[JGibson]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

For the time being remember this: In the state of Florida, e-bikes are bicycles.

Bicycles are allowed on walking/biking paths, MMPs, and most roadways to include crossing 441. There can be local restrictions on bicycles and these would apply to e-bikes as well.

Thanks for the response so by what your saying e- bikes are allowed on Buena Vista, 466 and 441. Sounds bizarre and not really safe but if that is the case I may need to invest in one.

As someone with only a golf cart this could open my world to things like the shopping plaza across Rolling Acres and crossing 441 to go to Home Depot, etc.

[Villagesgal]

If walkers would stay to the far right or left instead of walking in the middle of the path, you wouldn't have any concerns. The paths are for everyone to enjoy, not just walkers. Share the paths, don't hog them.

[Lisanp@aol.com]

Yes, the walking trails in the south should be just for walking/jogging. They are too narrow for bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc. to share with pedestrians. They also have lots of blind curves and wooden bridges (behind Bradford/St Catherine) and a vehicle traveling faster then a person walking is a hazard to all involved.

[Cindysum90]

Somewhat agree. There are e-bikes that you don’t even need to pedal. I see these flying by my house often. My e-bike will not assist me unless I pedal so it doesn’t seem bad. I see a guy weaving back and forth on an electric skateboard. I do worry about these people going so fast that they will cause an accident with a walker

[NoMo50]

So...is the issue the speed of the e-bike, or just that you don't like e-bikes, period? If speed is the main concern, there are plenty of cyclists riding conventional, not power assisted, bicycles that could easily fall into your crosshairs. Just because a bicycle has an electric motor to assist with pedaling does not automatically turn it into something ready for the Bonneville Salt Flats.

My wife and I have e-bikes, and we enjoy our time riding on both the MMPs, and the walking/bicycle paths. Our bikes do not have a throttle, and only provide assistance when pedaling. We rarely get to speeds over 15mph. Folks who want to ban everything except what they are doing are annoying at a minimum, and dangerous in the extreme. Use good common sense, practice situational awareness, and live and let live. You'll be a lot happier.

[NoMo50]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

How is it a punishment? No one is banning e-bikes from the roads. They want to ban them from the walking/bicycle paths, where MOTOR vehicles are not permitted (except for electric wheelchairs and motility vehicles). E-bikes have motors. Their motors are electric-powered, not gas powered, but they're still motors. If their motor is set to allow the rider to throttle higher than 25mph, then it shouldn't belong on the MMPs either. If it's set to 20 or less, then sure put them on the MMPs but keep them off the walking/bicycling trails.

Nice try, but you don't get to put spin on a state statute and make it appear to say something it doesn't. Florida statutes specifically exempt bicycles and electric bicycles from the definition of a motor vehicle. It really is just that simple.

[srswans]

Originally Posted by charlie1

Would like to hear people’s opinion. I feel motorized vehicles should only be allowed on multimodal paths or on the street within The Villages. … What would be your recommendations for change, if any?

Florida declares e-bikes as bicycles and so are allowed everywhere bicycles are allowed. This does indeed blur the motorized/non-motorized line.

(And bicycles can go everywhere, roads, streets, MPPs, pathways. sidewalks, but not Interstate highways.)

Adding speed limits for e-bikes is folly - bicyclists generally travel above 10 MPH already and can easily exceed 20 MPH. (I’ve done 30+ downhill with the wind.)

E-bike riders should ring a bell and announce when passing on pathways - same as bicyclists.

Walkers need to stay to the right on pathways and be alert for e-bikes and bicycles passing. The stay-to-the right rules is especially important on blind corners.

(MPPs, streets and roads have motorized traffic so walkers should stay to the left on these places. This too is confusing because MMPs and pathways look alike.)

