One day my back break felt loose on the trip home. I was taking 'er easy until a car sped passed me on a residential street going downhill. The speed sensor got kicked askew by a bush or something, right then, and when the computer can’t tell your speed it locks into second gear. I was in first, so I pedalled, felt the motor kick in a little too hard and then braked because of the car that swerved in front of me, back brake didn’t pull as hard as the front and I went over the handlebars.
The crash forced the brake into the throttle so the bike spun out over the road.
It was a good quality bike too, not some wal-mart model.
I phased out for a few. There was a crowd, a few had their phones out to call 911, I told them not too. Someone said “I’ve never seen an e-bike do that.” I saw the bike spinning out, rolled over and caught it to take the brake off the throttle.
I had a twisted ankle and a few scrapes but was otherwise okay. E-mailed the company about it, said they were hogtied by regulations. I got an engineer buddy to “fix” the bike so it wouldn’t happen again.
Point is, having control of your vehicle and knowing it’ll work intuitively is safer than limits that are only meant to work in ideal conditions. Regulate the speed we go and not the speed we could potentially go. And wear a fucking helmet.
I am for regulation of e-bikes
BUT
One day my back break felt loose on the trip home. I was taking 'er easy until a car sped passed me on a residential street going downhill. The speed sensor got kicked askew by a bush or something, right then, and when the computer can’t tell your speed it locks into second gear. I was in first, so I pedalled, felt the motor kick in a little too hard and then braked because of the car that swerved in front of me, back brake didn’t pull as hard as the front and I went over the handlebars.
The crash forced the brake into the throttle so the bike spun out over the road.
It was a good quality bike too, not some wal-mart model.
I phased out for a few. There was a crowd, a few had their phones out to call 911, I told them not too. Someone said “I’ve never seen an e-bike do that.” I saw the bike spinning out, rolled over and caught it to take the brake off the throttle.
I had a twisted ankle and a few scrapes but was otherwise okay. E-mailed the company about it, said they were hogtied by regulations. I got an engineer buddy to “fix” the bike so it wouldn’t happen again.
Point is, having control of your vehicle and knowing it’ll work intuitively is safer than limits that are only meant to work in ideal conditions. Regulate the speed we go and not the speed we could potentially go. And wear a fucking helmet.