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Absolutely gutted :*(


Hatchet

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I was just reading your stupid BC laws and it appears insurance is a huge factor. For instance the law states if you ride a motorized scooter ( sure EUCs would be the same) in a parade you must have a minimum $200,000 insurance policy! Wow that sucks! 

 

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Here's a link to Musk's fine and some other discussion:

Maybe @Hatchet should take some time off work, rent a motorcycle or a diesel truck for a week, park it in front of City Hall, and just idle it for 8 hours a day for one week while having his EUC sitting idly on the ground.  Or maybe organize a group of EUC owners in Vancouver to all do that at the same time.  Or maybe just drive loops around the block.  If the problem is all about insurance, maybe if there was some way to get an umbrella coverage to cover riding the EUC that might placate the rule makers?  Why would E-bikes that can go a lot faster be that much safer to ride than a slower EUC?

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7 minutes ago, Hatchet said:

I can see me getting on my wheel tomorrow for work, even though wheels are rare here and i attract attention everywhere I ride.

But I risk the man:eff0541f4a: coming down on me, he has my name/address etc now and clearly patrols near my home.

How can I not ride it? I just don't see how this could work.

 

I would feel the same, but now knowing for certain that it's illegal, you are taking a risk every time you ride in public.  If you can't afford the outrageous $530 fine it may not be a risk worth taking.  If you get caught tomorrow and fined, imagine how much worse you will feel dealing with the legal struggle and trying to come up with the money.  It's really an upsetting situation to have your favourite hobby banned.  I am really mad that this is happening.  Canada should be more progressive than this.  Look at countries in Europe, like Norway, where EUCs are totally legal provided they do not go over a certain speed and abide by the laws of the road.

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Reminds me of the 420 laws. It is inevitable that hundreds of wheels will be on Vancouver streets within 2 years i wager, based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback I get from passing cars, thousands of kids, dads on bikes, old people, you name it. How long can they ban something universally approved by almost everyone that  is zero emissions?

Vancouver bills itself as some progressive environmentally friendly city, Mayor Robertson went through hell getting these bike lanes put in at great expense, how long will it take to shame them into putting their by-laws where their virtue-signalling is?

@RooMiniPro you understand completely friend! You know, if i would get the fine, dispute it (takes months), but get to ride meanwhile, i would accept that. However, i think the city would be happy to fine me over and over or just take the wheel from me. Jack-booted thugs!:furious:

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44 minutes ago, Hatchet said:

IHow can I not ride it? I just don't see how this could work.

 

You need a friend who is a fellow addict who can drive the both of you out of town for some trail riding.

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7 minutes ago, Dingfelder said:

You need a friend who is a fellow addict who can drive the both of you out of town for some trail riding.

I actually have been looking into an upgrade to my next wheel because the V5F+ is super great for sidewalk, short (2.5 mile/4.o km each way) commute for me, a 20 minute ride from home to the office. The range is not sufficient for long rides with varying conditions though in my experience. Its good but not great for that, plus the 14" wheel is too bumpy on rough terrain/cracks. For nimbleness, decent acceleration and hills it's a nice city wheel, I love Inmotion's QoL features like trolley, kill switch in handle, design and front easy to read while riding battery indicator. If only they made a 1600wh / 1500w motor 18" wheel.

As to friends, i will join the FB grp I was told about for sure, I've only ever seen 1 other wheel in Van. I wish I saw this cop far from home, it wouldn't bother me much, but he was just a few blocks from my apt.

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1 minute ago, Hatchet said:

I actually have been looking into an upgrade to my next wheel because the V5F+ is super great for sidewalk, short (2.5 mile) commute for me, a 20 minute ride from home to the office. The range is not sufficient for long rides with varying conditions though in my experience. Its good but not great for that, plus the 14" wheel is too bumpy on rough terrain/cracks. For nimbleness, decent acceleration and hills it's a nice city wheel, I love Inmotion's QoL features like trolley, kill switch in handle, design and front easy to read while riding battery indicator. If only they made a 1600wh / 1500w motor 18" wheel.

As to friends, i will join the FB grp I was told about for sure, I've only ever seen 1 other wheel in Van. I wish I saw this cop far from home, it wouldn't bother me much, but he was just a few blocks from my apt.

