From warren at ebikernetwork.org Tue Jun 2 21:29:00 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:29:00 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] [Fwd: E-bike Consultation at the MTO - June 16, 2009] Message-ID: <4A25D1DC.3080202@ebikernetwork.org> All, As they have been indicating to me that they will do, the MTO has finally scheduled, on June 16th, a consultation on the equipment and operating requirements for e-bikes. These requirements will eventually be incorporated into the final regulations for e-bikes sometime before the pilot ends on October 6. A copy of the invite (with contact details removed) is attached below for your information, so you can see for yourself how the MTO is describing this meeting. Larry Davidowitz of Dewdad Inc. has also been invited. Please tell me if you become aware of any other e-bike enthusiasts who have been invited, so we can coordinate our input to the Ministry. In preparation for this meeting I would like to get as much input from E-bike riders across the province as possible. If you have not yet done so, please take the time to complete the E-Bike Rider Survey found on the E-bike Rider Network [http://ebikernetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=45 ] Here's looking to a reasonable Ministry and a free lunch. Warren -------- Original Message -------- Subject: E-bike Consultation - June 16, 2009 Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 15:03:13 -0400 From: MTO Effective October 3, 2006, the Province of Ontario began a three-year pilot project to evaluate the use of power-assisted bicycles (also known as electric bikes or e-bikes) on roads and highways where conventional bicycles are currently allowed. You may be aware, that on April 23, 2009 Bill 126, /Road Safety Act, 2009/, received Royal Assent. Bill 126 contains items related to e-bikes, including amendments to the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) definition of "bicycle" to include power-assisted bicycles (i.e. "e-bikes") which are themselves defined, to clarify that they must have operable pedals attached and must be capable of being propelled only by muscular power. The current pilot's minimum age of 16 and the requirement that everyone operating/riding an e-bike must wear a helmet is also reflected in the legislation as well as regulation making powers that would define further e-bike operating requirements. The Ministry of Transportation invites you to attend a consultation on e-bikes on Tuesday June 16, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The purpose of the consultation is to provide your input on the equipment and operating requirements that should be included in the regulations prior to the e-bike pilot expiry date of October 3, 2009. We will be inviting various stakeholders including environmental groups, bicycling groups, e-bike retailers, manufacturers, importers, law enforcement, municipalities and safety advocates. Any material will be provided at the consultation. Space is limited, so we ask that one person per organization attend. A light lunch will be provided. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From warren at ebikernetwork.org Wed Jun 3 21:10:40 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:10:40 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] And the Award for strongest opposition to E-Bikes in Ontario goes to . . . Message-ID: <4A271F10.404@ebikernetwork.org> . . . .Some bicyclists apparently. All, This segment ran on the CBC last night: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/06/03/electric-bicycles.html#socialcomments Here is the link to the Toronto Cyclists' Union "Action Alert" on E-Bikes posted in April. http://bikeunion.to/news/2009/04/17/action-alert-take-action-e-bikes By the way, I fully expect that Yvonne Bambrick will be present at the June 16th meeting with the MTO (and will be very disappointed if she is not.) Similar sort of conversation can be found on IbikeTO [thank you to Jim Frost for this link]: http://www.ibiketo.ca/forum/commuters/seen-today-e-scooter-playground-path By the way, if you want to vote on what the rules should be: http://www.ibiketo.ca/poll/do-you-think-e-bikes-should-be-restricted-where-they-can-travel#comment-8223 And let us not forget the fundamentals: What was the Federal Government thinking when the defined a "power-assisted bicycle"? Read their regulatory impact analysis statement (about two screens down) on the following link: http://gazette.gc.ca/archives/p2/2001/2001-04-11/html/sor-dors117-eng.html Remember, keep the rubber side down. Warren -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From warren at ebikernetwork.org Sat Jun 6 14:53:48 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:53:48 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] Durham E-bikers in the Toronto Sun Message-ID: <4A2ABB3C.3090508@ebikernetwork.org> All, You humble Durham E-Bike Association executive (Warren, Jim and Jan) get quoted in the