10-14-2016, 06:10 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-14-2016, 06:11 PM by danbrotherston.)
@Canard Making derogatory comments based on the type of vehicles that someone is using is something that cyclists have had to suffer through for a very long time, and continue to suffer from to this day. I find it inappropriate.
The question of whether those vehicles should be permitted on trails is a valid one however. I think they shouldn't be, but *ONLY* because the trails are substandard. In the Netherlands, gas scooters are permitted on most bike trails, and while they are a bit annoying, its mostly because their noisy and stinky, electric scooters would be fine. It has has to do with building trails up to a high quality that makes it safe for more types of users.
As for the specific regulations around those scooters, the regulations which govern mopeds in Ontario (basically requiring a restricted M license) are broken, this is why mopeds are really uncommon here, the licensing and insurance requirements are far too high. I believe this has contributed towards the popularity of e-scooters--simply latent demand for moped type vehicles. There probably should be new regulation to govern them, along with limited speed gas mopeds.
Also, I agree with the previous poster, the regulations governing electric mopeds should differ from those governing electric assist bicycles, but that is a difficult law to write as evidence by it going wrong in most places where it is applied. The best option really, is to provide reasonable regulations around limited speed mopeds.
The question of whether those vehicles should be permitted on trails is a valid one however. I think they shouldn't be, but *ONLY* because the trails are substandard. In the Netherlands, gas scooters are permitted on most bike trails, and while they are a bit annoying, its mostly because their noisy and stinky, electric scooters would be fine. It has has to do with building trails up to a high quality that makes it safe for more types of users.
As for the specific regulations around those scooters, the regulations which govern mopeds in Ontario (basically requiring a restricted M license) are broken, this is why mopeds are really uncommon here, the licensing and insurance requirements are far too high. I believe this has contributed towards the popularity of e-scooters--simply latent demand for moped type vehicles. There probably should be new regulation to govern them, along with limited speed gas mopeds.
Also, I agree with the previous poster, the regulations governing electric mopeds should differ from those governing electric assist bicycles, but that is a difficult law to write as evidence by it going wrong in most places where it is applied. The best option really, is to provide reasonable regulations around limited speed mopeds.