errands.

So empower yourself and start a high power build.

 

[Jason27]

I think you guys are forgetting an electric bicycle is not supposed to be going over 30 miles an hour it's just not safe in my opinion. You're taking a real risk riding that fast. There's a thread on this forum that shows people who had some serious injuries. Please be careful.

 

[wesnewell]

The one place you don't belong is on the sidewalk. In fact, riding any bike on the sidewalk in Texas, and probably other states is against the law. Here, a bicycle is considered the same as a motor vehicle when it comes to traffic laws. And yes, you can get ticketed for running a stop sign, failure to signal, etc., etc.

 

[MadRhino]

I think you guys are forgetting an electric bicycle is not supposed to be going over 30 miles an hour it's just not safe in my opinion. You're taking a real risk riding that fast. There's a thread on this forum that shows people who had some serious injuries. Please be careful.

You can be killed riding 10 Mph, and riding 50 Mph can save your life. Risk is not a matter of speed, it's a matter of brain and skill, and situation. If you ride a street where cars go 40, you are safer riding 40.

 

[RWP]

Bicycles TAKE THE LANE. It's legal. Scary for sure, but legal.

Bicycles have every right to be in the right hand lane. It calls attention to the need for more and better bike facilities to share the lanes with cars...and we are moving into a time when there will be more and more bikes on the road.

We are at the vanguard in may ways. We are going electric and going on public roads.

I have been doing some bike advocacy where I live and doing once a month community bike rides as well. It's slow going to make the changes we need but every day moves us closer to better and safer bike lanes and facilities.

 

[neptronix]

I think you guys are forgetting an electric bicycle is not supposed to be going over 30 miles an hour it's just not safe in my opinion. You're taking a real risk riding that fast. There's a thread on this forum that shows people who had some serious injuries. Please be careful.

With adequate brakes, tires, and suspension, an electric bike is no more or less safe than a motorcycle.
Do you think it's safer to be going notably slower than the car traffic around you, such as the legal limit of 20mph, which applies to something like 47 out of 50 states?

What about that car that doesn't expect a 20mph object while making a blind turn .... ? or people who get aggressive because you're blocking the flow of traffic?

 

[Ykick]

I think you guys are forgetting an electric bicycle is not supposed to be going over 30 miles an hour it's just not safe in my opinion. You're taking a real risk riding that fast. There's a thread on this forum that shows people who had some serious injuries. Please be careful.

I'm pretty much in this camp. Just because one can can build +30mph doesn't mean we should. Both of us probably do majority of riding in city where we have bike lanes and 20mph will keep up with most things on the road we're using. Yes, these are just BICYCLES with added/extra weight.

But I also understand where some folks ride it's not nearly as moderate traffic and little or no bike lanes to be found. If you really need 30-50mph to be comfortable and/or keep up with traffic, perhaps consider a small motorcycle?

 

[neptronix]

Bicycles have every right to be in the right hand lane. It calls attention to the need for more and better bike facilities to share the lanes with cars...and we are moving into a time when there will be more and more bikes on the road..

I couldn't agree more. Here in Colorado Springs, one of the most bike unfriendly places i've been, i get honked at for going 5mph under the traffic speed, even if i'm doing 30mph up a 5% grade. I say show me where the bike lane is and i'll use it. Oh, there isn't one? i'll continue riding in the street until you drivers get it.. even if it means that i may have to sacrifice myself for the cause.

The car culture is slowly dying and America's cities need to wake the **** up and accommodate for other options like bikes. I'll be a pain in the ass for everyone until then

 

[parabellum]

I think you guys are forgetting an electric bicycle is not supposed to be going over 30 miles an hour it's just not safe in my opinion. You're taking a real risk riding that fast.

1.Going with the traffic speed is way safer then going slower or quicker.
2.Good bicycle/rider can go even 60mph safely.
3.Some bicycles have better handling qualities then mopeds, scooters and other 2 wheeled transportation devices.

 

[ddk]

you belong off the roads where you can't ride your bike safely.
period.

I'd like this forum a lot better if users didn't advocate breaking laws or putting some stranger's life at risk

I think it's time to ban myself from here

bye

 

[gogo]

Most roads where I live actually DON'T have bike lanes and the speeds on almost every road is 45mph (people usually go 60)

Sounds like Phoenix. What are your state laws concerning ebikes?

 

[dogman dan]

You belong on the street, not the sidewalk. But....