Maybe there are small-town, scenic areas outside Vancouver that your machine could handle?

It would be nice if you could do something like Marty Backe does with some of the other forum members here -- get together and go for rides as a group. 

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The laws seem highly restrictive.

I did notice a foreign University student could register and use a wheel for a period of six months for purposes of touring. That is the only loophole I saw.

Maybe you could strap a toothpick second wheel so you have a penny farthing electric scooter. That meets the requirements of an electric scooter except that the motive owner comes entirely from a plug in the wall. 

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2 hours ago, Hatchet said:

City spends 10's of millions on nice bike lanes everywhere downtown, inconveniencing traffic & business for years - then says EUC are banned, the perfect vehicle for using bike lanes...banned. Gov't cannot do anything.

So, just as a point of comparison Seattle is a little strange here also.  We actually have a specific law PERMITTING EUCs.  I wonder if it's because Solowheel HQ is in Washington?

What's weird though is that the EUC is only permitted on sidewalks.  There are bike lanes all over, but you have to ride it among the pedestrians.  So, a motorized wheel that can do 20 mph must ride on the sidewalk with the pedestrians - who are all heads down looking at their cell phones!

(Bicycles are permitted on road AND sidewalk.)

P.S.  The cell phone thing drives me nuts.  You wouldn't believe the number of people who don't even look up when crossing a street.  Headphones in - head down - perfect way to cross a busy intersection.  Didn't their mothers ever teach them anything?  Seems like Darwin could have a field day here.

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5 hours ago, Hatchet said:

I was just out for a ride to the seawall, got a few blocks and a motorcycle cop pulls me over while going from a road to a park. He asks me how long I have been riding the wheel, I tell him a month or more. He says that in Vancouver, it is illegal to ride these EUCs anywhere in the city. No sidewalks, bike trails, bike lanes, nothing. He says he could give me a $530 fine for riding it in Vancouver if he sees me again! He says they are classified as motor vehicles and cannot be insured either.

 

Man... that sucks big time!

I am puzzled that there are no laws being produced ASAP to make EUCs legal in all of those "green" and "save the planet"/"electric cars are the future"-countries...

But, yeah... It is all about the money as always....

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9 minutes ago, JimB said:

 

P.S.  The cell phone thing drives me nuts.  You wouldn't believe the number of people who don't even look up when crossing a street.  Headphones in - head down - perfect way to cross a busy intersection.  Didn't their mothers ever teach them anything?  Seems like Darwin could have a field day here.

I've seen that a lot too.  It's disturbing and scary!

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3 minutes ago, Vik's said:

But, yeah... It is all about the money as always....

Thing is, it seems like they could find a way to make money off it, no?  Even dogs have to have licenses, and often bicycles do too ... so why not unicycles?  I would be happy to pay for a yearly license if it meant unicycles were allowed ... or add some umbrella coverage to my car insurance maybe? both?

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1 minute ago, Dingfelder said:

Thing is, it seems like they could find a way to make money off it, no?  Even dogs have to have licenses, and often bicycles do too ... so why not unicycles?  I would be happy to pay for a yearly license if it meant unicycles were allowed ... or add some umbrella coverage to my car insurance maybe? both?

I totally mean that EUCs should be regarded as bicycles by the law, period.

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I'll pay their bloody insurance (extorted) if it means a worry-free ride and some coverage should something bad happen not my fault.

I have just emailed my Member of Parliment with a somewhat length diatribe about elect bikes/vs wheels, tourists from Europe laughing at us, "green" city punishing clean transport, the whole magilla. I added that i am getting business owners onside though that is a bit of an exaggeration, heh. I asked her to support us, i hope they contact me back.

 

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This totally sucks big time hatchet :( 

I had a run in once, here in the UK, with a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO - volunteer Police) and he told me that if he saw me again he'd fine but suggested that I ride on the road! He was supposed to double check the law and get back to me but never did. As I have mobility problems and don't drive I use my EUC to commute rather than get the bus. I prefer to be out in the fresh air as, before this problem hit me, I used to walk/cycle 100+ miles per week. The EUC is my, much cooler, version of a mobility scooter while I am still able to stand.  