[Regorp]

Originally Posted by charlie1

Would like to hear people’s opinion. I feel motorized vehicles should only be allowed on multimodal paths or on the street within The Villages. In fact, I wish the District would prohibit any MOTORIZED device that exceeds 10 MPH (this would allow disabled or handicap scooters to still use the walking and bike trails). In reality, the e-bikes and some of the scooters travel as fast or faster than most golf carts (I have been passed going 21mph in my cart by e-bikes numerous times.) The only real difference is the width of the two modes of transportation. The stability could also be an issue on an e-bike as they avoid the walkers on the narrower paths. It is dangerous to have anything traveling at higher speeds on the walking/bike trails where most people using the trail are enjoying their walk or a casual bike ride. With the explosion of e-bikes in the Villages, I feel more guidelines are necessary for the walking/bike paths. Right now, I feel it is only a matter of time before something happens. What is your opinion? What would be your recommendations for change, if any?

Bikes should prohibited from all golf cart lanes in the road. Dangerous as golf carts go into the road to pass the bike. Marsh Bend Trail has a bike/walking trail next to the road, so the ignorant bike rider should use it not the cart lane. Stupid is as stupid does

[toeser]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I've been passed recently by an e-bike while I was driving in my golf cart, in the Historic section. We don't have MMPs here except for one small strip up by the country club. We drive our carts in the street just like other motor vehicles, and the POSTED speed limit is 25mph except along Paradise Park, where it's 15 mph.

Not only was I passed by this e-bike, it was a guy sailing through the stop sign, without even slowing down, and passed me when I was at my top cruising speed of 20.3. Considering the speed at which he passed me, I'd say he was going closer to 30 than 25, so he ran a stop sign, and was speeding.

E-bikes can go in excess of 35mph at full throttle, some are even able to go as high as 45mph. They need to not be allowed on MMPs or walking/biking trails. I think they should require registration and a drivers license, just like mopeds do.

My wife and I have 4 ebikes. I researched the topic thoroughly before buying. e-bikes CANNOT go 35-45 mph at full throttle. Throttles are limited to 20 MPH. Some e-bikes can go in excess of 20 MPH via pedaling and power assist, but usually the top end of assist is 28 mph. Anything going 35-45 mph is not an e-bike or is a modified one.

[toeser]

Originally Posted by Regorp

Bikes should prohibited from all golf cart lanes in the road. Dangerous as golf carts go into the road to pass the bike. Marsh Bend Trail has a bike/walking trail next to the road, so the ignorant bike rider should use it not the cart lane. Stupid is as stupid does

Maybe we should eliminate golf carts and save that lane for bikes.

[ohioshooter]

Originally Posted by srswans

Florida declares e-bikes as bicycles and so are allowed everywhere bicycles are allowed. This does indeed blur the motorized/non-motorized line.

(And bicycles can go everywhere, roads, streets, MPPs, pathways. sidewalks, but not Interstate highways.)

Adding speed limits for e-bikes is folly - bicyclists generally travel above 10 MPH already and can easily exceed 20 MPH. (I’ve done 30+ downhill with the wind.)

E-bike riders should ring a bell and announce when passing on pathways - same as bicyclists.

Walkers need to stay to the right on pathways and be alert for e-bikes and bicycles passing. The stay-to-the right rules is especially important on blind corners.

(MPPs, streets and roads have motorized traffic so walkers should stay to the left on these places. This too is confusing because MMPs and pathways look alike.)

Originally Posted by toeser

My wife and I have 4 ebikes. I researched the topic thoroughly before buying. e-bikes CANNOT go 35-45 mph at full throttle. Throttles are limited to 20 MPH. Some e-bikes can go in excess of 20 MPH via pedaling and power assist, but usually the top end of assist is 28 mph. Anything going 35-45 mph is not an e-bike or is a modified one.

Finally, a couple common sense replies.

[Vermilion Villager]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I've been passed recently by an e-bike while I was driving in my golf cart, in the Historic section. We don't have MMPs here except for one small strip up by the country club. We drive our carts in the street just like other motor vehicles, and the POSTED speed limit is 25mph except along Paradise Park, where it's 15 mph.

