Originally Posted by linberl

Assuming throttles are always used in lieu of pedaling is a mistake. Many riders with arthritis in knees or other health issues use a throttle on take off as pedal assist requires some rotation to begin. Those initial movements can be very hard on older joints. Additionally, as someone who rides in city traffic sometimes (and other times on MUPs where they exist), a throttle can make the difference between being hit by a car or not. Unfortunately my throttle has saved me from being broadsided in intersections by bad drivers more than once. There is no way I could have pedaled out of the way in time; the added boost from the throttle let me clear by enough space so that the driver running the red light didn't hit me. I have no problem with bikes having both pedal assist and throttles - throttle only bikes should be reserved only for disabled riders.