For a week or two after he stopped me I rode so slowly and carefully and was worried I'd be stopped again but I never heard from him and other actual Police officers I passed or passed me never said anything. I have spoken to a few who have asked about price, comfort and how easy/hard is it to ride generally finished with a polite goodbye and take care.

These have given me back my freedom and stopped me feeling so down and depressed about my limitations. Plenty of people that know me have said how happy I've been since getting an EUC. If it was to be taken away from me I'd be totally devastated as they would be taking my freedom and sanity too.

I hope changes can be made for you but law's take too long to change :( 

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3 hours ago, RooMiniPro said:

This is really bad news.  I'm in Ontario and I am still not sure of the law regarding EUCs here.  Tonight I had my first cop encounter of sorts.  He was parked on the side of the road and talking on his radio.  I rode past him expecting him to call me back and maybe tell me I can't ride on the road.  But he didn't say anything.  Later I saw the same cop a few streets away, just sitting in his car on a side street in such a way that cops park when waiting with their radar guns to catch speeding traffic.  Again I rode past him and he watched me but he did not pull me over or anything.  I don't know if that means it's ok to ride EUCs here or if I just got lucky and he was a cop with bigger concerns than my EUC or he didn't know what it was or if it was legal or not and so he didn't hassle me.  I have been riding electric skateboards in Ontario for 5 years and never had any issues from cops.  For some reason though, self-balancing machines like ours make the law makers feel more threatened, perhaps because of the perceived similarities with Segways and hoverboards.

It's really sad that we are being punished for being pioneers of this new form of ultra-clean transport.  My EUC goes 22kph - hardly a threat or a danger to other people when compared to cars and motorbikes that weigh a ton and can do 230kph.  Or electric bikes that are so much bigger and heavier than EUCs and go much faster.  Electric two wheel scooters are allowed on the road with no license, tax or insurance and I see them use the pavement almost every day.  Cyclists jump from the road to the pavement whenever it suits them and they ignore stop signs and lights and use pedestrian crossings.  We are just trying to get from A to B in a simple, clean, silent, non-threatening way and for some reason the government takes issue with it. 

I've had a few passing encounters with Police here in California. I always look their way, smile and give a little wave. I never try and avoid them. I'm trying to leave them with positive vibs about this alien technology :)

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Sorry to hear about your difficulty. I would be depressed too. Why I hate bureaucracies. Personally I would keep riding but keep a sharp eye out for the police and avoid them (without being perceived as running from them). What else can you do? You clearly love the EUC so I can't imagine you not riding it. Real bummer.

Try and keep a cool and level head while fighting - you'll never win otherwise.

I'm glad that in California they are legal everywhere a bicycle can be ridden, unless specifically banned (which are few and far between). 

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Thanks Marty, I likely will suit up and ride to work in the morning. I can imagine this (now 10ft tall cop in my imagination) fining me and seizing the wheel making me late and very sad/angry on the way.

I will fight any ticket with all my tiny power, but I don't want them to take mah wheel!:efee96588e: I'll probably give up the joy rides for a while, but I can't start walking around again! Can you imagine? Walking again? After gliding like magic all over, getting your mount/dismounts as smooth as silk while holding a coffee like it's no biggie??

I've passed many police on foot and in their cars at stop lights, passed by them at intersections. I always try to nod and smile if appropriate, best foot and all that. I didn't know about our loony laws, I just wanted to get EUC riders a decent rep.

I'm supposed to walk like some savage beast?! I say never!

..ok, maybe I exaggerate, but I seriously hate walking now, and smelly bus rides are torture. 

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29 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

I've had a few passing encounters with Police here in California. I always look their way, smile and give a little wave. I never try and avoid them. I'm trying to leave them with positive vibs about this alien technology :)

Arkansas/Oklahoma area here. Most officers have been curious and even supportive. The city signed off on our physical EUC shop (Clearly since we opened the doors last month) and so far the entire city has been very supportive and open to it. Even has an officer come in and ask about getting one for his personal transportation around town. This may not be the case everywhere as we are in a relatively small town and all the riders stem from us in some way and have ben very kind and respectful when riding.

