CliffordK

Ok, I was reading in the Wacky Thread about gas motorized bike conversions capable of riding 40 MPH in the bike lanes.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...l#post18171424

I suppose like many cyclists, I find them annoying. I can get up to 30 or so, but I'm working really hard to do it, and can't maintain it for long, and only go fast in certain "safe" areas. Then seeing someone with a puff of smoke, a lot of racket (often no helmet), sitting there not pedalling, and buzzing along at 30 to 40... using the bike lanes, it just seems annoying.

Yet, for Safety, if these vehicles can't keep up with the speed limit, then they should probably be on the shoulders and at least street side bike paths. MUPS/MUTS? Part of the NEV restrictions is that they are technically not allowed on the 55+ MPH streets.

Apparently Peachtree Georgia has put in a whole Golf Cart Infrastructure.



One has to imagine that the Mopeds, Motorized Bike Conversions, E-Bikes, NEVs, Golfcarts, and etc are more efficient than the typical cars. So, perhaps one should encourage their use....

And in fact design Multi-Use trails/Paths with them in mind.

Of course, one ends up with the same problem that one has on the roads with a 55 MPH car and a 30 MPH NEV....
vs a 30 MPH NEV, and a 3 MPH pedestrian.

I suppose the courteous ones will work it out. But, the more of them one gets on the paths, the more they will wish to own the paths.

And, of course, people like the quiet and tranquillity of the segregated path networks (which is why they are so popular with bikes, joggers, walkers, kids, strollers, dogs, etc).

himespau 

What's a NEV?

stanman13

Motorized bicycle conversions and e-bikes are in my thinking just mopeds. They should be used and treated as such, and should be on the roads. Most states have some provisions and requirements for licensing golf carts and other four-wheel ATVs for use on the roads, and they should be used there as well. I would tend to want to keep MUPs and the like non-motorized.

CliffordK

Sorry......

Neighborhood Electric Vehicle.

In some senses like a glorified golf cart, but often a bit more refined. Still limited in their speed.

Dave Cutter

I don't know. looking closely at your picture.... that looks like a bicycle sharing that infrastructure. I often see an elderly man on the bike path... riding his electric bike. I don't mind sharing with him at all.

Korina

Hah! I had one of those electric bike/moped beasties follow me on my ride home on the freeway. I was on the right side of the 10' shoulder, minding my own business, when this person sidles up behind me and STAYS THERE for quite a while, until it occurs to me to wave him/her on, at which point they zoom past me. Is this common? Am I supposed to wave them on, in case it happens again?

indyfabz

I got in a "discussion" with some hipster who was riding his scooter in a bike lane. He said "Bit I can go as fast as a bike." I replied "That's precisely the problem."

The growing problem we have here in Philly are the food delivery guys riding e-bikes. Many of them blow lights and stop signs and pretty high rates of speed and jump from the road to the sidewalk to get around backed up traffic. Just this afternoon I through an elbow at a guy riding one on the sidewalk as I stepped out of the way to avoid being struck. Scared him pretty good. He's cursing at me so I dared him to call the cops. I'd like to see him explain that one to a cop. "Officer. I was illegally riding a motorized bike on a sidewalk when this a-hole over here threw an elbow at me just as I nearly ran him down."

Rollfast

Most places have too much auto traffic to allow golf carts or they are required to have a license, etc, have signals and lights.

In the late seventies my great-grandfather had his license taken away and, without the public transportation system we might be accustomed to today there was no way for him to travel the short distance into a part of town with a market. He tried a golf cart but the police took it away for the same reason his license was taken, that is, he was not deemed same to operate a vehicle.

It broke his heart, being the headstrong man he always was, to lose his social connections like that. He did pass a couple years later and his wife went to live with her daughter (my maternal grandmother) until she too passed in her nineties.

But carts are usually forbidden on city streets and I would suspect that the bridge you showed above is part of a trail that does not connect to regular roads or is a portal to the other side of a senior living property. It's rather nice of someone to design it to resemble a trolley car though.

CliffordK

Actually, read about Peachtree Georgia.

Peachtree City, GA - Official Website - Paths & Golf Carts


Oddly, they seem to ignore the idea of multi-modal low speed traffic, even though it was pointed out that the bridge photo above did include a bicycle. Although, perhaps I was just reading about carts... the city page does consider them as multi-use.

