eBikes are illegal

[Boopop]

That got your attention didn't it! Well that's what Bedfordshire Police seem to think, I've filed a complaint. I'll hold back on sharing this nonsense with the press (I'm thinking RoadCC, CyclingUK, GCN) until I get a response...or maybe if enough of you tell me to go the press I'll just do it anyway Here's the offending post. It's pretty easy to find on their facebook page if you want to take a look yourself

 

[Drago]

One of the worst performing forces in the country foxtrotting something up isnt surprising.

 

[Gunk]

Who writes that drivel, not only is it misleading and confusing, but the grammar is terrible.

 

[Drago]

Who writes that drivel, not only is it misleading and confusing, but the grammar is terrible.

Some PEON in the design and graphics department will knock it up.

 

[mjr]

File an ASA complaint in the hope of stopping them running the ad in other media that follows the ASA code?

Doesn't Beds usually collaborate with Cambs & Herts on roads policing? Can't see them running that ad in Cambs without quite some fallout.

 

[Drago]

Beds wont do much. They only have 5 bobbies, and 3 of them will be suspended for pervy behaviour.

Their regional roads policing collaboration only covers fast roads, so ,motorways, major A roads, etc. Unlikely theyll get dragged into this.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Who writes that drivel, not only is it misleading and confusing, but the grammar is terrible.

it’s an AI hallucinated wet dream

 

[presta]

https://www.beds.police.uk/news/bed...al-behaviour-in-dunstable-and-houghton-regis/

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

reading it it is somewhere between just plain wrong and plain dumb

Something like trump would come up with - like magnets!

but if you define an ebike as a bike with a motor that is NOT and EPAC

then it makes sense

problem is that the audience for the thing is joe-public
and joanne-public

and in the general public a legal EPAC is an ebike

so they are saying the bikes in my shed are illegal
which is wrong

and it does make you think that your general plod who is getting some hassle from his Sergeant about his arrest rate
might look at the poster and see my pedal along on my EPAC and reckon
"well I've seen the official poster and THAT has a motor so it muct be illegal"

and next thing I know I am walking home and hoping I can get the local plod to make sense and admit fault before they crush my bike


mind you - then they would have to get me a new one
with a new bettery - and they don;t make the smaller battery that I have anymore
so

not all bad

still, glad I live in a different Police area

 

[mjr]

https://www.beds.police.uk/news/bed...al-behaviour-in-dunstable-and-houghton-regis/

Not great clarity, but doesn't seem to be making the same mistake, does it?

 

[Boopop]

I've just learned that the image included in the facebook post is being given to school children at least in one local school. Is this going out to all Bedfordshire schools?

I've emailed my friendly local councillor, hoping she'll get this stopped ASAP.

 

[Alex321]

reading it it is somewhere between just plain wrong and plain dumb

Something like trump would come up with - like magnets!

but if you define an ebike as a bike with a motor that is NOT and EPAC

then it makes sense

problem is that the audience for the thing is joe-public
and joanne-public

and in the general public a legal EPAC is an ebike

so they are saying the bikes in my shed are illegal
which is wrong

and it does make you think that your general plod who is getting some hassle from his Sergeant about his arrest rate
might look at the poster and see my pedal along on my EPAC and reckon
"well I've seen the official poster and THAT has a motor so it muct be illegal"

and next thing I know I am walking home and hoping I can get the local plod to make sense and admit fault before they crush my bike


mind you - then they would have to get me a new one
with a new bettery - and they don;t make the smaller battery that I have anymore
so

not all bad

still, glad I live in a different Police area

Why is it that so many people call them EPACs, when it should be EAPCs?

It was commented on in the thread on seizures, when Dogtrousers posted an advert for stickers with the wrong abbreviation, but it really does seem to be very common - even among people like you who own them.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Why is it that so many people call them EPACs, when it should be EAPCs?

It was commented on in the thread on seizures, when Dogtrousers posted an advert for stickers with the wrong abbreviation, but it really does seem to be very common - even among people like you who own them.

Good point

I have always thought it was EPAC
i.e. Electronically Power Assisted Cycle

but apparently the legal definition is ‘electrically assisted pedal cycle’ - EAPC

I do have a tendency to not notice switched letters (hence some of my spelling!)
so I have not noticed

but you are right it seems

some sites I have found use both FLAs on the same web page interchangeably

 

[Dogtrousers]

Extremely Adorable Police Constables

 

[mjr]

I have always thought it was EPAC
i.e. Electronically Power Assisted Cycle

That's currently shown on Wikipedia but there's no citation so who knows where it came from? I'll get around to questioning it Real Soon Now, just as soon as I find my login, but feel free to beat me to it.