Why Big Fast Wheels are Here to Stay in the US Market

[2disbetter]

Given the weight and speed of EUCs today, I don't see how we can go much longer without some kind of insurance in place. I mean imagine a wheel like the V13 doing 56 mph, the rider losing control, and the wheel barreling out of control with the momentum. That is a 115lbs ball of mass at speed. The chances of it doing damage to something or someone is pretty high. 

I hope they are never regulated because regulation will take all of the speed options away from them. On other hand for them to gain popularity mass adoption has to happen, and regulation will be a component of that. 

If it happens like the auto industry, where sports cars, etc are permitted then it might not be a bad thing. 

Still with a V13 arriving next Wednesday, I sincerely hope these can stay in the gray zone a lot longer. 

[Paul A]

20 hours ago, Clem604 said:

Canada. I'm not sure the exact rules for EUC's specifically

 

Electric unicycles gaining ground in Vancouver

CBC Vancouver

Jun 7, 2022

50,552 views

 

Electric unicycles are compact, battery rechargeable, single-wheel devices small enough to carry and keep at a desk.

Some retailers say unicycle sales have exploded in Vancouver in recent years.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Paul A

[winterwheel]

20 hours ago, Funky said:

And you have zero place being on street, same as scooters.

In my city regulated scooters (bird, lime etc.) are required to drive on the street with cars.

[Paul A]

25 minutes ago, 2disbetter said:

insurance

 

This insurance advertisement is on YouTube.

The YouTube poster is: "Liberty Mutual"

The title of the video is: "Electric Unicycle | Liberty Mutual Insurance Commercial"

The video description is: "With the money you save, try electric unicycling. Just wear a helmet. And a life preserver."

The video features an EUC having an accident.

 

 

 

[winterwheel]

20 hours ago, Clem604 said:

There was a local rider here that received a ticket last week apparently for "riding without insurance" which is weird because you can't insure EUC's here.

This also happened two a couple of people in Edmonton. One person, despite our cajoling, paid the fine. The other waited for a court date, and eventually got a letter saying that the charge had been dropped. 

[Tawpie]

8 minutes ago, Paul A said:

The video features an EUC having an accident.

a bit of context: several of the large insurance companies in the US are running ad campaigns that feature humor as their hook… the emu helps the spokesmodel by knocking over bowling pins, a pie eating contest is interrupted by seagulls, "Mayhem" strikes, "Flo" etc. They're not being serious!

Edited January 20, 2023 by Tawpie

[Paul A]

22 minutes ago, Tawpie said:

context

 

'Electric unicycle' is stated in the title of the video.

The uploader is stated as 'Liberty Mutual'.

The video description states "Try electric unicycling".

The video features two persons with EUCs, and one has an accident.

 

Might be worth making an inquiry to Liberty Mutual, about insurances for EUCs.  Public liability the most important.

Liberty Mutual is worldwide.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Paul A

[Funky]

26 minutes ago, winterwheel said:

In my city regulated scooters (bird, lime etc.) are required to drive on the street with cars.

Each country their own rules..

We also have same rental scooters. We are allowed to ride on "slow" streets/roads, while sticking to side of road. (So cars can pass you.)  Same time where any person can walk. We are also allowed to ride the same paths.

And most ride sidewalks going 25km/h. It's very, i mean very, very rare to see anyone riding on street. Because we have sidewalks everywhere, right next to road. So most will stick to sidewalks.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Funky

[Paul A]

Safeco seems to provide insurance for EUCs, including public liability.

Safeco seems to be a member of the Liberty Mutual Group.

 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Paul A

[Cerbera]

Outside the US be careful to heavily quiz the sales people to make sure they include EUC in their PLI for PEV insurance. In the UK for example, none of them can because EUCs are still technically illegal on public roads, and you cannot be offered insurance for any illegal activity, which is why you are uninsured if you go over the speed limit in a car.

