I have seen several articles in the opinion section of the Review Journal about the dangers of e-bikes. Here are some basic physics on the throttled assisted e-bikes.
Unlike a peddle bike that takes some distance to gain speed, the e-bike has instant acceleration. This can be hard to control in a crowded situation. A bike traditionally has a high center of gravity; this combined with rapid acceleration and high speed makes the it considerably more difficult to the e-bike rider to make sudden corrective direction changes. The pedals do not allow for a solid foot hold to allow the upper body to help direct the bike.
Parents should educate themselves on the e-bike controversy before allowing their child to use one of these unsupervised.
There clearly needs to be age limits for operators of any e-bike or e-scooter that has electric throttle assist. Remember the poor design of the fuel motorized three wheeled trikes? These eventually left the market with lawsuits. The e-bike craze may go the path of the motorized trikes if parents do not take responsibility for their children’s use of these products.
