NSW [Australia] considering plan to halve power and top speed of ebikes as rider dies in collision with garbage truck

stompandgo said:
In the past few years, a handful of analog bike riders have been crushed to death in greater Boston from right-turning trucks. They saw the rider, they passed the rider, cut them off and ran over them, and then pleaded that they never saw them. Security cameras proved otherwise, but they are still dead.
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Happens here too, too often.

See more of this design now [this was in the UK].


Warning Keep Clear - UK2016-12 by Andrew Priest, on Flickr
 
Rás Cnoic said:
Modern cars whether petrol hybrid or EV all have sophisticated computer systems for enhanced cruise control, lane assist, automatic braking etc. I don't see why cars are not fitted with legal speed restrictors so in built up areas, 20 and 30mph zones in Uk for example, the cars would be automatically restricted to those speeds. They still need extra speed on the open road for overtaking and to get out of trouble, but that's not the case in urban areas. My last speed awareness day - a system for speeding fines in UK where you avoid points on your licence by volunteering to attend a safety day, Ive done 2 so far(!) And actually it was well run, cheerful and yeah I learnt a lot, especially that at under 20mph survivability from a collision with a pedestrian or cyclist is good, but over 30 it quickly becomes life changing or results in death. That and the difference in braking lengths at these speeds, well it was sobering.

So yes restricting motor vehicles in areas with a lot of pedestrians and cyclists, now that a lot of cars can technically do this, seems just sensible.trucks should "gps" restricted only having full power on inclines.
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stompandgo said:
In the past few years, a handful of analog bike riders have been crushed to death in greater Boston from right-turning trucks. They saw the rider, they passed the rider, cut them off and ran over them, and then pleaded that they never saw them. Security cameras proved otherwise, but they are still dead.
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my wifes best friends brother had his life changed forever by an unlicensed bus driver,She ran him over and now the "state" is trying to duck responsibility,he may still lose his leg,been in and out of hospitals and rehab ever since,btw as far as visibility gear- he was decked out better than most!
 
Apart from the painfully amateurish conduct of the officers, the issue here, which is hard to pick out from a rather anti police video that is trying to incorrrctly obscure the truth , is that they are pedalling by hand and trying to work out when the motor drops out, thats pretty difficult to do when its being held so loosely and there is no restriction to the effort.
They dont look very enthusiastic anyway, dressed to do a SWAT raid.
I wonder how they would deal with my Levo, it doesnt have a speedo.
 
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kevinmccune said:
my wifes best friends brother had his life changed forever by an unlicensed bus driver,She ran him over and now the "state" is trying to duck responsibility,he may still lose his leg,been in and out of hospitals and rehab ever since,btw as far as visibility gear- he was decked out better than most!
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How do you have an unlicensed bus driver? Seems like that would be one job where the employer would verify.
 
A number of states handed out CDL's with minimal vetting and testing. These drivers have a license, but they don't know how to drive or read road signs.
 
Old-tool-guy said:
How do you have an unlicensed bus driver? Seems like that would be one job where the employer would verify.
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apparently there is such a shortage of people to do jobs like that in that area,they don't vette very closely this probably wouldn't happen here in the "commonpoorth"
 
Poorly vetted and unlicensed are two totally different things.
I would think that the bus company is in a whole lotta s*it for the latter
But yet somehow an already restricted rental ebike is to blame and not the no helmet numbskull riding it or the criminally irresponsible bus company that made jam of him.
 
The ever growing acceptance of mediocrity is alarming.... but no qualifications is indefensible.
 
P=MV. The garbage truck had a lot more momentum because its mass and velocity are greater than someone on a restricted rental bike. To or three times a week I hear a car (as @stompandgo mentioned) rev up. That only means one thing, that they are trying to do a right hook at the approaching intersection, cutting in front of me. The physics are that the garbage truck's speed was the most important factor. Also, was it turning? A bike helmet is made for low mass, low velocity collisions so even with one there is a low chance of survival when getting hit by a garbage truck.
 
Gionnirocket said:
Poorly vetted and unlicensed are two totally different things.
I would think that the bus company is in a whole lotta s*it for the latter
But yet somehow an already restricted rental ebike is to blame and not the no helmet numbskull riding it or the criminally irresponsible bus company that made jam of him.
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if vetted properly the lack of license would have shown up and the perp wouldn't not have been driving the bus.
 
stompandgo said:
In the past few years, a handful of analog bike riders have been crushed to death in greater Boston from right-turning trucks. They saw the rider, they passed the rider, cut them off and ran over them, and then pleaded that they never saw them. Security cameras proved otherwise, but they are still dead.
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I've had that exact same thing happen to me but if you're on a bike you must be aware of that potential because you are the one that will suffer even if the drivers fault.
 
Ken M said:
I've had that exact same thing happen to me but if you're on a bike you must be aware of that potential because you are the one that will suffer even if the drivers fault.
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I just assume that any car coming up on my left as I approach any opportunity for them to turn right is at least thinking about cutting me off. Happened to me yesterday with an empty parking spot up ahead.

I turn my head and look straight at the driver if at all possible. Just to remind them that their decision involves not just a bike but another human being who's seen their face.
 
It's worth pointing out that they drive on the wrong side of the road in Australia. So our right turns would be their left turns. They also have a lot more traffic circles, even in residential neighborhoods.
 
PedalUma said:
Yes, and they are doing it whist upside down. An upside down left is actually a right.
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uh yeah!
Chargeride said:
Apart from the painfully amateurish conduct of the officers, the issue here, which is hard to pick out from a rather anti police video that is trying to incorrrctly obscure the truth , is that they are pedalling by hand and trying to work out when the motor drops out, thats pretty difficult to do when its being held so loosely and there is no restriction to the effort.
They dont look very enthusiastic anyway, dressed to do a SWAT raid.
I wonder how they would deal with my Levo, it doesnt have a speedo.
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Chargeride said:
Apart from the painfully amateurish conduct of the officers, the issue here, which is hard to pick out from a rather anti police video that is trying to incorrrctly obscure the truth , is that they are pedalling by hand and trying to work out when the motor drops out, thats pretty difficult to do when its being held so loosely and there is no restriction to the effort.
They dont look very enthusiastic anyway, dressed to do a SWAT raid.
I wonder how they would deal with my Levo, it doesnt have a speedo.
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confession,on a deserted trail used to ride in a Speedo!( got caught a few times-no one seemed to mind-wait a minute,not that kind of speedo? guess it was horrible for some( bigfoot' didn't care)
 
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