E-Yikes! Electric Bikes Terrorize the Streets of China
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703657604575005140241751852.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines
"Those electric bikes just don't listen! The problem is they go too fast. They can't stop like bikes. I saw an accident just over there the other day where someone on an e-bike rushed through the intersection and plowed over someone on a regular bike," Mr. Zhao said as he tried to keep China's newest road hazard in check.... Officials were caught off guard when that environmentally appealing solution turned out to be deadly on the streets. In 2007, there were 2,469 deaths from electric-bicycle accidents nationwide, up from just 34 in 2001, according to government statistics. That's roughly 3% of China's annual 90,000 traffic accident deaths.... Pedestrians complain that e-bike riders pay little heed to the rules of the road.
The article has some info on the history of China's electric bicycle industry which make it sound like it happened by accident.
FWIW - in my opinion traffic safety is the responsibility of the operator of the vehicle. It doesn't matter whether the "bicycle" is powered or not.. It's not gonna be going faster than the scooters and motorcycles, right? Hence it's up to the e-bicycle rider to fit themselves into the flow of traffic.
120 million e-bikes on China's roads
Only 2,469 deaths
Only 3% of China's annual 90,000 traffic accident deaths
That actually sounds quite good.
thanks.
intresting.
lets hope they don't outlaw in england?
kev
Ya'll,, The figure in the artical says 2,469 accidents Not Deaths! the artical, over all (sounds) like it is trying to promote ebikes and scooters, but is using head lines, and skuing data to cut on the whole ev idea !! LaTeR
thank GOD I wake up above ground !!!!
It also claims that 'because they use lead-acid batteries they emit more lead into the atmosphere than other forms of transportation'.
This seems like drivel to me. Al the lead in a lead-acid battery stays inside it during use. It only might escape during disposal/recycling and manufacture.
Wookey
Sakura s50 (Efun A)