Originally Posted by
N2deep
Most states exempt electric bikes from the motorized classification. Personally I think these electric bikes will be more helpful to our sport as these people will want more bike lanes and they increase our visibility as a group. However we do need to teach these people cycling manners. Possibly getting the bike stores to provide some training to the buyers would be helpful..
I don't think that "most states exempt e-bikes from motorized classification." I'd have to see proof of that. Its counter intuitive. And I doubt that many States have even considered it yet. When the lawsuits become too much there will be an official look taken I'm sure.
These aren't bicycles though. The people that buy and use these are motivated by different circumstance than the bicyclists.
When you strap a motor to a bicycle it is a moped. It doesn't matter what it looks like or sounds like or smells like. Its a moped. It becomes a motor driven vehicle, it becomes more of a challenge to control.
There are electric trials motorcycles and there will be electric BMX and mountain and other types of off road biking, but an e-bike is a mo-ped and falls under all the rules we already have for mo-peds.
Mo-Peds can't use the bike lanes in Arizona, that I know. No motorized vehicles in the bike lanes.