I-Like-To-Bike

Of course some, if not all have "some merit or value"; as do most, if not all gasoline powered or human/animal powered transport devices. Even electric unicycles may have value for someone wishing to attract attention to himself or finds merit in impressing children.

LanghamP

I find my electric unicycles to have amazing utility in my dense urban environment. More compact than any eBike while being nearly as fast, they fulfill the last mile admirably.

For sociable men like me who enjoys talking to women and playing with children, they have excellent value. I would hope you enjoy socializing with people or talking to children, but evidently not. What sad world we live in when such activities are not held in high esteem. Sad sad.

350htrr

WOW,... Good for you, that you do find "some value" in electric transportation... I am amazed, practically everything you say seems, anti-everything this Living car free section is aimed at... JMO

linberl

[QUOTE=
For some reason I've noticed older bicyclist loath electric unicycles while the younger crowd thinks it is so cool. It's like EUCs are old people filters; you can almost immediately tell if someone is old and cannot learn new skills by the sweeping contempt they have of new devices.

Are you old?[/QUOTE]
I'm old, 68, and I love electric bikes, scooters, etc. I personally wouldn't ride one of those wheel-things but that's because when you fall when you're older, it hurts more,lol. Definitely would have done it in my earlier days. Looks like a total good time. There's a guy I see around here on a big rubber wheel with foot pegs on the sides and running lights; coolest transport device ever! Just because someone is old does not mean they don't like change - when I did own an e-bike, I had PLENTY of young cyclists say negative things about using one and yell things I won't repeat. I guess it threatened their manhood or something ;-).
OTOH, if you need something like this to attract women, you have a much bigger problem.

350htrr

Who care if one is old or not... If one "benefits" from some "assist" and keeps on riding a "bicycle" rather then riding in a car... "It's a good thing"...

I-Like-To-Bike

I am happy to recognize the value of intelligent, or even rational thought, by so-called "LCFers" or critical thinkers, whenever it is posted on this list.

jon c. 

There does seem to be an odd social undercurrent of people who dislike electric motors. As factionalized as our society is today, I suspect that is linked to other current issues and concerns.

FBOATSB

'social undercurrent"? "current issues"?
Good one

tandempower

Why don't they like them? Because they are quiet and efficient? Are you talking about the people who drive around in pickup trucks with big tires and motor-amplifying exhaust systems? Or the motorcycles that make the same loud noise?

I have wondered about this motor-noise fetish for years. For motorcycles I think part of it is being visible and audible so drivers in other vehicles don't run into you. But I think part of it is a feeling of power. Somehow, people can buy a powerful motor and fuel it up and feel like it is an extension of their body's physical strength. So if they can accelerate fast or pull heavy loads, etc. it's like they are imagining they have strong muscles and physical power in their bodies. Likewise, if they can make their motor growl and roar, it's like they have a loud, strong booming voice.

I think it is similar to the primitive culture of identifying with spirit animals. Really it makes sense that if you are a puny, hairless human trying to survive in the cold and you kill a bear and wear its fur as a snow suit, you feel powerful against the cold the way the bear was. So I think it's the same with loud, powerful motors - which is also why Musk launched the Tesla roadster first and has continued to focus on powerful acceleration in EVs. He gets that most humans are not into efficiency and rationality but rather power, pride, etc.

So the anti-electric cultural attitude you're talking about may be just basically territorial competitiveness to defend the dominance of combustion motors by people who have developed a sense of power and pride vis-a-vis that kind of motor and they are afraid of change.

I-Like-To-Bike

Source for the suspicions about alleged "people who dislike electric motors"? Presumably the product of another permutation of LCF Brand Critical Thinking™

linberl

Exactly. However my response was to the poster who assumed someone old would likely reject EUC's because of their age. And it's ironic that most of the people who were anti ebike when I was riding one were young which is exactly the opposite of what he postulated. Honestly, the world could use more people who don't feel the need to have opinions about things that don't even affect them, lol.

LanghamP

You are correct. In practice the vast majority of EUCs riders are in their forties, with many much older riders.

In practice, the response is overwhelmingly positive in real life when people see a skilled and experienced rider such as myself ride through the urban areas. There's is a tendency to dismiss innovations when not seeing them in real life; that is why I don't put much stock in people's opinion of things they have no actual experience with.

Go out, ride a electric kicksxooter or an EUCs, actually ride it around, then come back and tell me they aren't fantastic.

There is room for kickscooters.
There is room for EUCs.
There is room for eBikes.
We make room for cars. The older I get the more evidence I see the cars are extremely bad for us. Cars are fantastic over the short term but they at, as you will, "burning the candle at both ends."

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