Originally Posted by
Chief
Aren't electric bikes already addressed (legally allowed) by NY state vehicle code? Don't they have full right to public roadway like a bicycle or motor vehicle? Is this akin to the Colorado gambling town that banned cycles (doomed to fail)?
Is this a valid way for a municipality to control the license/operation of commercial vehicles? Does NYC outright ban these bikes or do they require a cost-prohibitive commercial license (the way they do taxi-cabs)?
call me puzzled...
Since I don't own one, I don't stay on top of the laws regarding electric bikes. The state has struggled to define the category. It's tough to separate and define these based on power, max speed, and whether they are purely power assist (augment riders power) or can power if the rider coasts. Meanwhile NYC (under home rule) has opted to ban them outright.
As I said earlier, they don't seem to be out trolling for the bikes, looking for motor hubs. It seems that as long as you ride like a bike at bike speeds, and obey the law they'll leave private cyclists alone. I don't know if they're more seriously targeting commercial riders, or dealing with the e-bike issue after stopping for other violations.
As it stands now, this is a classic case of NYC life, where you can do whatever you want as long as you stay below radar.
Eventually, the city and state will realize that power assist E-bikes can fill a niche in the transportation mix, but given the experience with mopeds I understand why they're moving slowly.