Over here, there are lots of companies that shout about PEV insurance, and not a single one yet can cover an EUC when you drill down and ask them about it. It's the sort of ridiculous Catch 22 that criminalises even the people trying to do the right thing.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Cerbera

[techyiam]

Roger captures what it is like to be near the front of a San Francisco Night Ride. 

The lead rider was on a Master Pro.

You can't deny that there are riders out there who have a need for speed.

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by techyiam

[Robse]

11 minutes ago, techyiam said:

Roger captures what it is like to be near the front of a San Francisco Night Ride. 

The lead rider was on a Master Pro.

You can't deny that there are riders out there who have a need for speed.

 

Well, there is fun and there is stupid fun.  I don't like this.  In addition to speed, they must also need good health insurance.   Can't find a single thing to be proud of as someone who also rides EUC....

[jimjam.nyc]

On 1/19/2023 at 3:25 PM, Funky said:

Aren't they banned/illegal in NYC? (I think more places..) You can't even keep them in apartment buildings. Because of fire hazard.

This is not even remotely true. I am not sure why this keeps coming up. NYC have not banned any pevs. All they are doing is passing laws that make it hard for local shops to sell non UL listed batteries. 

There are no issues riding EUCs or any pevs in nyc. So many delivery workers use them and the mayor here stated many times there is no plan to ban people from riding or storing their PEVs. 

Matter of fact our transit authority just put out a statement saying pevs are welcome on trains, just can't charge them there. 

My guess is they are here to stay, with regulations more around battery safety than anything else. 

[techyiam]

1 hour ago, Robse said:

Well, there is fun and there is stupid fun.  I don't like this.  In addition to speed, they must also need good health insurance.   Can't  find a single thing to be proud of as someone who also rides EUC....

I suppose over in the east coast, like in NYC, or in the west coast, such as in the SF Bay Area, there are riders who treat traffic lights as suggestions, and pedestrians as plylons. Based on what was witnessed in the video, the level of risk that some riders are willing to take, knows no bounds.

This can help explain why Gotway, Begode and Extreme Bull wheels can sell so well, even when safety features trail behind other manufacturers' wheels.

Edited May 3, 2023 by techyiam

[jimjam.nyc]

39 minutes ago, techyiam said:

I suppose over in the east coast, like in NYC, or in the west coast, such as in the SF Bay Area, there are riders who treat traffic lights as suggestions, and pedestrians as plylons. Based on what was witnessed in the video, the level of risk that some riders are willing to take, knows no bounds.

This can help explain why Gotway, Begode and Extreme Bull wheels can sell so well, even when safety features trail behind other manufacturers' wheels.

Unfortunately, the only type of riding that makes it to YouTube or social media are the ones taking those risks and riding like you described. Also keep in mind the editing down of footage to show the exciting stuff. I do keep a go pro on my wheel, but mostly to document anything since I get not only drivers doing stupid things on purpose. But even angry bike riders or pedestrians saying and doing dumb things. I don't post much of my stuff because it is kind of boring to watch someone stopping at red lights and going around 30mph. :-)

[rcgldr]

1 hour ago, techyiam said:

I suppose over in the east coast, like in NYC  ... riders who treat traffic lights as suggestions

In downtown NYC, since 2019, bikes follow the pedestrian signals, including LPI (Leading Pedestrian Interval) signals (2017) signals for pedestrians and bikes to cross before the traffic lights for cars turn green. Generally e-bikes and other pevs are allowed to follow pedestrian signals. If not aware of this, it would appear that riders are running red lights, but if you look at the crosswalk signals you can they are enabled for pedestrians.

“§ 19-195.1 – Bicyclist rights and duties at intersection A person operating a bicycle while crossing an intersection shall follow pedestrian control signals except where otherwise indicated by traffic control devices, and provided that such person shall yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.”

Some cities in California have or will adapt similar LPI laws.

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by rcgldr

[The Brahan Seer]

22 minutes ago, rcgldr said:

If not aware of this, it would appear that riders are running red lights, but if you look at the crosswalk signals you can they are enabled for pedestrians.

