Bixi continues to grow
The popularity of Bixi keeps growing, with more bikes and more stations and a search for a supplier of electric bikes to respond to demand.
I walked up Mount Royal Wednesday afternoon, perfect idyllic weather, runners and walkers and cyclists doing their thing – and a couple of people on powered scooters. Not electric mobility aid things, but real little scooters, wearing helmets and all. Is this legal on that path? It felt out of place, but then these guys also take the Lachine Canal path, which I thought wasn’t meant for powered vehicles either.
Faiz Imam 20:18 on 2019-06-12 Permalink
This is the information you are looking for:
https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/e-scooters-are-coming-to-montreal-but-is-the-city-ready
The scooters have been a nightmare in other cities, and the city has been paying attention. They’ve put some rules in place that hopefully will manage them decently
Kate 20:25 on 2019-06-12 Permalink
Maybe I used the wrong word. These were not kiddy scooters with motors, but these things. The man in red swore at me when I took the picture, which made me even more certain he knew he shouldn’t be doing what he was doing:
EmilyG 20:32 on 2019-06-12 Permalink
You mean those things that look like bikes but are way too loud to be bikes?
Kate 20:49 on 2019-06-12 Permalink
No, see the photos. More like little motorbikes.
Spi 22:02 on 2019-06-12 Permalink
They have license plate holders but don’t have a plate, I’d venture a guess that not only aren’t they suppose to be there those should be registered and have plates from the SAAQ.
steph 07:46 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
If they don’t have mechanical pedals, they’re not allowed.
Also, all motorized skateboards aren’t allowed on any street, bike path or sidewalk.
Kevin 09:26 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
This is a big grey area only because police are not enforcing the law.
Electric bikes have pedals in case the motor fails, but those pedals can often be removed. Electric bikes have a top speed of 32 kmh.
The vehicles Kate has photographed are officially known in Quebec as electric mopeds and should be treated as low-speed motorcycles (ie a 50-cc scooter) including having a license plate. Top speed 70 kmh. You’re supposed to wear a motorcycle helmet.
Blork 09:27 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
Here’s the official info on these things and electric bikes:
https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/road-safety/modes-transportation/electric-bike/
Blork 09:29 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
As Kevin says, the problem is that the police are not enforcing the regulations. Over in Longueuil you see a lot of these on bike paths but they’re mostly ridden quite slowly by geriatric people. In Montreal we see all sorts of people riding these, both on the bike path and on the street. They really shouldn’t be on bike paths, but people love their self-entitlements, so off they go.
Joey 09:59 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
The electric bikes that Bixi piloted last summer were great. I took one from Mile-End to the Bell Centre – it made the stretch of Parc from Mt-Royal to the monument a literal breeze. Unlike the e-bikes described in this thread, which only have pedals as a failsafe, these bikes feature a motor that only kicks in if you’re pedalling.
Ian 10:35 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
I didn’t realize motorized skateboards were illegal – I see them all over the Plateau. I wonder if it’s simply that a lot of people don’t realize their scooter or skateboard or e-bike is technically illegal, especially since cops never enforce it and there is absolutely no public awareness around it. I mean really, most of the time the cops don’t enforce jaywalking or riding bikes on the sidewalk so it’s not like there’s any real incentive not to do whatever the hell you want.
dwgs 10:48 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
Those electric motorbike things scare the hell out of me on the bike paths because they make no sound and all of a sudden one will pass you doing close to 40 km/h. God help you if you pull out to pass another bike at the wrong time.
qatzelok 21:11 on 2019-06-13 Permalink
Sprawl inhabitants trashify all infrastructure. They need to be relocated into more hospitable living areas.