E bikes will now be allowed in National parks

[maki2]

News just released today August 30, 2019

The National Park Service announced Friday that low-speed electric bicycles will be allowed on park roads, paved or hardened trails, and areas designated for off-road vehicles.

Park superintendents have a month to create rules and guidance for the use of e-bikes in specific parks over the next month and can block use in certain areas to protect resources.

 

[tx2sturgis]

The title is misleading and, wrong.

E-bikes have previously been allowed (unless there was specific signage prohibiting bicycles) and this is simply a directive that clarifies the policies, directed mainly at superintendents, directors, park police, etc who might be un-informed, or confused, or intimidated by the presence of ebikes, and who have not been informed previously.

The CPSC and the DOJ, (both are federal agencies) as well as most state laws, have generally classified ebikes (class 1 and class 2) as simply, bicycles.

But, this will help a cyclist with an ebike if he or she runs afoul of an un-informed officer with an attitude, but the ebikes have always been 'allowed' by policy, even if not by individual officers.

 

[maki2]

I have seen videos on youtube that show the signs at National Parks that say no Ebikes.  One of those is the paved bike pathway in Teton National Park which of course allows human powered bikes but forbids the use of Ebikes on it.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Yes, as I said, if the signage is there, it means, no ebikes, or no bicycles, whichever the rule is.  But those are usually a case-by-case basis and the new policy wont change that. Just like 'no pets' or 'no drones', rules can be made for specific areas.

It can be confusing and it varies state by state. But, in the case of a mobility device such as electric wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters, AND electric bicycles used as a mobility device, the DOJ rules take precedence. 

But generally speaking, if there is no sign prohibiting them, then they are allowed to be used.

 

[Dingfelder]

I have owned an electric unicycle, and the forums for them are filled with stories of both legislators and officers who didn't understand the subject, and riders paying the consequences. Vehicles seized, tickets issued, etc. There is actually a lot of confusion now, across America and Europe, on how to treat various vehicles that are now electric but used to be entirely mechanical. The general advice in contested or just bewildered areas is first of all to research heavily, and then to print out the laws on a plasticized card and carry it with you for instant reference, as many if most cops will not know the law, and others may even try to bully you or seize your vehicle. There are years of dealing with these issues documented in EUC, unicycle, and electric vehicle forums. I'd suggest doing some real research before coming to your own personal decisions on what to do and where to do it. The laws are all over the place, place by place, and a lot of the people in charge still aren't quite sure what the scoop is.

 

[ckelly78z]

Most folks would not know my wife and I are riding Ebikes unless they look closely, or if we are going way too fast for the conditions. Pedal assist bikes are for helping riders get over hills, and take over when tired, not to go ripping up trails, throwing roostertails of dirt like some guys seem to do with their overpowered Ebikes.

 

[highdesertranger]

also all bikes electric or not are prohibited in wilderness areas which is most of the backcountry in National Parks. highdesertranger