Although this is good to know, watching the whole vlog (which looked barely edited) some people at the front on this group ride look like they got carried away with the experience. Others followed suit in peer pressure and ran red lights meant for cars some very late. Even others on the group during a stop said how crazy it was and how much they were all enjoying it despite knowing how dangerous they were riding.

I don't care if someone kills themselves by themselves doing something like this that is their choice. But we need to think of their families and if someone hits them in an impact the affect that will have on the person responsible even if it wasn't their fault.

Looks like this is fairly normal riding in the US Cities judging by what we see often so the impact on the EUC community is probably not as much as we might think in other parts of the world. 

I also appreciate how easy it is to get carried away sometimes.

Nice to see how much faith they have in their wheels though.

[MetricUSA]

Thanks you 're doing a great disservice to the euc community... NO EUC SHOULD TRAVEL FASTER THAN A CLASS 3 EBIKE... 

[Punxatawneyjoe]

On 5/3/2023 at 7:05 AM, jimjam.nyc said:

This is not even remotely true. I am not sure why this keeps coming up. NYC have not banned any pevs.

Because it is true.

[Punxatawneyjoe]

1 hour ago, MetricUSA said:

NO EUC SHOULD TRAVEL FASTER THAN A CLASS 3 EBIKE...

I would disagree, around here we don't have bike lanes so you are forced to travel the roads with cars, IMO it's much safer to travel along with the cars rather than them attempting to pass you every 2 seconds. I also think the people who abuse this speed as represented in the video are the people doing the EUC community a disservice . Running red lights and splitting lanes is a moron move and will surely get them banned everywhere.

[techyiam]

3 hours ago, Punxatawneyjoe said:

Running red lights and splitting lanes is a moron move and will surely get them banned everywhere.

Not only that. They were splitting lanes on both sides of cars and some rider got displeased when the driver couldn't yield. And riding fast past a pedestrian in front and behind while the pedestrian is crossing in a green light with the walk sign lit in a crosswalk, while the riders were going through a red light.

Basically, the public will grow tire of hooliganism, and gangster style attack on motorists and pedestrians.  

Although, splitting lanes should be allowed under specific scenarios if done responsibly and respectfully, IMO. 

[jimjam.nyc]

14 hours ago, Punxatawneyjoe said:

Because it is true.

This is not enforced. I could be wrong but I don't think anyone ever has had an issue riding an euc and even a onewheel in NYC.

I guess by the law it's banned on paper, but in reality nobody is even looking twice at an euc here.

I don't think I have ever been stopped entering a building, or store with mine. But I have heard of a rare few people who have been questioned once or twice in a commercial building. 

 

[Punxatawneyjoe]

28 minutes ago, jimjam.nyc said:

This is not enforced

this is true, but that's why people say it because on paper they are banned. Honestly they are illegal most anywhere. Here in mass it's 750 watts or lower and no faster than 25mpg for pev. Thankfully it's a gray area they don't enforce.

[PurpleRiderUSA]

I can tell you that being in Seattle, a city with an arena called,  "Climate Pledge Arena," there will be support for the usage of any PEV because it supports the goal of reducing carbon emissions and reduces cars and traffic on the road. So, Seattle is one of the best places for Electric Unicycle Riders IMO. 

[Punxatawneyjoe]

7 hours ago, PurpleRiderUSA said:

reducing carbon emissions

After the Tesla Model 3 hit American roads, Reuters commissioned a study to see how its overall carbon footprint compared with that of an equivalent conventional car – in this case a Toyota Corolla. The researchers were looking for the “break-even point” – where the EV began to be less environmentally damaging than the Toyota.

The results were instructive. The break-even point depended on the source of the electricity used to charge the Tesla. For one charged entirely by renewable energy, it was 8,400 miles; for cars charged using the average US electricity generation mix (23% coal-fired, plus other fossil fuels and renewables), break-even came at 13,500 miles; and for electricity coming entirely from coal-fired stations, it was a whopping 78,700 miles.

Sobering, isn’t it. So the first lesson is that if you really want to minimise your EV’s environmental damage, then charge it using electricity from renewable sources.