Originally Posted by
u235
You'd have a hard time convincing people getting hit by a bike or rollerblader (thought those were a thing of the past was but recently seems to have picked back up) at 14 is much better than getting hit by an ebike, powered skateboard or hoverboard at 14.
If the e-bike were only going the same speed as the pedal one it wouldn't be very different. But the reality is that they're operated faster; especially faster than
that same rider could operate a pedal one, which means a far greater likelihood of getting into a situation beyond their ability to safely manage. Twice in the past decade I've been hit while walking by grossly incompetent (but fortunately as a result) slow moving cyclists riding in a prohibited time or place; if they'd had motors they wouldn't not have been moving slowly enough that I could walk away
annoyed but completely
uninjured.
Comparing the original 10mph difference between getting hit at 14 mph vs 24 mph, it is in fact almost three times better in terms of energy. Perhaps even more in terms of outcome, which differs drastically depending on if someone knocked over in a collision has an opportunity to protect their head as they fall.
But at slower speeds the collision is also much less likely given the increased time for the rider to react.
Which is good, because of course a collision at any speed is still a bad thing that should not be happening.
Many e-bikes also add the problem of having no drivechain noise, decreasing pedestrian's traffic awareness in a legitimately shared space or giving no warning if it is being operated in an illicit place or direction.