New Jersey lawmakers have taken the first step towards expanding e-bike regulations, despite widespread opposition from cyclists and concerns about the potential consequences of the new rules.
The bill, which would redefine and expand motorized bicycles to include pedal bikes with electric motors, was advanced unanimously by a Senate panel. However, its sponsors acknowledge that it may not be the solution to the growing problem of e-bike accidents. "But we have to do something," said Senator Pat Diegnan, chair of the Senate's transportation committee. Diegnan admitted that the bill is not the perfect solution, but he believes it is a step in the right direction.
Under current state law, low-speed e-bikes with speeds up to 20 miles per hour require no license or registration. However, Class 3 e-bikes, which have a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour, are treated as motorized bicycles and already come with some regulations, including registration, a driver's license, and insurance.
The new bill would remove all existing classifications of electric bikes and redesignate low-speed e-bikes as motorized bikes. This means that people would be required to license, register, and insure their e-bikes to use them in New Jersey. Critics say this will limit access to e-bikes for many cyclists who rely on them for transportation.
"This is a bad idea on its face," said Corey Hannigan of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. "Merging these classes will conflate different types of bikes and create confusion among cyclists."
Karin Vanoppen, an electric bike rider in New Jersey City, expressed concern that her e-bike would be treated like one with a much higher motor power. She also noted that obtaining a license for her e-bike is already a challenge due to the six points of identification required.
Lawmakers are also facing opposition from insurance companies, which do not want to cover e-bikes. "No insurance company wants to do this," said Bruce Fletcher, a retired state corrections officer who regularly rides his electric bike.
Despite these concerns, some argue that increasing enforcement and education on existing laws is the better solution. Attorney Richard Albuquerque cited the example of pedestrians being severely injured in e-bike accidents without liability insurance, and believes that having insurance would provide more support for families affected by such incidents.
The bill is scheduled to be heard again in the Senate Budget Committee next week. It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will make any changes to address some of the concerns raised during the hearing.
The bill, which would redefine and expand motorized bicycles to include pedal bikes with electric motors, was advanced unanimously by a Senate panel. However, its sponsors acknowledge that it may not be the solution to the growing problem of e-bike accidents. "But we have to do something," said Senator Pat Diegnan, chair of the Senate's transportation committee. Diegnan admitted that the bill is not the perfect solution, but he believes it is a step in the right direction.
Under current state law, low-speed e-bikes with speeds up to 20 miles per hour require no license or registration. However, Class 3 e-bikes, which have a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour, are treated as motorized bicycles and already come with some regulations, including registration, a driver's license, and insurance.
The new bill would remove all existing classifications of electric bikes and redesignate low-speed e-bikes as motorized bikes. This means that people would be required to license, register, and insure their e-bikes to use them in New Jersey. Critics say this will limit access to e-bikes for many cyclists who rely on them for transportation.
"This is a bad idea on its face," said Corey Hannigan of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. "Merging these classes will conflate different types of bikes and create confusion among cyclists."
Karin Vanoppen, an electric bike rider in New Jersey City, expressed concern that her e-bike would be treated like one with a much higher motor power. She also noted that obtaining a license for her e-bike is already a challenge due to the six points of identification required.
Lawmakers are also facing opposition from insurance companies, which do not want to cover e-bikes. "No insurance company wants to do this," said Bruce Fletcher, a retired state corrections officer who regularly rides his electric bike.
Despite these concerns, some argue that increasing enforcement and education on existing laws is the better solution. Attorney Richard Albuquerque cited the example of pedestrians being severely injured in e-bike accidents without liability insurance, and believes that having insurance would provide more support for families affected by such incidents.
The bill is scheduled to be heard again in the Senate Budget Committee next week. It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will make any changes to address some of the concerns raised during the hearing.
. I mean, I get why people want to regulate them - safety concerns are real 
- but do we really need to change everything? It seems like a solution in search of a problem 
. And what's with all these new rules? Licensing, registering, insuring... it just adds more red tape 
. I've had my e-bike for years and never had any issues, as long as people follow the rules, right? 
I get why there's opposition from cyclists and insurance companies - it all seems a bit confusing at first. But at the same time, accidents are super scary and families need support. 
Maybe we just need to tweak the system instead of throwing out the baby with the bathwater? 
Like, what if they made an exception for low-speed e-bikes that already don't require licenses and registration? That way, cyclists who use them for transport wouldn't be hit with a ton of new fees. 
. And insurance companies are not exactly being super helpful with their concerns 
. Maybe instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, we should be looking at ways to educate cyclists and improve road safety in general? 
for NJ e-bike riders! they're tryna make it legit with licenses & registrations, but critics are hating on it hard 
not about doin what's right
so we can get more people on e-bikes & off those polluting cars 
i mean, accidents are super scary and we need some sort of system in place. maybe having insurance would be a good idea, idk... it's just that if people can't afford it, who will be able to? 
what do u think? should we just stick with the way things were or is change necessary? 
. It's like, come on, are we really gonna make it harder for people to get around with e-bikes just because some folks can't be bothered to follow the rules? 
. We got some rich folks who are worried that they're gonna have to pay more in insurance premiums because of this new bill 
. We're talking about e-bikes here, folks! They're not like cars or trucks, they don't need all this extra regulation 
so they're gonna try to regulate e-bikes more strictly now... like, I get it, accidents are a concern, but restricting access for low-speed e-bike users just doesn't seem right