Should electric bikes and perhaps electric scooters be allowed on the carriage roads at Acadia National Park?/Rebecca Latson file
A story caught my eye the other day. It centered on electric bikes, and where they can roam in the National Park System. The story centered around Acadia National Park in Maine and raised the prospect that e-bikes might one day be allowed to travel the park's iconic carriage roads. Is that a good idea?
For now, the park is blocking the motorized bikes from heading down the carriage roads, which are restricting to muscle-powered cyclists, hikers, and equestrian travelers. But the AP story adds that "new rules are expected in the coming weeks."
“I’m hoping that they’re going to come to reality,” said one of the cyclists interviewed by the AP. “This will get more popular as time goes on.”
Well, there are a lot of popular things out there, but do they all deserve access in the parks? Remember Segways? What about those electric scooters that are all the rage in metropolitan areas? Will they be next to seek access to trails and areas normally off-limits to motorized vehicles?
In Canada, a pilot program is under way to test e-bikes on trails in Jasper National Park.
"There's a lot of places in the national park that are accessible by bike but maybe not to the entire general public due to limitations on fitness, etc.," Marc Vien, sales manager at Jasper Source for Sports, told CBC News. "But those e-bikes allow people to get to those places easily."
Tell us, travelers, how much access in the National Park System should electric bikes have?
Comments
After doing a lot of research on e-bikes, I believe only those who have too little knowledge about them that would be opposing them. I believe most bikers (OLD and young) who go to the parks are there NOT TO RACE but ENJOY the sights and the place. E-bikes do not produce fumes so I don't see a problem with air pollution. The MAJOR game changer here is being ABLE to EXPLORE farther and further without having to use the car. This is because of the ability of the e-bike to do a pedal assist especially on inclines, and this is MOST HELPFUL to those who have FITNESS ISSUES, OLD or YOUNG who won't be able to keep up the the fit and agile ones, and not look like a loser. You want people to explore more of the outdoors, then let them go around in the parks. I agree with the current regulations and limit of 500W and below, BUT PLEASE LET THEM GO AROUND and NOT ONLY ON DESIGNATED SPOTS AND TRAILS. In fact, in Italy, where a lot of older people want to explore the countryside like in the Tuscany region, e bikes have rekindled the love for biking among elderlies that they came back to North America wanting to buy ebikes and hit the road again in them. Wake up people, it's the new thing now.
Restricting e-bikes is discrimination against elderly and disabled people.
It is unfair for young and healthy people to demand e-bike restrictions only because they want to keep the national parks for themselves, when young people will get older, they will change their opinions.
I have been riding bikes all my life, but I'm 60 now and I can't climb the hills without electric assistance.
1. Class-1 electric bike is as clean and quiet and environment friendly as regular bike.
2. Class-1 electric bike, doesn't have throttle and it cuts electric assistance at 20mph.
3. Bike can ride in a high speed only when it goes downhill, but e-bikes, which are usually ridden by elderly people go downhill slower than regular bikes.
4. Restricting e-bikes is the same as restricting electric wheel chairs on the sidewalks and trails.