Bike-loving Dutch grapple with illegal electric 'fatbike' craze gripping the Netherlands
Bike-loving Dutch grapple with illegal electric 'fatbike' craze gripping the Netherlands
Some 17,500 fatbikes imported from China have been held by Dutch authorities over concerns about speed manipulation and safety risks.
Some 17,500 fatbikes imported from China have been held by Dutch authorities over concerns about speed manipulation and safety risks.
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I don't see anything wrong with the electric motorcycles, but they shouldn't be on a pedestrian or bicycle path, they should be on the street and you should need a license to drive them just like any other motorized vehicles capable of those speeds.
Electric motorcycles and electric bicycles are two very different things.
Well they were. But these fatbikes bring them on par, with a throttle instead of having to pedal, a riding stance similar a scooter and an unlocked speed limit.
That's not a fatbike / bicycle then, but I have no idea about the context here. The photo shows a regular fatbike hardtail, with rather small tires even.
There is a link to the article without paywall somewhere in the comments, but yes, the image is a wrong one (or actually a real, non electric mtb fatbike). The “fatbikes” we have here in the Netherlands look like this:
I don't see a paywall, it just does not contain anything but the stock photo. Your example looks more like a moped, which is indeed a motorcycle and should fall under the same regulations.
The problem the government faces is how to make a distinction between moped and a classic e-bike. Because from the factory there is no real difference apart from “oh it looks a bit like a moped”. My vote goes to setting the minimum age for assisted riding at 16 (except medical reasons) or at least obligating having a helmet under the age of 18 (to protect their poor undeveloped brains). Which will immediately kill the attraction which is to ride a moped without helmet. The real challenge is regulating e-bike unlocking in general (as well as adding a throttle). Which is hard because the electronics can quickly be set back to factory with a click of a button.
That's the issue. They aren't supposed to go that fast. It's an illegal alteration for a reason. And we are talking about teenagers.
They don't need a driver's licience to ride a bicycle. So people may not know how to traverse traffic safely if they go on the car lanes. Or not care about safety as teenagers tend to do.