UK police wanting to contact me

[kour]

those dang bobbies!

[kasenutty]

21 minutes ago, kour said:

those dang bobbies!

 

 

I was trying to come up with some UK slang to talk about Bobbies and got this:

 

Quote

The word "I killed a bobbie once just to watch him die " was not found in our database. Found a word we're missing? Add it to our dictionary.

Haha

[Esper]

Why not just put them into the Electric Vehicle for Adult category to be with these. At lease then we can just call these 'Toys' and ride them on the sidewalk, right? Once, while I was on a delivery, the receptionist at a large law firm said "oh, that's a cool 'toy'" so it could probably pass as one to the ignorant (police).

[Keith]

7 hours ago, Juggler said:

Well said. Is there anything in the so called law that says the pedals on an electric bike must actually be capable of turning the wheel?

I am afraid so see: https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules.

EAPC=Electrically Assisted PEDDLE Cycle.

Now IF the U.K. government had done nothing about electric bike rules it would (almost) be excusable but in fact just a year or so ago they changed the rules (as below) such that it is now a requirement that the bike MUST be peddled (throttles no longer allowed.) AT A STROKE THIS HAS ALSO MADE AN ELECTRIC BIKE OR TRICYCLE UNUSABLE BY MANY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT PREVENT THEM BEING ABLE TO PEDDLE!

I’ve copied the relevant parts below:

What counts as an EAPC

An EAPC must have pedals that can be used to propel it.

It must show either:

• the power output
• the manufacturer of the motor

It must also show either:

• the battery’s voltage
• the maximum speed of the bike

Its electric motor:

• must have a maximum power output of 250 watts
• should not be able to propel the bike when it’s travelling more than 15.5mph

An EAPC can have more than 2 wheels (for example, a tricycle).

Where you can ride

If a bike meets the EAPC requirements it’s classed as a normal pedal bike. This means you can ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed.

Other kinds of electric bike

Any electric bike that doesn’t meet the EAPC rules is classed as a motorcycle or moped and needs to be registered and taxed. You’ll need a driving licence to ride one and you must wear a crash helmet.

The bike must also be type approved if either:

• it doesn’t meet the EAPC rules
• it can be propelled without pedalling (a ‘twist and go’ EAPC)

This should have been done by the manufacturer or importer before you bought it. If it’s been type approved, it will have a plate showing its type approval number.

[kour]

i just threw that bobby comment down but hadn't perused the whole thread - i just read the officer's email - that blows man! sorry to hear... do they deputize people in the uk? you could tell them you'd keep an eye out for prowlers and chase purse-snatchers

[novazeus]

i have different reasons for never riding anywhere except private property unless euc’s legality is clarified and permitted. i don’t care what kind of insurance u think u have, if ur operating an illegal vehicle, u will not be covered and might go to jail if anybody gets hurt.

 

[kasenutty]

2 minutes ago, novazeus said:

i have different reasons for never riding anywhere except private property unless euc’s legality is clarified and permitted. i don’t care what kind of insurance u think u have, if ur operating an illegal vehicle, u will not be covered and might go to jail if anybody gets hurt.

 

 

 

I'm sure glad I don't live in Florida, it sounds terrible from what I've heard from you. 

[dbfrese]

12 hours ago, ir_fuel said:

Who in his right mind would do crap like this?

Someone who can't stand to see someone else enjoying their commute on a harmless, eco-friendly fun machine.

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Someone riding an EUC needs to save a baby.  Then they will make these legal!    Next time I go riding, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a baby in danger...    @Kevin Grandon - keep an eye out for drowning babies in those ponds you ride around!  @Marty Backe - watch out for abandoned babies on the mountain trails!  We need EUC heroes!

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

[kasenutty]

I think it's important to note that the cop only did this after they received a letter from a citizen. So these eye rolls and dirty looks from  bicyclists, people on the street, whoever, are not just dirty looks, but also dirty letters waiting to happen. If the cops get a couple crazy letters from angry bicycle riders or old ladies, it's often times easier for them to appease the angriest people.

 

What does this mean, should you lot make sure all the angry letters they are receiving are about bicyclists? I don't know, frankly I'm rather high, but this seems like important stuff. 

[Alien Rides]

51 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Someone riding an EUC needs to save a baby.  Then they will make these legal!    Next time I go riding, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a baby in danger...    @Kevin Grandon - keep an eye out for drowning babies in those ponds you ride around!  @Marty Backe - watch out for abandoned babies on the mountain trails!  We need EUC heroes!

"I swear officer, I didn't drop my baby into the pond just to take a video of me saving said baby, I would never intentionally do that!" ?