Firstly, you simply have to take the long way, and stay the hell off the 45 mph speed roads if at all possible. Fine to dash a few blocks down one, or ride slowish on the sidewalk for a block or two. I have about 1/4 mile like this on my route, twice. I wait for a break in the traffic before heading out, or if impossible ride slow and safely on the sidewalk for a few blocks.

Chances are you are legaly having the right to take the lane in your locality. But that doesn't stop it from being suicidal. Idealy your route would have at least a lane with a bit of extra width, or a gutter you can duck into if you must to save your ass from a driver that is texting, or putting on the eye makup at 50 mph.

If it's urban enough, you may be able to link some parking lots, or take the alley, anything but ride for miles down a death road.

If your route is totally screwed, just get a damn motorcyle (could be electric) and keep up with em, legaly and insured. I simply don't advocate ebikes that go much faster than 30 mph riding around as illegal unlicenced motocycles in heavy traffic. It's one thing to sneak around the neighborhood blasting on your fast ebike, and another to go commuting daily at 40-50 mph on one. I think the more people we get commuting on 40 mph ebikes the sooner the backlash will come. Then you won't even be able to sneak under the radar at 25 mph anymore in that locality. Plus people see "bicycle" and never dream you are moving that fast. You'll get left crossed constantly.

 

[SamTexas]

The one place you don't belong is on the sidewalk. In fact, riding any bike on the sidewalk in Texas, and probably other states is against the law.

http://bicycleaustin.info/laws/
Not according to the above.

Anyway if I have to make a choice between being safe and being legal, I'd take being safe. I have seen cops on bicycles riding on the sidewalk all the time in Houston.

 

[dogman dan]

That bit about a cop saying a bike in the right hand bike lane has to yeild to a turning car is priceless. Bet you can find more than one judge that would agree the car has the right of way.

On the other hand, when you see that f---er is right crossing you, the car is taking the right of way and you better be ready for it, or death. I like to give that rear side panel a nice slap with an open palm if I can still reach it. Make em think they hit you, now that they realize you are there!

The other good one is the paint can opener worn as a ring on the left hand....

 

[MadRhino]

Other place, other behaviour.

Sidewalk here is not for bikes, too many pedestrians.

Riding slow on the street is dangerous, parked car doors especially.
Bicycles commonly take the lane, and many do ride faster than a legal Ebike.

I ride in town like a motorcycle, and my bike rides like one.
I cross police cars every day and they don't care.

Ebike laws are not enforced here, except when they ride the bike path.
It is discussed to ban Ebikes from the bike path, and they are already in some areas.

In the mountain, there are some paths that are reserved to pedestrians, the rest of the trails are free to ride.

 

[DesignerDan]

Most roads where I live actually DON'T have bike lanes and the speeds on almost every road is 45mph (people usually go 60)

Sounds like Phoenix. What are your state laws concerning ebikes?

I live in Naples, Fl. (lots of old people lol) E-bikes can be no faster than 20mph without a drivers license. Which I have a drivers license so speed isn't legally an issue. Avoiding 45mph roads is impossible. LITERALLY almost every road is 45mph. Not many "shortcuts". A few parking lots here and there but flying through a parking lot also seems pretty dangerous. There are sidewalks along almost every road but it's too dangerous for e-bike. Pedestrians isn't the only issue. What if there's a significant bump in a sidewalk? or debris that I can't see? I've had both of those situations happen before and it's not fun. I refuse to ride on the sidewalk unless I'm using pedal power and not the motor.

 

[DesignerDan]

Also with the sidewalk I've almost been hit countless times by drivers pulling out of parking lots and not checking the crosswalk for pedestrians of bicyclist. But honestly I don't blame them. Nobody is expecting a bicycle to be going that fast on a sidewalk. Which is why I think it's not fair to anyone in the community for e-bike to be on sidewalks (unless when absolutely necessary and using pedal power)

 

[Ykick]

You really do need a motorcycle. Bicycles laden with extra weight and pushed well above 30mph do not have components built for those stresses. Sure, good bikes/riders can get away with a lot but ask me or anybody who's hit potholes at 25mph and had their bicycle rims destroyed if +30mph is a good idea using bicycle components laden with so much extra weight?

Seriously, have you seen Zero electric motorcycles? Battery that will survive the end of the world and just a great job of building a complete package for serious street/dirt riding.

 

[SamTexas]

Nobody is expecting a bicycle to be going that fast on a sidewalk. Which is why I think it's not fair to anyone in the community for e-bike to be on sidewalks (unless when absolutely necessary and using pedal power)

I agree, speed should be very low when using the sidewalk. But that has nothing to do with ebikes. Ebikes can be faster than regular bikes but it's not mandatory to ride them fast.