You will be liable for caused harm regardless if you rode acoustic bicycle or 9000W electric bicycle.
An electric bicycle is still just a bicycle. It is like a wristwatch that has a battery. It is still a wristwatch. Electronic shifting on bikes also requires batteries, but those also are just bikes.Liable, potentially, but my "acoustic" bicycle is covered under my homeowners insurance, which makes it covered under my umbrella liability insurance.
Sure, and that's fine. But there is no need to add more restrictions on e-bikes, especially if you believe you can win the legal battle.You're much more likely to lose the liability battle if you're riding a bike that isn't actually legal to be ridden where you were riding it. Its also much more likely that whatever umbrella insurance you have (homeowners or renters or whatever) will deny any coverage.
It's absolutely legal to ride my e-bike in MA anywhere but on a sidewalk, limited access highway, or on an off road trail without the property owner's permission.You're much more likely to lose the liability battle if you're riding a bike that isn't actually legal to be ridden where you were riding it. Its also much more likely that whatever umbrella insurance you have (homeowners or renters or whatever) will deny any coverage.
I don't want restrictions, I want definitions and clarity, preferably nationwide.Sure, and that's fine. But there is no need to add more restrictions on e-bikes, especially if you believe you can win the legal battle.
I agree with you, but my insurance companies do not.An electric bicycle is still just a bicycle. It is like a wristwatch that has a battery. It is still a wristwatch. Electronic shifting on bikes also requires batteries, but those also are just bikes.
Yeah, but you will almost certainly cause less harm with an acoustic bicycle riding an average speed of 10mph versus an electric motorcycle going 50mph.You will be liable for caused harm regardless if you rode acoustic bicycle or 9000W electric bicycle.
That is a completely idiotic straw man argument and doesn't even appear relevant to our discussion here.Agree. Imagine how less harm would be if we banned cars completely and just used acoustic bicycles! Approximately 3,700 people die in car accidents each day worldwide! Almost 20,000 people died in car accidents since this topic started! We need to do something, ban the cars and force everyone to use acoustic bicycles!