[novazeus]

to be objective, there have been numerous discussions on this forum, and usually led by moderators and others that have more experience than most, on how any make or model of euc, and at any speed or terrain, can and most definitely will fail, given enough time.

so, why would anyone be safe with somebody operating a euc near them?

even the operator of the euc confirms the danger by wearing a helmet, wristguards, elbow protection, knee protection. 

when u go in front of ur local bureaucrats to plead ur case for allowing euc’s on public property, how do u counter arguments like these pulled from this forum?

what does the law say about segway’s, escooters, hoverboards, eskateboards etc?

i would guess euc’s would be lumped in with that bunch.

this is a public forum that anybody, including bureaucrats can view, so be advised.

[Esper]

You know, the odd thing about my city's laws. We are growing in protected bike lanes all over the area. But bicyclists still ride in the streets, when there is a bike lane on the same street. Additionally, any power assisted devices, electric bikes, boost boards, one wheels, EUCs, are not 'allowed' in these protected bike lanes. Bikes (non electric assist) in the protected bike lane, cant go over 15 mph. and if you ride a euc, it has to be on the sidewalk, while notifying anyone you pass with an audible sound. Hardly anyone follows these rules and none of the police enforce it. So you get people on the little dinky Swagatron going like 6 mph in the bike lane while people ride the new electric share bikes at 25+ in the bike lane and the gutsy bicyclists going 15-20 in the street while causing traffic. What a time to be alive...

[mezzanine]

There was a news story last week on VICE that profiled the use of electric scooters on sidewalks in San Francisco.  It was negative in nature, giving interviews with residents who are unhappy with their sudden appearance and use on sidewalks.  They described the people using electric scooters as a public menace.  You can find it fairly easily on youtube.

This is an issue that is only going to gain more public scrutiny over the next couple years.  I don't like the looks of where this heading.

I'm frustrated by the anti-technology stance that seems to be causing resistance.  The fact these things are new and as yet unclassified seems to be a barrier to a rational approach to their regulation.  I guess I'm gaining insight into the industry, but I'm more aware now of how we're operating in a grey-area that is unlikely to last.  

I don't ride my EUCs on the sidewalk for the most part.  I find it ridiculous that I can't use bike paths shared by pedestrians considering how much more control at low speeds an EUC has around pedestrians than a bicycle.  

[RockyTop]

Try This as camoflage   ?    

 

[RockyTop]

1 hour ago, novazeus said:

to be objective, there have been numerous discussions on this forum, and usually led by moderators and others that have more experience than most, on how any make or model of euc, and at any speed or terrain, can and most definitely will fail, given enough time.

so, why would anyone be safe with somebody operating a euc near them?

even the operator of the euc confirms the danger by wearing a helmet, wristguards, elbow protection, knee protection. 

The same can be said about bicycles. Unicycles cause faceplants. Faceplats are more dangerous to the rider not the bystander. As a bystander I would rather get hit by a unicycle, fewer sharp edges and pokey things. I think it comes down to the speed. Our bike pedestrian path is limited to 5mph.  They only jump on you when you pass pedestrians too fast.

[gotmotion2016]

