Amsterdam is one of six European cities that will soon test a system that can remotely limit the speed of electric bicycles. Amsterdam’s traffic alderman, Melanie van der Horst, tested the system herself last week, NRC reports.

Alrighty,

So your system knows the exact situation and still is slowing down my bike, just at the moment I need to accelerate to avoid being overrun by that large truck heading into me.

How stupid are these folks? We’ve got rules, when people don’t follow those rules, you fine them. Case closed.

No system to prevent a bike speeding, teach people to obey the law.

    • @[email protected]English
      6•7 months ago

      25 km/h is a sporty bike ride tempo, not a going to the shops to get some food bike ride tempo. Especially considering that most bikes here are upright sitting city bikes rather than sporty, leaning forward bikes.

      • @[email protected]English
        4•7 months ago

        I have a step through frame that you sit upright on. 20-25km/h is my average commuting speed for getting to work and going to the shops. I regularly have to push to 30km/h+ because of motor traffic trying to ride up my ass even though I’m in the designated bike lane. (cars in Australia like driving fast in the bike lanes to avoid the chicanes on the road designed to slow motor traffic for cyclist safety)

        If ebikes are disproportionately represented in cycling accidents, then I would argue it’s not the speed, it’s the barrier to entry. People who have never ridden before, people who aren’t physically able to ride a standard bike, these groups make up a significant portion of ebike riders because ebikes are accessible.

        Yes, speed will contribute to this, people with limited riding experience being able to ride fast, possibly without the physical fitness required to control a bike at high speed.

        The issue then isn’t the speed itself, but rider education and training.

      • @[email protected]English
        2•7 months ago

        Maybe in NL.
        On my bike commute (about 4km one-way) lightly down hill I can easily reach 30km/h.
        Uphill the same route (depending on how fit I am) I can more or less pull 25km/h through.

        Though I am not in a busy city. I would probably get killed with the way I am driving where I live.

      • @[email protected]English
        1•7 months ago

        Depends on how often you ride I guess but if there is an e-scooter infront of me (they go 20 km/h), I have to hold back a bit.

    • @[email protected]English
      5•7 months ago

      I don’t have the data to back it up, but as someone who lives in the Netherlands I can tell you that e-bikes definitely seem like a problem. People who ride a normal bike to go somewhere definitely don’t go faster than 15 kph on average. You totally can do so if you want, just like you can run everywhere instead of walking, but then you might arrive sweaty and out of breath. E-bikes allow people who don’t usually have the physical strength to cycle that fast to suddenly go 25 kph without much effort. Especially children and elderly are a problem. The bikes are heavy, meaning that they’re hard to control for these groups. And children and elderly also both often lack the awareness of their surroundings needed for driving this fast. I’ve seen many dangerous situations where these groups on an e-bike yeet into a crossing, suddenly have to brake due to other traffic that they failed to account for, and then almost fall over or crash.

      E-bikes have a way too large speed difference with normal bikes, and imo they’re definitely a danger. Anything that makes them slower is imo a good thing.

    • @[email protected]English
      5•7 months ago

      I can easily ride my bike at 25-30km/h on flat even surface.
      Light hills are more difficult on the long run but I can probably manage 20km/h.

      Edit:
      A relative worked in the ER so I have some ideas why e-bikes are maybe more prone to accidents. My theory: Older folks.
      The usual demographic driving e-bikes usually are/were +50 years old.
      With reflexes being not what they were and them going out more due to being mobile again, they surely are more prone to be involved in traffic accidents.

    • BoscoBearEnglish
      2•7 months ago

      The US has several proposals for this on cars. You say opt in only. How about this: when you exceed the speed limit the car automatically notifies the government so they can fine you. You can opt-in to have the car automatically control you top speed so you don’t get fined.

        • BoscoBearEnglish
          0•7 months ago

          The “zones” should have lower speed limits. That is a traffic engineering problem.

          The need for the opt in process is to counter the (stupid) arguments of I need to be able to drive fast to get my grandma to the hospital.

          You don’t need “tactal feedback.” You need to limit the speed of the vehicle, like a rev limiter. Why do you need the ability to break the law?