MA's DCR set to ban "pedal assist ebikes" from ALL state park/forest "natural surface" trails

Apparently the way off road moto's ran wild in the NE back in the 60's-80's and led to their being banned pretty much everywhere left a bad taste in peoples minds and so anything with a motor is going to get the Salem Witch treatment?

Looks to me like the NE has a pretty uneducated and con stance on eBikes in general. Some states like Vt., of interest to me as I am a native of that state, don't even have allowance to recognize eBikes at all much less on trails. However I see that Mt. Snow and Killington allow them on their terrain which alot of is on Forest Service also I believe. So it looks like they will be getting the e business!

There is a bigger picture focusing on National Regulations being championed by the BPSA in regards to Forest Service, National Park Service and BLM lands addressing eBike access that is coming to a head and hopefully if and when it does it will help to show the regulators in the NE that eBikes are not as bad as the member's of NEMBA are making them out to be without even giving them a chance.
 
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I guess these folks can't differentiate between a dirt bike and an ebike. I hope the feeling doesn't become contagious. :rolleyes:
 
JRA said:
Apparently the way off road moto's ran wild in the NE back in the 60's-80's and led to their being banned pretty much everywhere left a bad taste in peoples minds and so anything with a motor is going to get the Salem Witch treatment?

Looks to me like the NE has a pretty uneducated and con stance on eBikes in general. Some states like Vt., of interest to me as I am a native of that state, don't even have allowance to recognize eBikes at all much less on trails. However I see that Mt. Snow and Killington allow them on their terrain which alot of is on Forest Service also I believe. So it looks like they will be getting the e business!

There is a bigger picture focusing on National Regulations being championed by the BPSA in regards to Forest Service, National Park Service and BLM lands addressing eBike access that is coming to a head and hopefully if and when it does it will help to show the regulators in the NE that eBikes are not as bad as the member's of NEMBA are making them out to be without even giving them a chance.
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MA's current motor vehicle code allows for 1000w and 25mph-governed "motorized" bikes to be treated as bicycles (electric or not). How a combustion engine can be stopped at 25mph is beyond me.

The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission says "under 750w" with fully functional pedals and 20 mph governance can be sold and regulated as bicycles.

We have the 3-class law "in committee," but NEMBA's managed to get a "natural surface" exception included in its language, and to get our Dept of Conservation & Recreation to propose a new "code" to disallow pedal assist ebikes specifically from all its trails.

Are there no other eMTBers from MA here? Are you not outraged? Please let them know:

See pages 1 & 30 here for new code:
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2019/06/03/2019.05.21 302 CMR 12 - DRAFT - redline - public comment 2019.pdf

To object, attend one of two final "public hearings" (Holyoke June 25 and Brighton July 2) or submit testimony in writing before July 24:
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2019/06/03/2019.05.16 - Notice - DRAFT 302 CMR 11, 12.pdf
 
Certainly, there must be a load of non-State-Park-and-Forest natural-surface trails to discover, explore, and enjoy in lovely Massachusetts.
Disclaimer - only one of my three natural-surface bikes is a "pedal-assist electric".
 
Rodolfo said:
Certainly, there must be a load of non-State-Park-and-Forest natural-surface trails to discover, explore, and enjoy in lovely Massachusetts.
Disclaimer - only one of my three natural-surface bikes is a "pedal-assist electric".
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Not exactly, unless we want to infringe on private property. Even then, precious few have well-maintained singletrack like the state parks and forests have. MA has precious little Federal land, but the US Forest & US Park Services both consider all ebikes to be "motorized vehicles." I've been speaking with a few of their officials, however, and increasing public demand for pedal assistance on "non-motorized" trails has them reconsidering.

Hereabouts, DCR sets policy and other land managers tend to follow suit (municipalities etc.). At the two public hearings, however, 90% of folks who spoke about the proposed pedal assist ban were 100% pro-ebike. Hopefully public opinion still counts!
 
Apparently, the MA DCNR is attempting to relegate e-bikes to the streets where another set of uninformed lawmakers will also regulate them into oblivion.

This does not bode well for our sport. In the near future, I'm afraid we will all be considered "outlaws" here. This only reinforces my resolve to go "stealth" and attempt to ride under the radar as more and more regulators put the hate on e-bikes.
 
https://peopleforbikes.org/emtbmass-2/



The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) proposed new rules that would prohibit the use of "Pedal-Assist Electric Bicycles" (i.e. Class 1 e-bikes) on "improved DCR trails that are less than 8 feet in width, dirt roads that are not open to vehicular traffic, and any natural surface trails, regardless of width or other conditions." In other words, kill eBike access on state lands in Massachusetts.



The New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) advocated for these proposed rules. We disagree with this proposal and encourage DNR to advance common-sense rules that enable local land managers to allow eMTBs where appropriate, and that don't exclude aging mountain bikers or deny trail opportunities to people who are physically limited or just getting started.



Earlier in July, the DCR hosted two public meetings to receive input on the proposed rules. No one showed support for the prohibitions, not even NEMBA. We're gaining traction and need all the support we can to fight back an unreasonable and unenforceable blanket prohibition.



Click the button below to submit a comment to DCR before July 24 (we've written a sample email for you). PeopleForBikes will send in formal comments and every comment received from the public will reinforce our ask for sensible access.






https://peopleforbikes.org/emtbmass-2/
 
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