Author Topic: Please help us in Canada! The war against Ebikes continues!  (Read 7527 times)

Offline GM Canada

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Please help us in Canada! The war against Ebikes continues!
« on: April 10, 2013, 09:28:30 PM »
As most would know Toronto Ontario is One of the Largest Cities in Canada. What happens in Toronto usually ends up as law around the country. There is currently a war against Ebikes By Cyclists, Car Drivers and the media. We are labelled as "Silent Killers". The Cars don't want us on the roads and the Cyclists don't want us on the Pathways. We are stuck in the middle with no where to go. In Canada there are two Styles of ebikes. One that looks like a bicycle "Pedal assisted E-bike" and one that looks like a Scooter "E-scooter". Currently they are bundled into one group, "Ebikes".

In most of the world Ebikes are allowed on the multi-use pathways the same as bicycles. But in Canada with these two styles of Ebikes they seem to want to just do away with us.

The City of Toronto is studying the situation and has put out a survey. In Canada we have roads, bicycle lanes on the roads and Multi-use pathways away from the roads. The City is trying to determine where we should be. Please follow this link and fill it out. When taking the survey if you select you ride an ebike you will be asked a lot of question about e-bikes that others will not. Please put yourself in our shoes and answer these questions as if you were living in Toronto and were having your E-bike rights taken away. There is even a question as to where you live. You may want to select a part of Toronto as they may not consider your opinion if you don't live here.

Here is the link...

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1W7OTk3IUgRZ-s-emVH8Gv-k2iQKY0tZLRyBi-MnfBiI/viewform

Gary

Offline Lu.Sochr

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Re: Please help us in Canada! The war against Ebikes continues!
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2013, 02:44:09 PM »
Form filled!

I posted that I am living in North York, but actually I live in Europe:-D

Hope those ridiculous restrictions won't take it's place...
Mongoose Salvo Sport 2012 with 901 Pro Kit and 36V15Ah LiFePo4

Offline MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER

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Re: Please help us in Canada! The war against Ebikes continues!
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2013, 04:51:31 PM »
Well they are in progress making rules for Ebike.

I was pulled out two times by motorcycle cop... ;D

Offline GM Canada

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Re: Please help us in Canada! The war against Ebikes continues!
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2013, 01:50:55 AM »
The City of Toronto instead of accepting the ebike laws of the province and country just decided to outright ban them from all parks and bike lanes. Now there is a movement from Ebikers to have some fairness like we enjoy in many surrounding cities an municipalities. Here is a link to a recent newspaper article. I was at a recent City of Toronto information gathering event and made the paper. The part of the conversation they did not print was the part where it was shouted "All ebike users are just drunks and criminals not allowed to drive cars". When I asked if he was serious he said " I have asked all ebike riders in my neighborhood why they ride ebikes and they all say it is because they have lost their drivers license for drunk driving".

Here is the most recent Star Story. You may notice the bike looks alot like one of mine in the picture. The rider is a good friend and copied my bike as he liked it so much :)

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/04/13/cyclists_ebikers_spar_over_bike_lanes.html

Just to show you how the acceptance is going in different parts of Ontario read the comments at the end of this article from a small city up north of here.

http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/details.asp?c=55945

Its actually so rediculas its funny...

Gary

Offline Deville

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Re: Please help us in Canada! The war against Ebikes continues!
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2013, 05:42:36 PM »
Wow, is all I can say about some of the ignorant, close minded people posting the ridiculous comments on that page. Is there really that many ebikes in Toronto that people are making such a fuss about it? Here in Calgary I have only seen one or two other than mine in the past 6 months. I ride the bike paths even though I'm not technically supposed to, and the streets only when necessary but I do it with respect for others on the paths and roads.

I slow down or even stop for pedestrians and cyclists, and I don't run around full throttle putting myself or others at risk. I get plenty of exercise pedalling up hills even on full throttle so it's not even slightly equivalent to running a gas motorcycle on the paths, as some people seem to think.

I use mine for the pleasure of being able to go further, and just to enjoy myself more when out for a ride. The problem seems to be a handful of people who abuse it, run around like e-tards and they ruin it for the rest of us.

Personally, I'm going to run mine no matter what. Battery technology will be shrinking very significantly soon and it is only going to get easier to hide an ebike as time goes on. They are fighting a losing battle so they may as well just adapt and accept ebikes because they are not going anywhere.

Offline MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER

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Re: Please help us in Canada! The war against Ebikes continues!
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2013, 09:19:25 AM »
Yup I agree, the cops said I was the first one they saw who is riding at 40-45 km/h.

But I didn't get a fine or something else.
The just said your bike is perfect for a police man, it's fast and looking strong hahaha ;D

They should watching scooters who is riding without a helmet, the max. speed for those scooters is 25 km/h. But 95% of those scooters passed my helmet scooter (max speed 45 km/h).