November last year I was arrested riding my EUC on Saturday morning on the bike path along a motorway.
I was asked for license plate number, insurance and inspection proof. 
The rules about the euc are widely distributed among the NL drivers.
These have also been confirmed by a member of the public prosecutor's office as beating.
The only thing you can be addressed about is not being able to show and receive insurance.
And in the worst case that you drive recklessly.
I said that I could not show any of the requested wishes, and I was not obliged to do so either. 
The cop asked me how I came. And I showed them my writing about the one wheeled vehicels from 1994. 
There was between 4! agents single discussion, and a lot of chatter and mobile phone work.
I asked them how I came to that article, and I doubted the legality of the article.
After having been busy for half an hour with four of them, two cops arrived on the motorbike.
 After a consultation between the agents of another 10 minutes, one of the motor agents came after me.
He forbade me to continue driving on my KS18S.
I pointed to the article I had shown earlier. 
According to him, this was invalid, he knew for sure that a euc was forbidden on public roads, 
and a license plate and road traffic service must have inspection and insurance.
If he saw me or fellow agents drive me, my wheel would be confiscated and he threatened me.
I walked a bit further until I reached the forest. I went on driving despite that prohibition.
Ten minutes after I got home, I was called at home. The cop had seen me drive away and came to inaugurate my wheel.
I refused to do that in the first instance, since he did not have a custody order for that. 
And he came into my porch without my permission and was very threatening and authoritarian. 
After a lot of talking and whining, I gave him my KS18s. 
He said that I had to go to court for this offense and the wheel would probably be destroyed. 
The first six to eight weeks I cycled to work or took the car.
Luckily I still had my ACM 1600, and in the night I secretly went on driving.
I have devised alternative routes on all routes that I drove and where I go after.
 This is to minimize the chance of encountering cops again. 
In February I received a letter stating that I was allowed to pick up my KS18S at a certain police station
(the cop has tampered with the software, and my battery does not charge more than 40% of everything, but unfortunately without result).     
I got a fine from the judge about the whole event. I got the fine because I did not follow a designation from a competent official.
It is not mentioned that I drove without insurance and valid certificates, - not even that I should have had license plate, 
or should have had insurance.
I have lodged an objection to the fine, as I am not accused of any punishable offense that the cop has mentioned. 
Seizure of the KS is therefore, I believe, also unlawful. After three and a half months there is still no statement. 
I have added the letter from the public prosecutor that worded dart driving on an euc can not be seen as illegal and forbidden.
Given the waiting time, the public prosecution service does not have the time for this kind of unimportant business. 
The cop on the other hand feels a whole guy on his bike. And apparently six agents are allowed to spend nearly two hours trying to keep a very dangerous,
very forbidden, very dangerous euc and his rider. 
Well, it depends on where you place your priorities. Fortunately there are a lot of fine cops.
But unfortunately there are also bastards and power-hungry people at the police.
And then the agents complain that they are very busy and do not have time. A fellow cyclist was arrested a month ago. he was taken away in a van to the police bureua. 
His wheel has also been confiscated, and he does not know yet whether he will get the wheel back. 
Two weeks a fellow driver with a monster was arrested. He came away with a warning. 
An EUC can not be insured with an insurance company in Europe, I believe.
In the meantime I continue to "just" drive my EUC, and I am extra careful, but also attentive to traffic and to seeing a cop.
As long as the law is terribly behind, and the team does not tackle this point, I feel little guilty about using my wheel again. 
All EUC riders here know how unbelievably pleasant it is to drive an EUC. The freedom, the feeling, etc., I do not give up riding easily.
Is that stupid, is that unwise, in part it is. But cathegorizing current fodder through obsolete legislation is also stupid. 
Then let me be a bit of a civil disobedience

[gotmotion2016]

1 minute ago, gotmotion2016 said:

November last year I was arrested on Saturday morning on the bike path along a motorway.
I was asked for license plate number, insurance and inspection proof. The rules about the euc are widely distributed among the NL drivers.
These have also been confirmed by a member of the public prosecutor's office as beating.
The only thing you can be addressed about is not being able to show and receive insurance.
And in the worst case that you drive recklessly.
I said that I could not show any of the requested wishes, and I was not obliged to do so either. 
The cop asked me how I came. And I showed them my writing about the euc legislation from 1994. 
There was between 4! agents single discussion, and a lot of chatter and mobile phone work.
I asked them how I came to that article, and I doubted the legality of the article.
After having been busy for half an hour with four of them, two cops arrived on the motorbike.
 After a consultation between the agents of another 10 minutes, one of the motor agents came after me.
He forbade me to continue driving on my KS18S.
I pointed to the article I had shown earlier. 
According to him, this was invalid, he knew for sure that a euc was forbidden on public roads, 
and a license plate and road traffic service must have inspection and insurance.
If he saw me or fellow agents drive me, my wheel would be confiscated and he threatened me.
I walked a bit further until I reached the forest. I went on driving despite that prohibition.
Ten minutes after I got home, I was called at home. The cop had seen me drive away and came to inaugurate my wheel.
I refused to do that in the first instance, since he did not have a custody order for that. 
And he came into my porch without my permission and was very threatening and authoritarian. 
After a lot of talking and whining, I gave him my KS18s. 
He said that I had to go to court for this offense and the wheel would probably be destroyed. 
The first six to eight weeks I cycled to work or took the car.
Luckily I still had my ACM 1600, and in the night I secretly went on driving.
I have devised alternative routes on all routes that I drove and where I go after.
 This is to minimize the chance of encountering cops again. 
In February I received a letter stating that I was allowed to pick up my KS18S at a certain police station
(the cop has tampered with the software, and my battery does not charge more than 40% of everything, but unfortunately without result).     
I got a fine from the judge about the whole event. I got the fine because I did not follow a designation from a competent official.
It is not mentioned that I drove without insurance and valid certificates, - not even that I should have had license plate, 
or should have had insurance.
I have lodged an objection to the fine, as I am not accused of any punishable offense that the cop has mentioned. 
Seizure of the KS is therefore, I believe, also unlawful. After three and a half months there is still no statement. 
I have added the letter from the public prosecutor that worded dart driving on an euc can not be seen as illegal and forbidden.
Given the waiting time, the public prosecution service does not have the time for this kind of unimportant business. 
The cop on the other hand feels a whole guy on his bike. And apparently six agents are allowed to spend nearly two hours trying to keep a very dangerous,
very forbidden, very dangerous euc and his rider. 
Well, it depends on where you place your priorities. Fortunately there are a lot of fine cops.
But unfortunately there are also bastards and power-hungry people at the police.
And then the agents complain that they are very busy and do not have time. A fellow cyclist was arrested a month ago. he was taken away in a van to the police bureua. 
His wheel has also been confiscated, and he does not know yet whether he will get the wheel back. 
Two weeks a fellow driver with a monster was arrested. He came away with a warning. 
An EUC can not be insured with an insurance company in Europe, I believe.
In the meantime I continue to "just" drive my EUC, and I am extra careful, but also attentive to traffic and to seeing a cop.
As long as the law is terribly behind, and the team does not tackle this point, I feel little guilty about using my wheel again. 
All EUC riders here know how unbelievably pleasant it is to drive an EUC. The freedom, the feeling, etc., I do not give up riding easily.
Is that stupid, is that unwise, in part it is. But cathegorizing current fodder through obsolete legislation is also stupid. 
Then let me be a bit of a civil disobedience

