E-bikes in EU to require insurance, what a dumb proposal

They'll be taxing our feet when we take a walk next.

 

Ha Ha Ha, too right especially me. I've tripped three people over already this week, flippin' liability. I'd lose my no claims notice in no time....

 

As for riding a bike.....

Any barrier to cycling (and this is a barrier) reduces uptake and increase the overall danger and cost to society.

It will cost society more in the long run than it can possibly save.

Any barrier to cycling (and this is a barrier) reduces uptake and increase the overall danger and cost to society.

It will cost society more in the long run than it can possibly save.

 

For just over £3.00 a month you can get £500 bike cover and £1 million public liability cover ..

For just over £3.00 a month you can get £500 bike cover and £1 million public liability cover ..

Based on those figures a regular bike rider is dumb, if they don't take out insurance cover.

Based on those figures a regular bike rider is dumb, if they don't take out insurance cover.

 

That was from a company called "Cycle plan" There are loads of others..some a bit cheaper some a bit more expensive..

I expect your e-bike to be fairy heavier than a conventional bike (particularly road bikes), so an impact at a lower speed may still release more kinetic energy than a lighter bike at a higher speed, and at 15 mph, certainly enough to maim/injure a pedestrian.

 

A lack of insurance exposes any rider at fault to personal liability for the damage caused, so if you were to hit anyone and cause lifechanging damage...I’ll let you imagine the consequences on your lifelong earnings.

 

I’m with Lockdoctor on this one. Riding a bike is a choice, not a right; and any person engaging in any activity that has the potential to cause serious harm (ie liability for remedying that harm) should be made to take a relevant insurance - or not engage in the activity.

 

Just count yourself lucky parents in the U.K. are not (to my knowledge) held liable for their kids’ acts, because that’d be a second set of third party liability insurance to subscribe.

 

You have it the wrong way around. The simple addition of a crash helmet to a the head of all pedestrians would slash injuries far more effectively than having e bike insurance, which would of course prevent no injuries at all. All pedestrians should wear crash helmets.

L00b

 

I expect your e-bike to be fairy heavier than a conventional bike (particularly road bikes), so an impact at a lower speed may still release more kinetic energy than a lighter bike at a higher speed, and at 15 mph, certainly enough to maim/injure a pedestrian.

 

ok, let's do the maths.

 

KE = (mV^2)/2

 

me : 80kg (yes, i'm a 12stone weakling)

 

my normal bike : 12Kg and 18mph (8.05m/s)

 

my e-bike : 20Kg and 15mph (6.7m/s)

 

normal bike = (92*64.8 )/2 = 2981 Joules

 

e-bike = (100*44.9)/2 = 2245 Joules

 

there's more kinetic energy in a moderately ridden 'light' bike, than a maxed-out e-bike.

 

our cities are full of cars, pollution, and car parks. physical inactivity is killing us. but let's not do anything to change our way of life. especially not if it's cheap and proven to work wherever it's been tried. let's just carry on sitting in our cars in ever-growing traffic jams.

For just over £3.00 a month you can get £500 bike cover and £1 million public liability cover ..

I know biking socks that cost 10 times that!

 

I recently bought a replacement pair to the cyclist mauled by my dog, in “full and final settlement” of the mauling

 

(and yes, I have third party liability insurance for the dog: already had it in the UK, but it’s actually compulsory here in Luxembourg; as is registration of the dog with the local authority, and the annual dog tax (€12))

 

---------- Post added 25-05-2018 at 14:45 ----------

 

ok, let's do the maths.

 

KE = (mV^2)/2

 

me : 80kg (yes, i'm a 12stone weakling)

 

my normal bike : 12Kg and 18mph (8.05m/s)

 

my e-bike : 20Kg and 15mph (6.7m/s)

 

normal bike = (92*64.8 )/2 = 2981 Joules

 

e-bike = (100*44.9)/2 = 2245 Joules

 

there's more kinetic energy in a moderately ridden 'light' bike, than a maxed-out e-bike.

Fair cop on the (self-selected) maths. But a 2000+ J impact is enough to kill, as Charlie Alliston proved not so long ago. Happenstance maybe...but happenstance is precisely what insurances are for.

our cities are full of cars, pollution, and car parks. physical inactivity is killing us. but let's not do anything to change our way of life. especially not if it's cheap and proven to work wherever it's been tried. let's just carry on sitting in our cars in ever-growing traffic jams.

There is arguably as much exercise of personal responsibility in looking after one’s health through exercising (topically, through biking), as in ensuring that any harm unto others by one’s actions -accidental or not irrespective- would be adequately compensated.

 

Just ask yourself this: if in the course of dodging some hazard you happened to knock a kid down, that leaves him or her wheelchair-bound or with permanent brain injuries, can you afford to pay for their care now and for the rest of their lives? And regardless, do you think it’s fair that you should be made to?

Edited May 25, 2018 by L00b

They'll be taxing our feet when we take a walk next.

 

the Beatles summed up the tax system with their song "Tax man" from the album revolver,

 

if you get too cold I'll tax the heat

if you take a walk I'll tax your feet.

Well that's stupid, one reason lots of people get such a bike is they cannot afford a motor vehicle, and the expenses that come with it.. adding more expense will mean less people able to afford it....

Well that's stupid, one reason lots of people get such a bike is they cannot afford a motor vehicle, and the expenses that come with it.. adding more expense will mean less people able to afford it....

 

Every mode of transport that uses public roads should have to be insured.

Every mode of transport that uses public roads should have to be insured.

 

Like pedestrians?