Toronto Sun today. http://www.torontosun.com/life/greenplanet/2009/06/06/9695756-sun.html Thank you to Suzanne Elston for the excellent write up. Warren P.S. It is possible that this same article will appear elsewhere in the Sun chain. From warren at ebikernetwork.org Wed Jun 10 22:32:48 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:32:48 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] Last Reminder: E-bike Survey Message-ID: <4A306CD0.9090601@ebikernetwork.org> All, Just a reminder that time is running out for completing the e-bike survey. My meeting with the MTO is next Tuesday (June 16). A copy of the survey can be found at the following link. Just copy it into an e-mail and mark your answers. http://ebikernetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=45 Thank you to all of you who have taken the time and completed the e-bike survey. I have received 58 surveys so far. Warren P.S. A few freebies to think about: All you need to do with the Toronto Cyclists' Union survey is roll your eyes when you see it. Please don't complete this survey. Silence is the best response. http://bikeunion.to/news/2009/06/04/what-do-you-think-about-scooter-style-e-bikes And a very confused story coming from Peterborough: http://www.peterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1603633 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From warren at ebikernetwork.org Fri Jun 12 20:48:21 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:48:21 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] More E-Bike News Message-ID: <4A32F755.5050009@ebikernetwork.org> All, Interesting trend in the people who are sending in surveys. I am starting to get completed surveys from people *who do not yet own* e-bikes but intend to after the province has settled on the rules. Also, more from our friends in Peterborough: http://peterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1605352 Rough crowd. I have already heard from one 76 year old E-bike rider that you probably wouldn't want to get on the bad side of. Warren -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From warren at ebikernetwork.org Tue Jun 16 08:21:55 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:21:55 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] More E-Bike News in Peterborough Message-ID: <4A378E63.80203@ebikernetwork.org> This just in from Otis Newport in Peterborough . . . -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [1000 E-Bikes] More E-Bike News Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:04:09 -0400 From: Otis Newport To: Warren, Good news from Peterborough! City Council voted late tonight to rewrite their bylaw so as to allow Ebikes on city recreational trails. It had looked really grim for the past week or so.... This was an incredible example of how the internet empowers people. It was because of your site that I was able to advise City Councillors that Bill 126 had passed and that a Consultation Meeting was to be held on 16 June. I even relied on your site to get a copy of the Federal Legislation from March 2001. I used the included Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement in my presentation to show that considerable work had been done in the selection of Ebike parameters to ensure that Ebikes were no less safe than conventional bikes. I threw in the mandatory helmet requirement for Ebikes and argued that they were, therefore, actually safer than conventional bikes. Of interest to you I'm sure: there were about 10 presenters. Nine of them favoured allowing Ebikes on city trails. One was a retailer. One was a gentleman who wants to set up a refresfment/recharging station at Omeemee along the Transcanada trail linking Lindsay and Peterborough (about a 80 km, mostly backcountry, rail trail). Several people (including myself) were Seniors who didn't want to give up biking just because the darned old clock keeps ticking. The one person opposing Ebikes on City Trails was a young healthy looking male "Extreme" biker. Go figure. Thank you for doing what you do. Otis Newport ----- Original Message ----- *From:* Warren (E-Biker Network) *To:* 1000e-bikes at ebikernetwork.org *Sent:* Friday, June 12, 2009 8:48 PM *Subject:* [1000 E-Bikes] More E-Bike News All, Interesting trend in the people who are sending in surveys. I am starting to get completed surveys from people *who do not yet own* e-bikes but intend to after the province has settled on the rules. Also, more from our friends in Peterborough: http://peterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1605352 Rough crowd. I have already heard from one 76 year old E-bike rider that you probably wouldn't want to get on the bad side of. Warren ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ 1000e-bikes mailing list 1000e-bikes at ebikernetwork.org http://ebikernetwork.org/mailman/listinfo/1000e-bikes_ebikernetwork.