 

I can't express how important it is as riders to lead with a solid example of using EUC's as responsible means of transportation. We are what will define whether it will be legal in a lot of areas. Our attitude and peoples' experiences with us will carry a lot of weight. I believe a partial reason hoverboards were never taken serious is because it was a lot of younger and generally less respectful individuals that made it into a toy rather than viable transportation (which is it could have been and maybe is). All the kids in my area definitely skewed my image of hoverboards in a negative way. If we represent EUC's in a positive way I imagine getting a legal status in a lot of places will be much easier.

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7 hours ago, Hatchet said:

I'm supposed to walk like some savage beast?! I say never!

..ok, maybe I exaggerate, but I seriously hate walking now, and smelly bus rides are torture. 

Haha!  Yeah tech can be glorious ... I feel the same way about reading books in regular form now that I have a kindle ... it's hard to go back ...

And oh man, I'm with you on the smelly bus rides.  Also hot and stuffy.  And sometimes dirty and sometimes there's a lunatic about.  Going by bus can be pure misery and remind you in no uncertain terms of your exact station in life ...

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7 hours ago, Trey Lewis said:

Arkansas/Oklahoma area here. Most officers have been curious and even supportive. The city signed off on our physical EUC shop (Clearly since we opened the doors last month) and so far the entire city has been very supportive and open to it. Even has an officer come in and ask about getting one for his personal transportation around town. This may not be the case everywhere as we are in a relatively small town and all the riders stem from us in some way and have ben very kind and respectful when riding.

 

I can't express how important it is as riders to lead with a solid example of using EUC's as responsible means of transportation. We are what will define whether it will be legal in a lot of areas. Our attitude and peoples' experiences with us will carry a lot of weight. I believe a partial reason hoverboards were never taken serious is because it was a lot of younger and generally less respectful individuals that made it into a toy rather than viable transportation (which is it could have been and maybe is). All the kids in my area definitely skewed my image of hoverboards in a negative way. If we represent EUC's in a positive way I imagine getting a legal status in a lot of places will be much easier.

It's interesting being on the cutting edge of something, and it definitely means you carry a responsibility on your shoulders whether you volunteered for that or not.  

People facing anything new, or in charge of allowing or regulating anything, are often spoiling for a reason to say no.  It's the easiest way to get a problem off your desk, to spend no money, to not be held responsible for anything.  It won't be easy to never give them a reason, good or bad, real or imagined.

We've got our work cut out for us in the caution and good behavior departments.

 

 

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I am assuming e-bikes are legal with the way the law is written. So therefore here's what you do to make a statement. Find a bicycle and e-bike group to ride with and ride with them as much as you can especially in front of cops. It's one thing for someone to see you by yourself riding an EUC but its another thing for them to see you riding in context with another transportation device that for all practical purposes is the exact same thing except with an added wheel. And if anything we can argue that EUCs are safer than e-bikes for the very fact that EUCs are smaller and more light weight than e-bikes.

But the basic argument for legalizing EUCs is to say since E-bikes are legal, then therefore there is NO reason EUCs should be discriminated against just because it has one less wheel. If law makers are concerned about braking, stopping distance, headlight/taillight then you can simply show off those features too. Use the legalization of E-bikes to your advantage. 

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How vexing! It's the only city in North America, that I'm aware of, that has taken such a hard line. Within Europe, there's a number of countries where the Wheel is gray area, or not permitted, but where the enforcement is practically non-existent. In the UK for instance, during the late 2015 'Hoverboard' craze, the police made an official statement to the effect that such devices are not permitted on  sidewalks or roads, but there's still loads of Wheelers who continue to commute & travel without harassment.  

  • Germany: technically banned (same sort of issues, must have insurance, license plate, etc), with the growing number of Riders recall reading that the authorities are becoming more relaxed about enforcement? @Tilmann has his MSuper confiscated but still rides(? )
  • Netherlands: in the land of the bicycle, general ban prevails, but Segways are permitted. Not known what the enforcement of the law is, if anyone has been fined
  • Hong Kong: authorities rigorously enforce the no PEV rules, except if you're a foreigner during one of the big tradeshows :P
  • Switzerland: banned. There were efforts being made by the Gotway dealer there to have the legislation amended; not sure what progress has been made in the past year

Wish you the best of luck with the efforts to have the Wheel tolerated in Vancouver. Maybe as a direct result there will be some media interest leading to common sense prevailing. 

 

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