As a lifelong cyclist, I would like to see a driver's license or some kind of ID proof and maybe even insurance for us bicycle riders. I live in the Boston area where a lot of new bicycle infrastructure is being put up. That's a great, great news. But many cyclists don't obey the rules on the road that we share with other motor vehicles. That riles the drivers of motor vehicles and even pedestrians.
In case of an accident, not sure how to pay for my bike repair or the damage I might have done to a car or a pedestrian.
As a cyclist I see many cyclists here and in other parts, not respecting and appreciating the facilities. We should be held accountable too..
As a life long cyclist, I don't think licensing is the right approach.
Education at schools about traffic laws should be implemented, from childhood all the way to high school.
In many countries around the world, cycling and traffic laws are part of curriculum required for their schools. Cycling should be like a life long skill that everyone should know, like swimming.. or maybe even math.
I feel that in America, most drivers think bicycles & motorcycles don't belong on public roads, which is a mentality that's been imbedded across decades of car culture and cheap oil in America.
As a teenager (in the 80's), I pedaled across the N American Continent from Seattle, WA to Ocean City, MD, on a Huffy 10-speed packed with 35-40 lb. of camping gear. Long before the time of cell phones & GPS. The slower pace gave me the chance to see America at 15-20 mph and how Americans really lived along the way.
Nowadays, I don't think most people in America even bother to try to understand how the rest of the country live. More over when homeless people in the streets are considered to be criminals and the real criminals getting government bailouts, tax breaks & tax write-offs for private jets or yachts.
Meanwhile, I still think parents should also be held accountable when their child is caught breaking traffic laws, causing accidents on high-seed e-bikes. If they can afford high cost, high speed e-bikes to for their children, they can also afford higher (x5 or x10) auto insurance premiums.
Regardless of regulations, laws or manufacturer limits on the machines or vehicle, people or teenagers are always going to find ways to go faster.
Sometimes faster than manufacturer intended speed, sometimes faster than than vehicle designed for.
As I mentioned in my previous post, Education at schools about traffic laws should be implemented as annual lessons, from childhood all the way to high school.
In many countries around the world, cycling and traffic laws are part of curriculum required for their schools.
Cycling should be like a life long skill that everyone should know, like swimming.. or maybe even math.
Maybe the repeated lessons in school annually can have younger riders learn of the consequences of operating at higher speeds, and make them think twice before breaking traffic laws and get into accidents.
Education starts at home, parents should also take responsibility to teach young riders of the laws while operating their bikes on public roads.
When young riders are caught breaking traffic laws, causing accidents on high-seed e-bikes, parents should be held responsible.
If they can afford high cost, high speed e-bikes to for their children, they can also afford higher (x5 or x10) auto insurance premiums.
In the UK, at least, we don't need more licensing, etc., we need more policing.
Licenced drivers of cars, motorcycles, buses, and trucks in this country provide abundant evidence that licensing isn't really working.
I see people behaving moronically on two feet and on two wheels all the time, but there's nothing in place in the UK to police them properly.
We just need one law: don't behave like an idiot. Then, couple that with sufficient numbers of police and sufficient police resources.
No joke, had one buffoon on FB yesterday insisting that UK law allows drivers to exceed the speed limit when overtaking other road users or passing a hazard on the road. He definitely has a driver's licence, and the UK's Highway Code is freely available online and in print form...
The UK's Highway Code already explains how all road users, whether on foot, bicycle, or motor vehicle, are to operate on the public highway. Most of it is simple common sense but, alas, that's a resource in painfully short supply these days.
I personally think e bike accidents come from not having decent path/lanes for bikes in general. At least in the states, sometimes they’ll have bike lanes or paths but they just turn people parking in them and trash/glass in them so you can’t even use them. Then people have ride on the roads with cars flying by at 2 feet away and just a recipe for disaster
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