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From warren at ebikernetwork.org Tue Jun 16 19:18:25 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:18:25 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] Notes on todays meeting Message-ID: <4A382841.8070006@ebikernetwork.org> All, I have posted notes on today's meeting with the MTO at http://ebikernetwork.org/wordpress/archives/70 I will try to post additional comments as I mull over the meeting over the next few days. Warren From warren at ebikernetwork.org Thu Jun 18 20:16:36 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:16:36 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] Electric Bicycle Regulatory proposal posted on regulatory website Message-ID: <4A3AD8E4.2080104@ebikernetwork.org> All, Below is a link that will allow you to comment directly to the MTO about proposed e-bike regulations. Be forewarned that you will not find any 'proposal' but a list of what the regulations could be and a request to state what you think the regulations should be. Responses are required by *July 9, 2009. *Please go ahead and make your own comments, and forward this e-mail to everyone that you know that has seen, is impressed with, and un-threatened by your choice of transportation. In addition to your comments I am hoping to work with some other (very) knowledgeable people in the province to formulate a position that we can all agree to and send it in as one voice. Go get 'em. Warren -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Electric Bicycle proposal posted on regulatory website Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:47:03 -0400 From: Strileski, Lea-Ann (MTO) Hello all, Please find attach the link to the Regulatory Registry, where you will find the electric bicycle proposal. The posting is open to the public and has a deadline of *July 9, 2009* to view the proposal and make any suggestions or comments. http://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=1942 We will be working towards having regulations in place, if approved, by Oct 3, 2009, when the current electric bicycle pilot expires. Please feel free to pass the link onto those who may be interested in commenting on the electric bicycle proposal. Thanks, Lea-Ann -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From warren at ebikernetwork.org Tue Jun 23 20:47:19 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:47:19 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] E-bike Survey Results Posted Message-ID: <4A417797.1020309@ebikernetwork.org> All, I have finally posted the results of the E-Bike survey on the E-bike Rider Network web site. You can get a copy of the survey questions, a summary of the results and responses listed by rider initials and location, and a document summarizing all of the submitted comments. http://ebikernetwork.org/wordpress/archives/73 Do the calculation: The average distance traveled (of the 58 people who specified a distance) was 265 km/month. These 58 people are collectively logging over 15,000 km/month of e-bike road travel! I would like to thank all of the participants in the survey. The comment summary document itself tells a wonderful story and I expect it will factor significantly in what happens with the MTO. Feel free to download these documents and to distribute them as you see fit to get the word out. ========== Along with these documents I have also posted the list participants in the June 16th consultation and a copy of the handout from the MTO. I am diplomatically refraining from making any comments at this time. ========== Speaking of the MTO-- If you make a submission to the MTO, I don't think it will ever be posted for public review, and it is highly likely it will never be seen again. Please feel free to copy your MTO post on the E-biker Rider Experience blog directly (as a comment) or to send me an e-mail with a request that it be posted. Warren Christiani warren at ebikernetwork.org From warren at ebikernetwork.org Thu Jun 25 00:04:09 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:04:09 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] [Fwd: To Hon. James J. Bradley: E-Bike Rider Concerns about E-bike Regulations] Message-ID: <4A42F739.4080901@ebikernetwork.org> All, Please forward this e-mail to your MPP and your local newspapers (if you are in agreement, of course). You may also want to send another copy to the Hon. James J. Bradley to affirm your support for this position In all cases, be sure and add your own story. You can look up the e-mail address for your MPP at the following web site: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_current.do?locale=en&list_type=all_mpps&go=go Warren P.S. I find that this letter doesn't read too badly even after all the swear words have been removed. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: To Hon. James J. Bradley: E-Bike Rider Concerns about E-bike Regulations Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:36:54 -0400 From: Warren (DEBA) Reply-To: warren at durhamebikeassociation.org To: jbradley.mpp at liberal.ola.org, dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, ahorwath-qp at ndp.on.ca, bob.runciman at pc.ola.org June 24, 2009 An open letter to Hon. James J. Bradley Minister of Transportation of Ontario Dear Mr. Bradley, This letter is being written to you on behalf of E-bike riders across Ontario who have been earnestly participating in the E-Bike pilot by purchasing and actually using E-bikes. I am writing directly to you because we are concerned about the haphazard approach that the MTO is taking to taking to establish regulations for e-bikes on conclusion of the pilot. In its recent document posting for public comment---"Electric Bicycle -- Summary of Proposal"---the MTO makes the following statements: "This government is a strong champion of initiatives that expand mobility options for Ontarians, improve air quality, and promote green technologies. Safe integration of new vehicle types with pedestrians and other vehicles is a key consideration before any new type of vehicle will be permanently allowed on Ontario roads. "On October 3, 2006, the province began a three-year pilot to evaluate whether power-assisted bicycles ("e-bikes") could be safely integrated with other vehicles and pedestrians. Since that date, e-bikes have been able to legally operate, unless prohibited by municipal by-law, on Ontario's roads and highways where conventional bicycles are currently allowed. This three-year pilot test treats e-bikes like conventional bicycles with two important exceptions, namely, that riders must be 16 years of age or older and all riders must wear an approved bicycle helmet. "Overall, the feedback received to date on the e-bike pilot has been positive. The main safety concerns raised to date have been related to the weight, width, braking and pedal-less operation of certain types of e-bikes. To minimize these safety concerns, a new regulation is needed prior to the pilot's expiry to specify additional equipment and operating requirements." The document then proceeds to make *no clear proposal *as to what the MTO thinks are appropriate regulations. Worse, it goes on to ask questions that suggest that the *MTO has done no research* *at all *on this issue at all. Our concern with the statements in this document indicate that Ministry is planning on establishing regulations based on a perceived risk rather than demonstrated risk and as such the ministry will, using unsubstantiated bases, enact regulations that discourage the use of this low energy and low emission alternative for personal transportation. Such discouragements would include the added cost of requiring licensing and insurance, the costs passed on to the consumer by manufacturers required to perform testing above and beyond those required by Federal regulations or just simply a decision to exclude the popular "scooter-style" e-bikes from vehicle permitted on the road. I drive a scooter style e-bike myself. Should this happen, the Ontario government will going against a trend to encouraging the use of e-bikes that is happening world wide, and will be demonstrating (some might say, once again) that they are in fact a */weak /*champion of "initiatives that expand mobility options for Ontarians, improve air quality and promote green technologies." Here are the publicly available facts of this situation: ? In 2001, after scientific testing and evaluation, Transport Canada published a definition for a "power-assisted bicycle" that established that these vehicles (when the met requirements of the definition) were equivalent in performance to conventional bicycles and as such could be treated in law as equivalent to bicycles. ? Subsequent to the release of this vehicle definition, British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba have confidently adopted this definition and have allowed these vehicles on the road with minimal regulation, and without any identified need for a pilot project. Alberta will, ON July 2, be harmonizing their definition of a power-assisted bicycle with that of Transport Canada. ? In 2006, the MTO undertook a three pilot project to evaluate their use on the roads of Ontario. ? After nearly three years of this pilot project, and despite ongoing safety concerns "related to the weight, width, braking and pedal-less operation of certain types of e-bikes" no information has been presented by any party or by the MTO that would substantiate that these concerns have any basis in reality. ? In the meantime, the e-bike riders that have been voluntarily participating in the pilot have been demonstrating that the availability, low operating cost and greenness of E-bikes (in all forms) is sufficiently attractive that it causes a */new/* segment of the population to */voluntarily/* leave their cars at home for some or all of their personal transportation needs. This new segment includes people that would otherwise be unable to ride a bicycle due to such causes as: moderate disability, injury, weakness with age, susceptibility