Musings: Not every e-bike is a speed demon
E-bikes can be less dangerous than faster bicycles. Credit: John Roca
The City of Long Beach is misguided in banning all e-bikes from the boardwalk. I am a 77-year-old Nassau County resident who regularly rides a Class 1 pedal-assist bicycle for exercise and mobility. I ride only in the bike lanes at about 10 mph or less, and I am very aware of and courteous toward pedestrians and other cyclists.
The current boardwalk rules treat all e-bikes the same, regardless of how they operate or how fast they are being ridden. In practice, this means my slow, pedal-assist Class 1 electric bike is banned from the boardwalk, while non-electric bikes traveling 20-30 mph remain allowed.
From both a safety and fairness standpoint, I believe this approach misses the real issue: Class 1 bikes are powered by human exertion. The motor only assists while I am pedaling and cuts out completely if I stop pedaling. If I stop pedaling, the bike stops moving.
The risk on the boardwalk comes from speed and rider behavior, not simply the presence of a small motor. A cautious rider at 10 mph on a Class 1 is far less dangerous than a nonelectric bike ridden aggressively at high speed. I suggest Long Beach police monitor speed rather than type of bike. In the end it is always speed that is the danger.
— Ted D. Gluckman, Rockville Centre
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