Not only was I passed by this e-bike, it was a guy sailing through the stop sign, without even slowing down, and passed me when I was at my top cruising speed of 20.3. Considering the speed at which he passed me, I'd say he was going closer to 30 than 25, so he ran a stop sign, and was speeding.

E-bikes can go in excess of 35mph at full throttle, some are even able to go as high as 45mph. They need to not be allowed on MMPs or walking/biking trails. I think they should require registration and a drivers license, just like mopeds do.

You're telling the truth!!!!
My golf cart can go 24 miles an hour and I have been passed by E-bikes on the MMP's as well as Marsh Bend Trail. For what it's worth the only crash I have ever seen is with an E-bike trying to make the turn into one of the tunnels.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by huge-pigeons

Most e-bikes go < 20 mph from the factory, I can usually pass all e-bikes pretty easy in the golf cart. My e-bike going down a steep hill with pedal assist 5 can get me in the 20’s mph but we don’t have these type of hills here, so the 35 mph is quite an exaggeration. Are there some e-bikes in the world that can go over 35 mph or even 45 mph. Probably not if purchased legally and not altered.

Why are e-bikes limited to 20 mph?
Why is There a 20 MPH Speed Limit on Electric Bikes in USA?
The CPSA imposes a 20mph speed limit on electric bikes in order to protect consumers from injury. Electric bikes that go faster than 20mph can pose a danger to riders, as they are more likely to lose control and crash.

Where did you get this from? It's obviously a quote from somewhere. What is the CPSA? Those initials stand for a whole lot of things, none of which have anything to do with bicycles that I can find. The first link that comes up in a google search is the Colored Pencil Society of America.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by toeser

My wife and I have 4 ebikes. I researched the topic thoroughly before buying. e-bikes CANNOT go 35-45 mph at full throttle. Throttles are limited to 20 MPH. Some e-bikes can go in excess of 20 MPH via pedaling and power assist, but usually the top end of assist is 28 mph. Anything going 35-45 mph is not an e-bike or is a modified one.

I guess maybe you just didn't "research" the topic as thoroughly as you thought you did. I did a single google search just now:

"fast e-bikes" and came up with page after page of websites. Here's one at the top of the first page:

https://www.makeuseof.com/fastest-ebikes-for-sale/

The law requires that they get shipped with a limiter to 20mph in Florida. But you can disable the limiter, and some bike manufacturers will provide a method to disable it and give you printed instructions.

My concern is - a golf cart - in order to be legally considered a golf cart, with no registration, license, or insurance required, may not go in excess of 20 mph in Florida. If it goes between 20 and 25mph, it must be registered, you must have a drivers license to drive it, and it has to be insured. At that point it is called an LSV, no longer a golf cart. It is street legal.

An e-bike has no such restrictions. It has to be shipped to you with the limiter so it can't go over 20mph, but you can disable that and use the motor to propel you at speeds greater than 25mph - with no pedal assist necessary. It functions as an electric-powered moped. And yet - mopeds have to be registered, and you have to be licensed to drive one. E-bikes that are set to go faster (without pedal assist necessary) than 25 do not. In addition, the posted speed limit for most of The Villages is 20. Not 25, not 28. 20.

The posted speed limit for MMPs is 20. Not 25, not 28. No one should be driving or riding ANYTHING faster than 20mph on an MMP. The fact that so many e-bikes can, and do, with or without pedal assist, makes them incredibly dangerous.

I think that e-bikes should have some restrictions.

[tophcfa]

As someone who is not a fan of either electric cars or golf carts, I think e-bikes are very cool. I am a huge proponent of people getting outside and getting some exercise any way the can. If someone has physical restrictions that make riding a traditional bike difficult, but an e-bike can allow them to overcome those restrictions, the more power to them. Plus, e-bike riders aren’t trying to greenwash their choice of an e-bike relative to a traditional bike, they are simply extending their ability to get some exercise peddling a bike with some needed assistance. I will never own an electric car or golf cart, but I see an e-bike in the future when the time inevitably comes that riding a traditional bike becomes too difficult. Peddle on : )