to heat stress, working at a job where there are no showers, individuals in a job where they are on their feet all day and don't need the exercise, etc. In doing so, *these e-bike riders are contributing positively to the overall safety of Ontario roads* by, if nothing else, replacing heavy, high speed, high energy vehicles with light, low speed, low energy vehicles. In support of this assertion, I have attached a list of comments that I have received from e-bike riders across the province, some describing their experience in great detail. ? It is true that there is a lot of */concern/* about E-bikes (in their various forms) and where they fit into the transportation mix. The Toronto blogosphere is positively blue with heated debates about the aesthetic and semantic legitimacy of E-bikes as well as their safety. These concerns about safety have not translated into any demonstrable safety risk of the vehicles. In summary, Transport Canada has scientifically established the regulatory equivalency of E-bikes and conventional bicycles, other provinces have already permitted E-bikes on their roads with no consequence, the pilot project has demonstrated that e-bikes can operate on Ontario roads with no consequence and there are established positive benefits to encourage their use. Why is the MTO even considering that they need to impose additional regulation? As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke don't fix it." To help in alleviating these concerns about the MTO I am asking you, Mr. Bradley, answer the following questions: ? What is the total number of kilometers that MTO staff have ridden on E-bikes as part of their evaluation? ? What (non-staff) budget was allocated to this project? ? How much of that budget has been spent to date? [I have personally invested ~$2200 to date to purchase and operate an e-bike to satisfy myself that these are roadworthy, safe and /just like bicycles/. Correction: make that $2220-- I forgot to add in the *$20 in electricity* *I have used to travel 4300 kilometers*.] Finally, ? What is the MTO */really /*proposing for regulations? The current regulatory 'proposal' gives no guidance whatsoever that as to what the Ministry is thinking except that they sound like they will focus on weight as an issue. If I were shopping for an e-bike this summer I would have no confidence that it would be legal on the road after October. I believe there is a significant pent up demand to purchase and use these vehicles because of the dithering that is happening at the MTO. We are at risk of losing one more summer cycling season when we could be seeing a fantastic green revolution. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me. I am available at any time to come and /at length /on this issue, should you see a need. Warren Christiani Whitby, Ontario President, Durham E-bike Association http://durhamebikeassociation.org/ Webmaster http://ebikernetwork.org/ Cc: Hon.Dalton McGuinty -- Premier Andrea Horwath Robert W. Runciman Also cc'd to every e-bike rider that I know. Attachments: A copy of the document from the MTO 'Electric Bicycle - Summary of Proposal' has also been attached. The attached Word document contains the above message and the collection of E-biker Rider comments. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: To Jim Bradley.doc Type: application/msword Size: 116736 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Electric.doc Type: application/msword Size: 75264 bytes Desc: not available URL: From warren at ebikernetwork.org Sun Jun 28 12:18:20 2009 From: warren at ebikernetwork.org (Warren (E-Biker Network)) Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:18:20 -0400 Subject: [1000 E-Bikes] Field Guide to Cyclists in the Toronto Message-ID: <4A4797CC.5070105@ebikernetwork.org> All, Have a look at the "Toronto Star Field Guide to Toronto Cyclists" at the following link to get a good idea of the variety of 'bicycles' being driven on Toronto roads. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/657893 I submitted the following comment: "At first I was going to complain that you had forgotten to mention e-bikes as a growing segment of the cycling population. Instead, I would now like to thank you. Thank you for, in one page of illustration, demonstrating that all of those complaints that some people are using to argue that E-bikes should not be considered bicycles should therefore be regulated and kept out of bike lanes-- they are too heavy, they are too wide, they are too silent, they are too long, that some e-bikes don't look like bicycles-- has no credible basis in reality. If E-bikes need to be regulated then, on the basis of what is shown in this article, all bicycles need to be regulated. By the way, for me there is no need to add a new category. Riding my scooter-style e-bike to work the description of "The Commuter" fits me perfectly (except for the tweed jacket part.) Warren Christiani, President, Durham E-bike Association." Warren