this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2023
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California Wants to Create a Driver’s License for Electric Bikes (electrek.co)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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The move is in response to many young electric bike riders who often take to the streets without having tested for or received a typical driver’s license for a standard car. That means they are often ignorant of many traffic laws and safety information.

Assembly Bill 530, which will soon enter committee, would require both an online written test and a state-issued identification for riders who do not have a driver’s license. The bill would also ban riders under 12 years old from riding e-bikes.

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[–] asteriskeverything 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I guess enforcing helmets and a saftey course is counter productive if you value the increase of people using bikes. I understand, this is something you're passionate about and it's better for the environment and overall health of the community.

What I value more is not having children with lifelong brain damage. Adults can go ahead and make their own bad decisions. I don't agree that accessibility should be prioritized over saftey of children that have no road experience and underdeveloped risk assessment.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I value more is not having children with lifelong brain damage

First, you were talking about enforcing helmets as something that should apply to everyone, now you are talking about kids. Meaning, you just moved the goal posts.

Second, and to go back to the point, if you are concerned about children's safety we need to have (a) proper bicycling infrastructure and (b) less and smaller cars. In the US, I'd venture there are more kids dying because they are being run over by those ridiculous trucks than because of bike accidents.

Third, at least here in Germany the law is quite simple: kids until age 12 must ride on the sidewalk. That basically (a) forces them to go slow due to pedestrians and (b) avoids the whole issue of having to deal with traffic. Helmets are not mandatory, but absolutely normal.

[–] asteriskeverything 1 points 1 year ago

First, my entire original comment was focused on kids. I'm sorry that I wasn't explicitly clear on that but no I'm not moving goalposts.

Second, and to go back to the point, if you are concerned about children's safety we need to have (a) proper bicycling infrastructure and (b) less and smaller cars

I agree! But that's a long term goal that would require a lot of politics, money, planning, construction, and most of all time to happen. It's not all or nothing.