Ebike Etiquette Your Mother Never Taught You

Ebikes are a new form of transportation and recreation and expectations for how and where they are used may be understood differently by people.  Because modern ebikes are new on the scene, the proper way to behave was not something taught to us as children by a parent or teacher.  Currently there is no certification, license, or insurance required for riding an ebike in most states.  But by following general bike traffic rules and common sense ebike etiquette you can ride with confidence and comfort and assure the safety of yourself and everyone else on the road and trail.    

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​What is Etiquette
According to the Oxford Language Dictionary etiquette is defined as: 

“The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group”
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Talk about etiquette often focuses on behaving so people will like you, and there is some of that in ebike etiquette, having other road users, whether pedestrians or operators of cars, scooters, motor cycles, skate boards, or other bikes appreciate ebikes enough to make accommodations for them on the roads and trails.  The other value of practicing etiquette is so there are common expectations and order.  Following the rules, whether written or unwritten, will result in safety for everyone.

Rules of the Road for Cyclists
All users of bikes, whether “E’ or not, are required to follow the rules of the road.  The League of American Bicyclists categorizes the rules and best practices into five categories.  It is recommended that you follow these rules because your safety and the perception that people form about cyclist depends on you. The five categories are:
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1.  Follow the Law

• You have the same rights and duties as motorists.
• Obey all traffic signals and stop signs.
• Ride with traffic and use the rightmost lane for the direction you can traveling. 

2.  Be Predictable

• Make your intentions clear to everyone on the road.
• Ride in a straight line and don’t serve between parked cars.
• Signal turns and check behind youself well before making a turn or changing lanes.

3.  Be Conspicuous

• Ride where people can see you and wear bright clothing.
• Use a front white light, rear red light, and reflectors especially at dusk and in bad weather.
• Make eye contact with other road users to know that they see you.
• Do not ride on sidewalks.

4.  Think Ahead

• Anticipate what drivers, pedestrians, and other people on bikes will do next.
• Watch for turning vehicles.
• Ride outside the door zone.
• Look out and avoid debris, potholes, and other road hazards.
• Cross railroad tracks at right angles

5.  Before every ride

• Perform an ABC Quick Check
• Pack tools and supplies appropriate for your ride
• Wear a helmet

Etiquette for Ebikes riders
In the US, ebikes are regulated at the state level and sometimes local municipalities will have their own rules which may be more restrictive.   What we will cover here is what is allowed in the majority of states, which includes access to traditional bike/pedestrian infrastructure without any license or insurance requirements. To research what the laws are in your state consult with the resources available from People For Bikes.  

To be a courteous and safe ebike rider follow these best practices:

1. Know where you can ride your ebike – Ebikes are regulated as a bicycle and bicycles are considered vehicles so you can ride your ebike on all roads, unless specifically prohibited by a local municipality.   For the most part, ebikes are allowed on and bike paths, but limited to 15-20 mph.  If you want to go faster than 20 mph you are legally allowed to do so, but not in a bike lane, path, or trail.  You just need to ride on the street like a regular vehicle.
2. Follow age restrictions – Ebikes are designed for adults and most manufacturers and municipalities specify a minimum age of 16 years old.
3. Be cautious at intersections – Most crashes occur at intersections, so be defensive when you approach one. 
4. Strava - If you post your ebike rides on Strava or similar app, use the Ebike Ride option under type of ride so as not to distort your numbers. 
5. Pass safety – Wait until it is safe and appropriate to pass a non-assisted rider or pedestrian.  Do not race up behind someone and suddenly pass them even though it is possible due to your ebike’s speed and do not buzz other riders.   Also ring your bell or announce that you are passing on their left.  
6. Monitor your speed – Ebikes can travel faster than a non-assisted bike so there are several things to keep in mind:
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• Risk of injury due to speed
  Higher vehicle speeds increase the risk of crash involvement and the risk of injury or death when a crash occurs. Because pedestrians and bicyclists don't have a vehicle's structure to protect them, small increases in vehicle speeds have an impact on the risk of a serious injury or fatality. In a study of U.S. pedestrian crashes, the average risk of severe injury to a pedestrian increased from 10 percent at an impact speed of 17 mph to 25 percent at 25 mph, 50 percent at 33 mph, 75 percent at 41 mph, and 90 percent at 48 mph (Tefft, 2013).
  
