[attach id=279314 size="medium"]A videograb of two youths who appear to be riding an engine-powered bike on the outside lane of the Birkirkara bypass.[/attach]
A group advocating more safety for cyclists has expressed doubts about the legality of engine-powered bicycles, as it called for a shift to electrically assisted bicycles.
Spokesman for the Bicycle Advocacy Group (BAG) Jim Wightman was reacting to a video of two youths who appear to be riding an engine-powered bike on the outside lane of the Birkirkara bypass, with no lights on.
“We’re unsure of the legality of these engine-powered bikes [running on petrol] and we want to see a shift to pedelecs, also referred to as electrically assisted bicycles, which have a motor attached to the bike that switches off when the rider reaches 25km per hour, or stops pedalling,” he said.
Earlier this year, Transport Malta rolled out a campaign to raise awareness about the legal requirements of owning a “power-assisted” bicycle – whether powered by internal combustion engine or electric motor.
Among others, they must have an output of not more than 250 watts and a maximum speed of 25km/hr.
Asked how fast engine-powered bikes can go, Mr Wightman noted that even when he cycles at 35km/hr, drivers of engine-powered bikes overtake him.
Referring to the video, Mr Wightman said that although this behaviour was not very common, BAG was not going to defend any illegality – enforcement of the law should be across the board, including both cyclists and vehicle drivers.
Throughout the year the group holds awareness campaigns about safety measures that should be adopted by cyclists and private car drivers. In one campaign, BAG focused on adhering to traffic light rules while in another one, it urged drivers to look out for cyclists when opening their car doors.
It is now in discussion with Transport Malta and other entities about the introduction of pedelecs on the island, insisting on the need to clarify the law about engine-powered bikes. At 250w, the pedelec only assists the rider, which is why these electric bikes have low emissions. They produce just 1gr of carbon dioxide per kilometre more than a bicycle.
In fact, Mr Wightman said, all across Europe, pedelecs were referred to as bikes, given that the rider is only “assisted”.
His comments were reiterated by retired doctor and cyclist George Debono, who noted that Malta has not adopted the EU’s attitude to the pedelec, where it is considered as a regular bike.
Dr Debono said the pedelec was even being promoted by the EU through funding in a bid to cut down on traffic congestion. Shifting to pedelecs made it easierfor older people to travel, and for those commuting to work who did not want to get sweaty.
Engine-powered motors, he said, could be bought on the internet and could attain a high speed, making them irresistible to youngsters.
They were being installed on bikes not built for such high speeds, so it was easier to go out of control.
At the same time they were much cheaper than pedelecs. The strength of the pedelec’s motor was equivalent to that of a small drill or a hand-held kitchen mixer, so it was less attractive to youngsters.