I'm trying to convince our city council to not implement an E-Bike registration fee.

[thornstein]

Hello all. Our city council, in Pekin, IL, is considering a registration fee of $15 per year. They are lumping gas bikes and E-Bikes together and consider them the same thing. I contacted them and sent a two page summary of why that shouldn't happen and how the two types of bikes are different. They tabled the issue so they could learn more about the issue. That was a very positive sign. Now I need to talk to the Chief of Police, and council members to discuss the issue further. We are tentatively meeting in mid-January. The proposed ordinance comes with penalties of up to $750 for repeat offenders not registering their bikes. They can also impound them and sell them off if the penalties aren't paid in 2 months or so. The good thing is, they are willing to listen and learn. I REALLY don't want the internet warriors attacking them and ruining my efforts, but I am looking for constructive comments here so I can incorporate them into my presentation. I've made two videos on the subject and you can see them here.

They explain the situation in a bit more detail and then I have an update. The next event will be my meeting with them before their council meeting in February.

My approach is two-pronged. There shouldn't be a registration fee for E-Bikes, and then there's a huge difference between the two types of bikes. Feel free to tell me if I'm wrong, as well. Thank you.

 

[harryS]

You're doing fine with your approach. Good luck. Also ask how they will treat out-of-towners. There's not a lot now to attract the recreational biker to Pekin, but this makes it for sure a place to avoid.

 

[Mulezen]

What are they doing with the registration $’s. Are they going for bike lanes? Etc. Let them know e-bikes are bikes in looks and feel and if one was taxed so should the other.

 

[Cowlitz]

People For Bikes is a resource you might want to look into. They are proponents for acoustic and e bikes.

Propel Bikes just put up a video on youtube where he answers the most asked questions about e bikes.

Offering to let them ride e bikes is a good thing. Keeping it positive is a good thing.

Good luck.

 

[ChezCheese:)]

Get more ebike owners to turn up to meetings with you. Local govt officials want to be directed, they want to be educated, and their meetings are so boring that a crowd - - and 6 is a crowd at a municipal or county meeting - - gets their attention. Give them the opportunity to ride your ebikes. Show them ebikes are not motorcycles.

Of course, they could decide to require registration of ALL bicycles, in which case you are all screwed, but at least it would be fair.

 

[Browneye]

I thought the FED already ruled on this?