  In other words a bike travelling at 30mph will do 4 times the damage of a bike doing 15mph and at 60mph (yes there are light electric vehicles that can achieve this speed) you will have 16 times as much energy as at one quarter of the speed.
  
  A superfast ebike is one that is out of category, that goes faster than 28 miles per hour.  Add into this is the fact that superfast bikes often carry very large heavy battery packs to achieve a reasonable range and that increased mass also contributes to the kinetic energy , i.e force suffered in any high speed collision.  This greatly increases the risk in the event of a high speed collision.   
  
  ​The ebike rider also has less time to react as do others and the rider may also not appreciate that braking distances, as with the energy of the rider and bike, increase at a much greater rate than the extra speed alone might indicate. 

• Risk of injury interacting with autos
  Since ebikes are new, drivers may see a “bike”, not an ‘ebike’ and not be able to accurately estimate the speed you are traveling.  They will most likely assume you will be doing a conventional bike-like speed and that approaches them fairly slowly. This could be a problem if someone approaches an ebike and assume it will take longer to reach them them it actually does.  
  
  Excess speed is not just a huge danger should a crash occur but much more likely to lead to one.
  
  
• The elephant in the room (or on the ebike) regarding superfast ebikes
  ​Studies have shown that accidents on roads happen due to differences in speed.  On a bike when you are not traveling at the speed of traffic drivers of other vehicles are not looking out for you. They will pass you with insufficient clearance, turn right in front of you, cut you off, and squeeze you to the curb.  Some says being able to keep up with the flow of traffic, the extra speed, makes them feel safer when they travel on a superfast ebike in fast traffic.  Others don’t feel safe mixing with fast traffic on an ebike at any speed especially since motorists are not expecting anyone on what looks like a bike to be able to keep up with traffic.  Technology has made low cost light electric vehicles possible and their legal status on the roads with regards to training, licensing, and insurance is a topic currently under debate.  Just be aware that speed is both a negative and positive and adjust your behavior accordingly. 

Etiquette for Ebikes Riders in Bicycle Riding Groups

1. Don’t flaunt your ebike power – you will not make any friends if you power up a climb leaving non-assisted riders behind and say later, “What took you so long?”
2. Wait at the top of hills for other riders – If you outpace others in the group on your ebike, the ones left behind will still want to ride as a group, so slow down or stop at the top to regroup.
3. User lower assist levels or gears to match the speed of fellow riders – Make an effort to stay together on a group ride by selecting a lower assist level and/or gear to match their speed. 
4. Be an asset to the group – Use the increased capabilities of your ebike to help others.  For example, you might ride ahead to get a replacement part for someone who has had a mechanical issue or volunteer to carry a heavy load that a non-assisted rider brought along since the extra weight will not be noticeable to you with the motor providing an assist.
5. Look for ebike only rides to let it out – If you are itching to ride at the faster speed your ebike enables, plan a ride by yourself or with other ebikes riders. 

Etiquette for Ebikes on Trails

1. Move to the side when stopping – If you want to take a picture or admire a view, move to the right side of the road so as not to block the path.
2. Don’t ride in packs – Leave a small space between groups of riders so other riders can pass. Be aware of other riders who might be traveling faster or slower than you.
3. Pay attention to your surroundings (no ear buds)
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​Being a good ebike citizen is combination of knowing the rules of the road, the best practices for comfort and safety, and being courteous to others.  Don’t be "that guy" that people complain about that operates unsafe, illegal, irresponsible or is uncooperative.   Make your mother proud.