Increase in seizures of illegal ebikes

[Rusty Nails]

Trek

How many times can you afford to have a £800+ bike removed

That's very upmarket. Round here most delivery riders ride converted old mountain bikes where the cheap conversion probably cost more than the bike it was fitted to.

 

[classic33]

Trek


That's very upmarket. Round here most delivery riders ride converted old mountain bikes where the cheap conversion probably cost more than the bike it was fitted to.

These are/were non folding folders, with oversized tyres.
Got a picture of one stationary, and checked what they sold for/cost. Cheapest legal price was £800.

 

[cyberknight]

Trek


That's very upmarket. Round here most delivery riders ride converted old mountain bikes where the cheap conversion probably cost more than the bike it was fitted to.

i wonder how many of these bikes the delivery riders were acquired legally in the 1st place too ?

 

[mjr]

i wonder how many of these bikes the delivery riders were acquired legally in the 1st place too ?

It depends what you mean by that. If you don't believe it's stolen (and there's no obvious reason you should, such as the frame number scratched off), then gullibly buying a stolen bike isn't itself illegal.

Until they tackle the delivery firms, arresting riders is still as useless as shooting fish in a pile of fish. At the end of the day, the pile is still a problem and it stinks. All it does is further injure some fish struggling to survive.

 

[classic33]

It depends what you mean by that. If you don't believe it's stolen (and there's no obvious reason you should, such as the frame number scratched off), then gullibly buying a stolen bike isn't itself illegal.

Until they tackle the delivery firms, arresting riders is still as useless as shooting fish in a pile of fish. At the end of the day, the pile is still a problem and it stinks. All it does is further injure some fish struggling to survive.

The bikes that those "fish trying to survive" are using are the problem. They're illegal, no ifs or buts. They shouldn't be on the roads, much less the pavements.

 

[fossyant]

There is a dodgy bike shop just down the road from my workplace that only services 'dodgy' e-bikes - there is usually quite a few riders outside awaiting new wheels etc etc. No point me going in and asking for bar tape, or a 700c tube.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

They have to make it so that the companies "employing" the riders can not longer justify using them financially

which means grabbing the rider and tracing them back to the outlet and fining them
but in a way where they think that the number being caught and traced back to them is so high that they have to use legal riders and check them

which requires manpower - at least for a continuous period over several weeks with expectations that it will happen again soon


grabbing a few ebike one night in one area is just an inconvenience

 

[Drago]

It depends what you mean by that. If you don't believe it's stolen (and there's no obvious reason you should, such as the frame number scratched off), then gullibly buying a stolen bike isn't itself illegal.

That depends on the circumstances. By it from a stranger in a pub at a knockdown price the court will almost inevitably take the view that a "person of reasonable firmness" would reasonably expect it to be a bit fishy.

Claiming ignorance and asking no questions won't help you - the law experts a reasonable degree of due diligence.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

That depends on the circumstances. By it from a stranger in a pub at a knockdown price the court will almost inevitably take the view that a "person of reasonable firmness" would reasonably expect it to be a bit fishy.

Claiming ignorance and asking no questions won't help you - the law experts a reasonable degree of due diligence.

When I bought my first ebike it was from an advert in the local chippie
I had been looking at them online but when I saw the price I decided "NO WAY!!!" as they were over £1000 in 2011

then I saw an advert for a Powacycle Salisbury for £220 - in felt pen on the notice board in the chippie - the very bike I had been looking at that morning online!
So I rang up and he lived a short walk away so I went round

anyway - it all looked ON - he had the manuals and everything and the serial number was intact
he said it just didn't have enough power for him as he wasn't a light bloke - and gave me a "look"
and he had a Giant ebike parked next to it that he said was better for him
but I went for a test ride

and handed over the cash - he insisted on cash only

but I did wonder - but it looked OK and I knew that the Powacycle was only 180W when the limit at the time was 200W so it made sense

I did write down all the reasons that I thought it was OK when I got home - just in case!


so it could have been dodgy

 

[classic33]

Twenty-four illegal e-scooters and e-bikes were taken in the police’s crackdown Wednesday.
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/c...off-luton-streets-in-latest-crackdown-5420063

 

[Drago]

Ooh, I love a good crackdown.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Twenty-four illegal e-scooters and e-bikes were taken in the police’s crackdown Wednesday.
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/c...off-luton-streets-in-latest-crackdown-5420063

From the photo - nearly all e-scooters
I can only see 4 bikes

round here the e-scooters don;t seem to be much of a problem as I see it
OK - not legal - but it is the big ebike that are the problem

 

[classic33]

From the photo - nearly all e-scooters
I can only see 4 bikes

round here the e-scooters don;t seem to be much of a problem as I see it
OK - not legal - but it is the big ebike that are the problem

With regards the picture, I thought the same. More scooters than bikes, but 14 illegal vehicles removed from use. And some proof that the various police forces are starting to take the issue seriously.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

With regards the picture, I thought the same. More scooters than bikes, but 14 illegal vehicles removed from use. And some proof that the various police forces are starting to take the issue seriously.

Yes - it does seem that way

A lot of enforcement does seem to be about expectations
if people expect to get away with it them they will do it

If they see evidence of enforcement, then they will start to stop doing it

They also deny all knowledge of knowing that it was not legal - but if there are headlines in the local papers - and "social" media - then they suddenly remember

so articles like this one helpa lot

 

[tom73]

With regards the picture, I thought the same. More scooters than bikes, but 14 illegal vehicles removed from use. And some proof that the various police forces are starting to take the issue seriously.

With a growing understanding of the links to organised crime, police forcers will start to see it as worth it.