HolyDuckTurtle

I can still feel it when I think the vast majority of these people are vulnerable individuals who have been led to be believe they’re being victimized. Things like QAnon provide a the right-wing equivalent of a safe space and community for them.

It’s got to be tough seeing it slowly tumble away.

I hear Godot’s own scripting language is preferable to C# if you’re willing to learn it.

I hope so. My fear is after seeing what the fossil fuel industries did to stop alternatives from arising, that they will embark on a new campaign to undermine this for as long as possible.

The article and social media response highlights a few problems. Chiefly, that high speed E-bikes are effectively moped-class vehicles that people are riding as if they are bicycles.

And by that, I mean they can be ridden very dangerously. Such as on a pavement or other pedestrian zones where people do not reasonably expect a fast and quiet vehicle to be present.

I’ve been learning how to ride a bicycle lately as an adult, and I have rapidly gotten the impression that education around bicycle laws is lacking. Because it is actually illegal to ride a bicycle on pavement that is not marked for such use. People either don’t know, are uncertain, or willingly use a pavement anyway for conveniance because nobody prosecutes for it. So many cyclists use pavement that for all my life I thought it was normal and allowed.

Cyclists who take that behaviour into an E-bike and use it the same way, especially at high speed (modified or not), present a significant risk to everyone involved. I find the following statement perfectly reasonable:

Sergeant Gareth Davies said: "While it’s not illegal to own an e-bike with an electrical assistance or power output exceeding 25 kph and 250W respectively, you can’t ride it on the public highway as a regular bike without registering and insuring it like a moped.

The assertion that most of them siezed in the article appear to be from food delivery drivers is interesting because it speaks to a greater issue in that industry. That the results we’re seeing here could be driven by unreasonable work expectations and poor pay, encouraging these workers to use E-bikes as a cheap and hassle-free way to do their work. You can see that in how some respond to this issue with comments like:

One person commented: “Targeting hardworking people just trying to get by, well done.”
Another added: “This is so hard to look at. These people are trying to earn a living and get £3 per delivery and you do this? This is vile and disgusting!”

I can agree with that sentiment, E-biking should not be targeted unreasonably. They are a good tool for when a regular bicycle does not fit your needs for whatever reason. Just so long as, like all vehicles, they are ridden safely and responsibly.

I’ve been learning to ride a bicycle for the my new work commute and have been brushing up on the laws and highway code. I was kind of shocked to learn riding on pavements is indeed illegal unless a sign specifies, since you see people do it all the time with no consequences.

I agree that E-assist bikes that don’t exceed normal cycle speeds should likely be left alone (general education on cycling needs improvement but that’s another matter) and the modified / faster ones absolutely need more scrutiny and possibly a motorcycle license or equivilent.

EDIT: Classic didn’t read the article moment:

Police say it is illegal to ride the bikes without a licence, insurance and vehicle tax and that they are classed as motorcycles.

Sergeant Gareth Davies said: "While it’s not illegal to own an e-bike with an electrical assistance or power output exceeding 25 kph and 250W respectively, you can’t ride it on the public highway as a regular bike without registering and insuring it like a moped.
"This includes both off-road and road rights, such as byways and bridleways. You can only ride unregistered and uninsured electric bikes on private land with the landowner’s permission.