The move is in response to many young electric bike riders who often take to the streets without having tested for or received a typical driver’s license for a standard car. That means they are often ignorant of many traffic laws and safety information.
Assembly Bill 530, which will soon enter committee, would require both an online written test and a state-issued identification for riders who do not have a driver’s license. The bill would also ban riders under 12 years old from riding e-bikes.
So 53 deaths in the US? Pretty low. Especially compared to the 685k deaths caused by heart disease.
What in the world does heart disease have to do with this?
If we can save some of those people with the rather simple and easy step of licensure, shouldn’t we? Like what’s the downside when there are lives on the line?
Basically it’s the same argument as driver’s licenses. Are you opposed to requiring training and certification to operate a car?
This is a barrier of entry. Studies have shown that this would result in less participation, that’s the issue.
That’s okay though. I would prefer people use regular non-ebike bicycles anyway, which are safer and healthier alternatives for everyone. So kinda win/win.
I’d rather we do whatever we can to get people out of cars. And ebikes might be stepping stones to road bikes. Adding more barriers does nothing more then reenforce a car centric lifestyle.