Schwinnhund

I live in Chatsworth, Ga. There are no bike lanes anywhere around here. Anything with a motor, whether it is electric, or gas, that goes faster than 25 mph requires a license to operate, and has to be registered. Golf Carts are not street legal, and not allowed on public roads at all. Nothing other than a human-powered vehicle is allowed on any of the bike paths and trails, with the exception of eBikes (because they are still human-powered, and only electrically assisted for short periods of time...). So far, sharing the road hasn't been much of a problem, except on the Dalton bypass, and in Dalton on Walnut Ave. by Walmart, and the mall, because of heavy traffic. But there are alternate roads and side-streets to get to where you need to go, so it's not really much of a problem. I think shoulders without the rumble-strips would solve any of the remaining issues.

Digital_Cowboy

Here in Florida if I read F.S. 316.2065 correctly those gas powered bicycles are illegal because they exceed 20MPH. And most bike shops refuse to work on them, because they do not want the fumes in their shops.

And I have to laugh because there have been plenty of times when I’ve been out in the travel lane on my bicycle and I’ve seen someone on a scooter hugging the curb, hell I’ve even seen them operating on the sidewalk as well as the Pinellas Trail. And I’m talking about scooters that are “large” enough to require a license plate.

So correct me if I’m mistaken, but if a scooter is sufficiently large enough to require a license plate then doesn’t that suggest that they should be taking their place in the travel lane and that they should NOT be operated on either the sidewalk or the Pinellas Trail?

The Pinellas Trail being the local Rails-to-Trails MUP.

Digital_Cowboy

Rollfast,

Actually in Pinellas Park they can use golf carts on certain roads. There are of course certain roads that they cannot use.

Robert C

You names a broad number of different categories of vehicles and expect a unified answer?

This looks like nothing but trolling.

Rollfast

It is not trolling. The question was asked about where various small motorized vehicles fit in the traffic system.

The answer is on normal roads, not designated pedestrian/cyclist-only pathways. If you cannot flow with the other vehicular traffic at a safe and reasonable speed or degree of maneuverability you should stay to the right of that flow or yield.

You have a right to be on the road. In most cases you do not have the right to hinder traffic flow. Work together and keep traffic orderly and safe.

Some motorized small vehicles are restricted on not allowed in some cases, in accordance with your local and state laws. For an example, persons under a certain age are not allowed to use motorized scooterboards in addition to cars and motorcycles in my area.

Electric powered bikes may be in the same category as mopeds under a certain engine displacement...in Oregon you do not have to license a moped under 50cc as I understand it and this probably applies to motorized bikes (such as 'Whizzers') as well. You do have to check the laws of the states you operate in, there really is no national driving standard except for road design and safety regulations that apply to local, state and interstate transportation.

Rollfast

This is true, but as I just stated in another post the issue would be hindrance of normal traffic flow and safety. If you are not holding up traffic flow in a manner that causes problems, or in your case, many of those people also drive a cart, cart traffic is the norm...yes, that can work. In my town there are less than 10,000 residents in the last census count but we have traffic like a city of 40,000 on several routes. That is why carts are not allowed, as well as motorized scooterboards or skateboards, And some non-licensed motor vehicles like the aforementioned mopeds and motorbikes are not legal for operation on public streets by younger users who cannot obtain a license due to being underage. Likewise, license age persons who cannot or do not hold one cannot operated carts, etc in lieu of a licensed vehicle. This prevents DUI and other suspended licenseholders from legally operating a motor vehicle.

But again I must insist that if you think somebody is not posting according to site rules/is causing a problem, please contact staff directly and don't call them trolls or other names and make accusations. You can usually ask them if they are aware of causing a problem sometimes and solve some situations, especially if they are concerning you and aren't so prickly but if you can't let somebody help before it escalates into WWE RAW.

italktocats

youre still a ****ing ******* if you do that

indyfabz

No, I am not. And watch your language, son.

italktocats

youre willingly trying to cause harm to other people, thats pretty ****ed up.

indyfabz

No. It was a fake elbow. I wanted to hit him I would have. And what about his recklessness with regard to my safety. I suppose you think that's o.k. The area where the incident happened is home to a large population of elderly people who try to maintain their independence by getting out on their own. When one of them is struck will you be happy? I like to think I may have scared him enough to spare such people injury or death. No buzz off, troll.

Leisesturm

Yeppers...

Leisesturm

Takes one to know one...

indyfabz

*yawn*

Leisesturm

You don't fool me... I can see the burn ointment you had to put on that owie from here...

350htrr

Where should Mopeds, Electric Bikes, Bike Conversions, Golf carts,& NEVs ride or drive? ... ? That's easy, On the roads, that's where... Where should an "legal" E Assist bike ride? anywhere a normal bike would be allowed to ride, that's where...