Could not agree more, Be Best.
My wife and I are lifelong road and touring cyclists. We're retired at
this point an tandem cycle daily. We spent some 40 years on a range of
high end tandems but in the last couple years both have developed Sacro
Iliac Dysfunction which in recent years has limited out ride length and
hill climbing. We as a matter of pain control had a custom tandem built
with a Shimano Steps e-assist motor (250 watt mid drive) which is set to
provide climbing assist when our speed drops below 12 mph (max assist
speed restricted to 18mph)
We ride on many local trails and bikeways on our way to Paoli,
Bellville, Oregon, New Glarus, Monroe and points beyond. We have the
luxury of riding during the day when there are a whole lot of similarly
situated folks riding all of the trails around Madison on e-assist bike
of one variety or another. I've yet to see anyone on an e-assist bicycle
doing anything that even approaches the fears expressed in some earlier
emails. Fact is hundreds of e-assist bikes are being used in active mode
on Madison and Dane county bike trails and this has been true for
several years.
I see the opposite, lots of folks renting B-cycle e-assist bikes who are
acting responsibly. Riding below the upper limit of e-assist speed
restrictions (these are firmware restricted speed controls). Fact is I'm
seeing 3X as many people riding bikes compared to last year.
So let's temper the hyperbole and celebrate the fact that more people
are cycling and cycling longer in years and miles.
Brian Mink
Monona, WI
Matt Coppens via Bikies wrote on 7/10/19 1:05 PM:
I too, at times, want to yell out into the void of the interwebs to
create drama where none has existed before. But I don't, because I am
a rational adult.
So let's be real, there has been no notable accidents or incidents
resulting in serious injuries or deaths. There has been nothing
brought to the attention by local news outlets. And those who are
riding said bicycles are probably more aware of their surroundings
because of the precious cargo they carry.
This post/chat has successfully wasted nearly 10min of my time in what
equates to pointless squabbling. If you want to make great use of time
here, let's focus on advocating for better roads, inclusion of
separate bike lanes on reconstruction and resurfacing of roads, and
more signage to alert drivers of cyclists.
Be Best.
On Wed, Jul 10, 2019, 12:45 Steve Arnold via Bikies
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
On 7/9/2019 5:38 PM, john wagnitz via Bikies wrote:
> Anybody taking bets on how long before we see a fatality on the
bike
> path in Madison? I predict before the end of the month.
> The offenders are not riding B-Cycles but seem to all be riding
“bikes”
> with the Copenhagen wheel. I’m pretty sure they are breaking the
speed
> limit.
Insofar as I know, there is no speed limit on Madison paths and state
trails. What statute, ordinance, or administrative rule do you think
establishes a speed limit?
> The State Legislature gave local governments the power to
regulate these
> “bikes.”
The "e-bike bill" has been passed by the Senate and recommended by an
Assembly to the full house, but not passed by the Assembly or signed
into law by the government. The powers you describe do not yet exist.
> I hope any local officials reading this post will do something
before
> somebody gets seriously injured, or killed.
> John Wagnitz
The supporters of the e-bike bill (including the Wisconsin Bike
Fed, the
American Heart Association, the Cities and Chambers of Commerce of
Madison and Milwaukee, Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources,
Trek, Harley-Davidson, Uber, and the WI League of Municipalities)
agree
that differences in speed in congested areas, not speed, and
especially
not the source of motive power, are the source of many safety risks.
They urge those who will have power to regulate the newly defined
vehicles to first consider separation of modes, e.g., providing cycle
tracks parallel to roads and separating multi-use paths into cycle
tracks and pedestrian ways. This solution is in place and working
well
on the busiest active transportation facilities in Madison: the
Capital
City State Trail at Monona Terrace, where bike commuter and fishermen
and -women safely coexist.
If there is still a safety problem, or if mode separation is
infeasible,
then regulators should consider speed limits for all facility
users, not
just one vehicle type. We all have seen bicycle athletes on
completely
human-powered bikes hammering down multi-use paths without regard to
other users. Why pick out e-bikes, or Copenhegen Wheel users, for
special attention?
--
Steve Arnold, Former Mayor, and
Chair, Wisconsin Bike Fed Board of Directors Lobbying Committee
2530 Targhee Street, Fitchburg, Wisconsin 53711-5491
Telephone +1 608 278 7700 · Facsimile +1 608 278 7701
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
· http://Arnold.US
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