They’re not exactly the self-balancing hoverboards foreseen in the second “Back to the Future” movie more than 40 years ago, but e-bikes and e-scooters have become common sights on 21st century streets and they are moving people around almost as quickly! Not much wonder. They’re fuel-efficient, relatively inexpensive, and widely available for purchase or rent. They’re an economical and convenient alternative, particularly in cities where there’s too much traffic and not nearly enough places to park. But they come with few, if any, licensing requirements. Although the regulations for e-bikes vary from province to province, the federal government has set 500 watts as the maximum output for a motor and 32 kilometres per hour as the maximum speed for a power-assisted bicycle. There are no federal guidelines for e-scooters, and regulations on their use vary by province and city. As these devices become more and more popular, it’s important that we standardize the rules governing their use. While it’s unlikely that 10 provinces, three territories and scores of municipalities will agree on every aspect of their regulation, they should be able to agree on the basics: the age at which they can be used, where they can be used – on streets, sidewalks, or bike lanes – and with helmets. There should also be standards for insurance on e-bikes and scooters, including the need for some sort of liability insurance. At the moment, you may or may not be protected if you’re involved in an incident that causes injury or damage to yourself or someone else. That’s what many motorists and pedestrians are worried about. Who’s responsible if there’s a collision and who pays? And finally, whatever rules are in place need to be well publicized and enforced. And that needs to be done right away. Where e-bikes and e-scooters are concerned, we’re already back to the future.