 

[alcatraz]

This last experience from gotmotion2016 is depressing to read.

Apparently police have nothing better to do but to chase euc riders. If only they tried one they would know how amazing they are.

Police just need a few years to get rid of the old generation of besserwissers and welcome in the new that actually dare to try these things and that know what they are about.

[mrelwood]

1 hour ago, alcatraz said:

Police just need a few years to get rid of the old generation of besserwissers and welcome in the new that actually dare to try these things and that know what they are about.

I don’t think that will solve the issue, as the law is still the law and after the few years more known to officers. It’s the law that is wrong, and to change that takes a lot more effort than to wait for a few years.

The latest message from @gotmotion2016 was indeed a horrifying read.

In Finland the KS 16B does fall within the requirements of the law (<1kW, <25km/h). I ride a 16S, and I’ve prepared to introduce it as the 16B if a police stops me. I hope I won’t have to see how much it helps...

[alcatraz]

If police (and government people) ride these in their own free time it would help to spread understanding about them. They are people like you and me but they are a minority and not the target demographic, so it just takes a while.

Seems currently euc riders are seen more as a nuisance. Like kids on tweaked mopeds. It's not mainstream yet, with time they will be.

Seeing as you guys with legal issues are pioneers, you will unfortunately have to take a greater share of the inconvenience of making these legal. Just remember you are not alone and EUC's riders will not diminish. 

[Cannings]

I was thinking about going full on malicious compliance on this PCSO, every day alex gets an email of laws ive seen broken, hey alex there was a 7 year old on a two wheeled electric scooter on the path outside her path, could you please extend your 0 tolerance policy and get incontact with them, hey alex I was driving 30 mph down school road and this person infront of me was pulling away from me so they must be speeding, hey alex this person was smoking in a confined area etc etc

[Marty Backe]

On 5/29/2018 at 1:02 AM, Cannings said:

well....:

 

Paul

 My name is Alex and I am the PCSO for Hartford. I am the one who wanted to speak to you regarding the unicycle.

 Is the unicycle registered as anything other than a Segway/hover board/solo wheel ?

 If it has no further certification then it is actually considered as a mechanically propelled vehicle which cannot be ridden on pavements in England under section 72 of the Highways Act. You are also not permitted to ride Segway’s on the road as they are not permitted under the road traffic law as they are not certificated.

 I was unaware of this until a member of the public brought it to my attention so I must ask that you stop using your vehicle on the pavement and the road. If you don’t you could be liable for a £50 fine and the vehicle could be seized under section 59 of the police reform act.

 I know that this must be disappointing to you however the there is lots of information on the web regarding the restricted use of Segway’s on the public highway.

 There was a test case for this in 2011 whereby a judge defined a Segway as a mechanically propelled vehicle and issues the defendant with a £75 fine plus £265 court costs.

 At this moment Segway’s or other related vehicles are only to be used on private land.

 If you need more information then please contact me

 PCSO Alex Haskell

Cheshire Constabulary

Wow. You're screwed. I would be so depressed.

Sorry man 

[Marty Backe]

On 5/29/2018 at 1:50 PM, novazeus said:

i have different reasons for never riding anywhere except private property unless euc’s legality is clarified and permitted. i don’t care what kind of insurance u think u have, if ur operating an illegal vehicle, u will not be covered and might go to jail if anybody gets hurt.

 

Are EUCs illegal in Florida?

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Thanks goes to that member of the public.    There's no way I'm saving their baby from a burning sidewalk any time soon while I'm riding my EUC.  Okay, well, fine, I probably would anyways because I'm a good guy on a EUC, but I wouldn't smile in a selfie with them after the fact. 

The squeeky public does seem to get the grease in this case.  That's why I always ride slowly around pedestrians, give them a smile and a nod before going my way.  It's good to see the police spending time hunting down EUC riders instead of catching thieves, rapists, and murderers - you know, those other less dangerous criminals.