r/ebikedrama

Hey folks, retired mechanic here. Been lurking on this sub for a while but finally got something to say.

I see all these headlines about kids getting hurt on e-bikes, parents facing criminal charges, cities banning e-bikes for minors. And look, I get it. Nobody wants to see kids get hurt. But something feels off about the way this is going.

See, I've got three grandkids. Ages 10, 13, and 15. The two older ones ride with me on weekends—we do about 15 miles through the park, nothing crazy. My 13-year-old granddaughter has a Class 1 e-bike (20 mph max, pedal assist only). She wears her helmet every single time, and I've taught her the rules of the road like my dad taught me.

The problem isn't e-bikes. The problem is people buying those ridiculous 45 mph electric motorcycles with pedals glued on just so they can call them "e-bikes" and skip registration. Those aren't bikes. Those are death traps being sold to kids.

A real Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike? That's basically a regular bike with a little help on the hills. My granddaughter could ride one safely at 10 mph if I let her. The laws already distinguish between these categories.

What I don't want is blanket bans that lump my granddaughter's safe, legal e-bike in with the garbage being sold online. There ought to be enforcement against the actual bad actors—the manufacturers selling illegal speed demons to kids—instead of punishing families doing things right.

Anyone else seeing this distinction getting lost in the noise?

I genuinely believe some of you guys never even rode a bike before and that an ebike is your first time on a two wheeled vehicle. Of course I have more daily issues from cars, but I am also having weekly occurrences and close calls with ebike riders. I don’t have any issues with actual bike riders, even the ones who are pushing their bike at 20mph are much better on the roads and sidewalks. Its e-bikes

Here are a couple:

Cruising at 5mph on the edge of the sidewalk, about 100meters ahead of a hill. Random guy comes speeding down the hill, doesn’t brake at all until within 20ft of me and nearly loses control when trying to pass me, yells “WUT DA FUQ IS YU DOIN MANG?!” because I guess I was the one who was supposed to swerve out of the way

Going on the bike lane down a main road at an intersection and the light is green. A ebike rider is coming down on the sidewalk perpendicular to me. Light is green so I go ahead, I guess the ebike riders sees no cars and doesn’t register me so decides to come off the sidewalk as soon as I pass it. He does absolutely nothing to avoid a collision, just does a genuinely autistic screech like he sounded like he was having a scared orgasm I swear to god. Being a master e-BMX Olympian, I skillfully and gracefully maneuver to avoid a collision without even letting off the throttle.

Am leaving for work in the morning, residential speed limit is 10mph. I am literally just exiting my driveway and don’t even have the motor on so I am probably going 3-5mph and the road is dark and empty, just as I pull out an emoped rider is absolutely storming down the road at least 30mph with no headlights. Busts his ass and ends up eaten up by the road but no real injuries. Cusses me out and says I almost killed him and insists I wait on the police. I wait and smugly show them my bike dashcam and my front yard camera footage. He is told that if in a car, he might have been arrested for going 20 over the speed limit.

Anyone else have frustrating interactions with fellow ebike riders or commuters?

A**hole dad riding an e-bike FAST on a sidewalk in SF (19th Street and Guerrero, you know who are as**hole) almost killed me when I was walking around a blind corner on the sidewalk. HE HAD A KID IN THE BACKSEAT TOO. Imagine if I was jogging instead of walking.

So he gets to ride on the sidewalk to keep his kid "safe" but nearly kill pedestrians?

E-BIKES NEED TO BE TREATED AS MOTORCYCLES. They are just as fast and nearly as heavy.

IF I CATCH ANOTHER ONE OF YOU MOTHER F*ERS RIDING ON THE SIDEWALK AGAIN ....

IMPOUND THE BIKE AND ARREST ANYONE WHO DOES THIS.

When the overwhelming majority ride e-motos illegally, bans are the natural result. These brats attacked a maintenance worker at a park. Probably because he told them to stop tearing up the grass.

Once again the reporting erroneously refers to them as ebikes.