A few times on my commute someone has passed me on an e-bike. Nothing against e-bikes, but I'm averaging 12 to 15 mph on this section (viewranger tracking) and this thing flies past me, it must be doing 30mph easily, the guy isn't even pedalling he just zooms along and off into the distance. It's one of those with a large drum type thing in the rear wheel.
Thing is it's on the undercliff walkway between Saltdean and Brighton, this is a tolerated shared area for cycling with a speed limit - I think it's 10mph so I'm breaking it myself most days. There's quite a few walkers, joggers, commuters etc on this stretch early morning and evening time. I'd say this person is being quite dangerous, he doesn't seem to slow down for anyone.
Part of me wants to get this guy stopped, part of me wants to have a go on his bike! What would you do?
crash into him by mistake and ask some questions.
If he's doing 30mph on a shared walk/cycleway I'd be reporting it as dangerous
Who would I report it to, would the police be interested?
There's a sort of beach patrol car I see going up and down sometimes I'll have a word with them next time I see them - for those that don't know it it's quite a wide concrete path in places, big enough for cars.
Its not an ebike. Its a motorbike that would not pass regs.
I thinbk I would probably report it if as you say he is actually endangering folk. Illegal electric motorcycles will end up spoiling the legal e bike market
If there's a speed limit to keep people safe, and someone's regularly exceeding it 3 times over, and doing it on a illegal bike, and doing it regularly, and the police were informed, and they did nothing to investigate it and this chap then collided with someone who was then injured, I'd imagine the police would be in a spot of bother.
So I reckon they would be interested, ask you for some details, and hang out for him.
Film him with a cam mounted on you? That would show the alleged speed difference you're claiming if he is achieving 30mph on the flat past you without pedalling.. which for an ebike seems unlikely. I suspect they'd be keen to view the footage. Word of mouth won't get far with that kind of trivial complaint-from their POV- I would imagine.
They should be, they would be if it was a moped doing 30mph.Who would I report it to, would the police be interested?
Whether they'd put the effort into staking out the cycle path with a speed trap for an e-bike is a different matter.
Doesn't sound like he should be doing it
I'm not sure most police folks would know enough about the rules for e-bikes?
I know that path, speeds like that are the work of a selfish lunatic.
You should certainly shop him, as above some cam footage might help plod take it more seriously.
APF
Saw an ace little pushbike razzing through the local park on Sunday with a single cylinder 2 stroke petrol engine bolted on.. The dude even had the cheek to pretend he was pedalling! 🙂
I've got a go-pro so I'll try and catch him sometime, seen him 2 times this week so far, one was at night and he had some pretty decent lights going on it too. I did wonder if it was engine powered first time but all you hear is a motor going zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz and he's gone.
Cut him up.
Bloke with an e-bike came out on our local ride a few times.
He's got a throttle on it so he doesn't have to pedal up hills.
Only person I've ever known come on an mtb ride in jeans - he never works up enough of a sweat to make them chafe, I think.
Bloke with an e-bike came out on our local ride a few times.He's got a throttle on it so he doesn't have to pedal up hills.
Only person I've ever known come on an mtb ride in jeans - he never works up enough of a sweat to make them chafe, I think.
wow. i don't know whether to be depressed or impressed reading that lol
^ solution to that is choose a ride with plenty stiles, hike a bike and gates.
An electrically assisted pedal cycle should not be capable of more than 15.5mph ( without peddling) and is classed as a bicycle and can be used as such.
If it does not meet this requirement it must be registered, insured and the rider must have a licence and wear a helmet. It can only be used on the highway.
So if it is doing 30mph then the police should be interested as it is being used for an illegal purpose. They would soon be there if it were the local lads riding their mopeds up and down.
Ha, there's no way I'm going to get in front of him, don't want to tangle with him the speed he's going ... which maybe 25-30ish, it's fast, he overtook me at the beginning of the marina this morning and he was out of sight pretty quickly and that's a short stretch along there.Cut him up
^ solution to that is choose a ride with plenty stiles, hike a bike and gates.
😀