Restrictions on "Motor-Assisted Bicycles" (aka e-bikes)
Noticed this morning a sign on the Martin Goodman trail, facing west (i.e. for eastbound riders) just west of the HMCS York crossing:
"Motor-assisted bicycles prohibited".
I wonder when and if the bylaw that park trails cannot be used by a bicycle not powered by human beings will be enforced. I assume that large parts of the Martin Goodman qualify as a park trail (Coronation Park for this sign, and the long stretch by Sunnyside for starters). It was rare to see e-bikes on the trail this summer. I haven't seen one recently.
Of course, I have seen e-bikes being ridden two-up (a no-no I think), and an e-bike being ridden on the sidewalk by a casual young guy with no helmet, on his way to the variety store it seemed. Also power-assisted bicycles which seemed to be souped-up and travelling well over 32 km/h on the flat and windless--mostly these are bicycle contraptions with gasoline motors attached, rather than the scooter-style electric assist "bicycles".
One day I might see someone pedalling a scooter-style e-bike. I will wish I had my camera with me!
most of those electic e-bike scooter things have pedals attached merely to fall within the law that says e-bikes must have pedals to be e-bikes. The pedals are mounted behind the normal rider seating position and are usually two or more feet apart making it darnn near impossible to pedal at all. The city by-law says that motor assisted vehicles (electric scooters, e-bikes, battery operated cycles, gas engined whatevers) are not allowed on the multi-use trails in Toronto. When I mention that fact to the riders, I get anything from
shut up to (one young lady yelled yesterday for me to "f__k off and die!)as she sped off!
hpvrider
What about motor-assisted tricycles? Or motor-assisted tricycles? Or motor-assisted wheelchairs
What about wind-assisted anything?
Motor-assisted bicycles are aka mopeds, not ebikes. Please do not wave your dismissive hand in such a way and and lump everything with two wheels that you are not familiar with with the same gesture. Mopeds and ebikes are two different legal entities under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, it might be a good idea if you found out what the differences are and where they fit into a modern city's transportation mix. Acting like a Luddite is not very becoming either for an individual like yourself, or for a supposedly World Class City like Toronto which, although ebikes have more or less been recognized worldwide as a safe green economical alternative form of transportation worldwide, is seen to ignore the presence of ebikes in the city, refuses to harmonize their definitions of bicycles and motor vehicles with the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and by doing so does not allow them to exist, hoping that by ignoring them, or passing future punitive legislation, that they will simply disappear.
I am sure we all have tales of ignorant bicyclists, ebikers, and motorists alike. Please blame the person for ignorant behavior, not the vehicle.
Hehe...
Hi Ed
Ya need to acquaint yourself with Toronto City Code, Chapter 886 (Footpaths, Pedestrians Ways, Bicycle Paths and Bicycle Lanes) where the Goodman Trail is the only bicycle path named, and the simple fact is this by-law does not even mention the term "motor-assisted bicycle". The truth is, this is a term recognized in the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, applicable only to Ontario roads, and used by City staff that are uninformed.
The truth is, as already noted, a "motor-assisted bicycle" is a term used in the Ontario HTA for "moped" and nothing to do with "power-assisted bicycles" aka ebikes.
More schooling to come!
Lock
95% of the e-bikes I see are the scooter types. Whatever the legal definition, they are not bicycles any more than a Vespa is a bicycle, and will never be "power-assisted", merely "powered". (I will eat my hat....or nibble my helmet anyway....when I see one of those scooter-type e-bikes actually being pedalled. Although I've seen the odd one being pushed--batteries run down?)
I expect that the various legal definitions will be updated sooner or later. Depends if there are any well-publicized incidents (like an e-bike running over Ford's toes or something).
Meantime, the City's website does say:
Of course then it goes on to say:
Which is something I've never been able to find in the bylaws.
I have no problem with e-bikes or e-scooters or whatever being in bike lanes, they travel the same speed and take the same space as other non motorized bicycles.
If we get more of them, we'll get more cycling infrastructure which is a good thing for us.
If a person who for whatever reason doesn't have the ability to pedal a traditional bicycle gets on a four-wheeled electric scooter, we make them welcome everywhere: on sidewalks (where I have seen them roll at speed right through a group of pedestrians on foot), in critical mass, and, yes, as far as I know, on the Martin Goodman. But if they lop off two of the wheels, some of us want them treated as Vespas: gas powered vehicles that have no business using any cycling facility. I don't see the logic.
John G. Spragge
Mariner, cyclist, pilot
The actual text on the sign:
(Unless I have mixed something up. Always possible.)
Either this covers both motor-assisted and power-assisted bikes, or it doesn't mean anything. I guess it winds up being a point of law between lawyers. The wording of laws is supposed to be precise, but no matter how precise and detailed the wording, there is usually interpretation involved.
I am not exactly welcoming to disabled scooters, especially the big cart kind, zipping along the sidewalk at anything much over fast walking/slow jogging speed. Either slow down, or use the street. I can deal with them in the bicycle lane or curb lane, simply because their users don't have a whole lot of choice. Being scooter-bound and all.
Since the e-bike scooter riders aren't exactly e-bike bound, they shouldn't get the privileges that the handicapped get.
I disagree, Ed, I do not think you know whether any given e-bike or scooter needs to ride a scooter, or whether they could easily pedal but choose not to. Certain fairly common circulatory problems make riding a pedal bike inadvisable, but don't have such a disabling effect their sufferers can\t ride an e-bike. The same may well apply to elderly people with arthritis, or even young people with rheumatoid arthritis.
I agree that everyone, disabled or not, has an obligation to have regard for safety, but I see no serious danger in allowing electric-assist bikes, even scooters, to use bike lanes and trails, and rather than excluding someone with a disability from low-pollution efficient transport, I would rather accommodate those people who just do not want to pedal.
John G. Spragge
Mariner, cyclist, pilot
Good riddens, i am sure this law is targeting e-scooters but due to the legal morass we're not in thanks to the shleps writing those laws classifying anything with pedals as a bicycle the normal e-bicycle which is fairly benign will get axed also.
Nobody is banning handicap vehicles, but it's it's fast enough to go 32km/h + you don't need to take it on the martin goodman - handicapped or not.