e bike

Convicted Driver Insurance

techra

Member
I have just been told by my solicitor that I am not allowed to ride an e-bike that I was using to get to and from work. is that correct it seems strange as you don't need a licence for a e-bike, it's only a low power one not a scooter. Does anybody have any experience of this.
 
They are wrong and not a good solicitor.

It sounds like you have the "standard" electric bike limited to 25km/h (16mph) and 250watts.

If so they are not regulated a motor vehicles and you do not need a licence to ride them. DD disqualifications only apply to vehicles you need a licence to drive or ride.
 
Thanks for the re-assurance. I thought that but my whole process has been such a mess I no longer know who is a good solicitor! I am learning not to ask any questions just get through it.
 
For what it's worth, I find that reliable motoring legal advice only comes from specialist motoring solicitors.

Road traffic law is actually fairly complicated because there is as much case law - precedent from court - as there is legislation. Standard solicitors tend to have a very basic grasp, enough to get through a standard case but not to argue technical points.

tl;dr If you're thinking of defending DD (rather than just pleading guilty) get a specialist to help
 
If you are disqualified, you cannot drive any motor vehicle on a road or public place.
If you have a pedal cycle that conforms to the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations then it is NOT a motor vehicle and can therefore be ridden on a road or public place even thoug you are disqualified, so your solicitor is wrong.
Here is a link to where you. An find out about EAPC’s:
https://www.cycleassociation.uk/e-bikes/regulations/

I have had people turn up on an EAPC for a drink drive course and it was fine. I did, however, have someone who turned up on an electric scooter. He tried to argue that it was an electric bike and he was allowed to ride it, but of course it failed the first test in that it had no pedals! Also when I looked at the specs for the scooter it was rated at 1600 watts, and had a maximum speed of 25 mph.... so it failed on just about everything except for the maximum weight!
 
There tend to be two types of scooter sold, one which purports to be an ebike because it has attachable pedals even though you can't actually ride them. They normally have a limiter switch to restrict to 16mph.

Then you get the 1.5kwh ones which go up to 30mph and are sold as needing registration, licence and insurance.

Personally I wish there was better acceptance of electric scooters. They are IMO much safer - battery low down in the floor, wider tyres, better brakes, better lights and indicators. Push bikes aren't really suited to being fitted with batteries and motors because it messes up the weight distribution.

Hopefully petrol mopeds will soon be phased out, horrible things.
 
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