E-bikes face new sidewalk parking rules
By DON PEAT, SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 6th October 2009, 3:10am

Pedestrian and cycling advocates want the city to put the brakes on where e-bikes can park and ride.

"They could seriously injure or kill a pedestrian if they hit a pedestrian on the sidewalk," says Dylan Reid, co-chairman of the Toronto Pedestrian Committee.

"E-bikes are a good thing, it's just that they really shouldn't be on the sidewalk," he said yesterday.

City council's public works and infrastructure committee will consider a recommendation from the pedestrian committee today to ban e-bike parking on city sidewalks.

REPORT

Councillors already asked transportation services earlier this year to prepare a report on how the city would go about banning e-bikes from riding on sidewalks.

Yvonne Bambrick, of the Toronto Cyclists Union, said she has no problem with e-bikes when they are bicycles with power assist but scooter-style e-bikes are a concern for her members.

"Most of them aren't pedal-able, they have cosmetic pedals," she said. "These things are so heavy that you couldn't pedal them for any distance at all, they're primarily made to be powered by the electric motor."

Last week, the Ontario government legalized e-bikes after a three-year pilot project. An e-bike, which can only have a maximum weight of 120 kilos, must follow the same rules as a regular bicycle but due to its smaller wheel size they are allowed on sidewalks.

Toronto Police Traffic Services Sgt. Tim Burrows said e-bikes on the sidewalk are "absolutely" dangerous because of their extra weight and speed.

'AT RISK'

"Sidewalks are made for pedestrians ... and we don't need their safety put at risk by something that has some speed and some stealth," Burrows said.

DON.PEAT@SUNMEDIA.CA

Original URL:
http://www.torontosun...

This is a disgrace. If we can't park our e-bikes on the sidewalk, where do they expect us to park? On the streets, taking up a full car space? I think they're confusing riding on the sidewalk with parking on the sidewalk. Scooters (the gas variety) and mopeds can already legally park on sidewalks. Why are we any different? So not impressed.

I went to the meeting

Meeting agenda here:
http://www.toronto.ca...

Most of the emphasis at the meeting was controversy over the tendering process for the multiyear long-haul contract to haul away Toronto garbage...

Then the latter part was devoted to biking... Bike lanes and infrastructure... Progress or lack thereof on the City's Cycling Plan... crumbling pavements yadda yadda yadda

Then the last agenda item:

Motorized Bicycles on Sidewalks
Origin
(September 25, 2009) Letter from Toronto Pedestrian Committee

Recommendations
The Toronto Pedestrian Committee recommended to the Public Works and Infrastructure
Committee that:
1. The General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the City Solicitor,
be requested to report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on prohibiting
the parking of power-assisted bicycles (e-bikes) on City sidewalks.
2. The General Manager, Transportation Services, include this further request as part of
the report requested by the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on June 3, 2009.
(Item PW25.18)

Summary
The Toronto Pedestrian Committee on September 22, 2009, heard a presentation from Sergeant
Timothy Burrows, Toronto Police Services, Traffic Services, in response to questions asked by
the Toronto Pedestrian Committee on May 19, 2009, and by Jennifer Niece.

Background Information
PW27.9-Letter from Toronto Pedestrian Committee
(http://www.toronto.ca...)
PW27.9-Copy of Submission filed by Sergeant Burrows to the Toronto Pedestrian Committee
(http://www.toronto.ca...)


Only two citizens were there to speak on this issue... Myself and Yvonne... Yvonne went first.

Yvonne (the TCU) appears to have moderated their stance somewhat.

She made the distinction that there are a range of ebikes "out there" from the style that looks like a "traditional" pedal bike with motor and batteries added to the "scooter-style" of ebikes... And that the City should be careful not to do anything to ban or discourage the "traditional" ebikes while restricting the "scooter-style" ebikes...


Yer correct Roger about confusion riding versus parking on sidewalks... Although I DO see ebikes riding down busy sidewalks. My suspicion is that the vehicle is too heavy or the rider too lazy to "hump" the bike over the curb to get to the bike parking... They usually appear to mount the sidewalk at the nearest intersection where the sidewalk dips to meet the road surface, then ride the short distance to the parking...

So I encourage all ebikers here not to do this! Dismount as soon as you're on the sidewalk and walk the bike to where you wish to park! At least, when there is anyone around that might see you

So that was the thrust of my argument... To just reinforce By-Laws about not riding on the sidewalks if they have to, but not to effectively "ban" or discourage such a great technology (ebikes) by taking away their (free, sidewalk) parking...

Can't recall my exact words... But after a couple of hours of fairly dull and boring meeting time, as last to speak I had them laughing and clapping so I like to think that's a good thing

My guess? The "issue" will die in committee w/the committee members/city staff scratching their heads about how to define which ebikes are "good" and which are "bad"... To be honest I am not familiar with the process at City Hall and don't know where this goes next. I didn't "catch" that any sort of a decision was made one way or the other... But I do believe the Councillors "got" the distinction between riding and parking and that the *parking* is a non- issue.

Cheers
Lock

Thanks for attending and your diligent report on the proceedings, Lock.

Lock,

How could I attend these meetings? I don't usually have much time. But I would like to be present at least once.

How could I attend these meetings?

Ya have to keep yer ear to the ground... Here's an overview of the committee structure:
Committees of Council

And here's the looong list of `em:
Directory of committees and task forces


So which ones do you track/attend? Well, ebike-related ya can chuck out most of them, but the two "hot" ones of late have been the Pedestrian and Cycling Committees:
Link to Toronto Cycling Committee
Link to Toronto Pedestrian Committee

And ya can see from their pages that they publish their upcoming meeting dates, agendas and minutes of past meetings...

Truth is, some issue that could be seen as "ebike-related" can spring from many committees including the Community Councils... It's really up to anyone that sends them correspondence or attends a meeting where they may address the meeting. I showed up this morning 1/2hr early and asked to speak to the Committee and they signed my up on the spot... It's probably better to preceed an opportunity to speak with written correspondence (background/research) that the Committee has a chance to read before they hear you.

The other truth is, I believe all of this latest ebike "heartburn" stems from one very small but very vocal and determined group that knows how to work the system and work it well. I think they are well meaning but misguided and a bit myopic.

Anyway, I'll be looking for the minutes from todaze meeting on the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee page of past minutes:
Link to 2009 Public Works and Infrastructure Committee Agendas and Minutes

Not sure how long it takes the City to update w/latest Minutes...

Also of course, ya can stir the pot yerself and write or visit your own City Councillor

loCk

So Yvonne wants the scooter style off the sidewalk? Deal! I don't ride on the sidewalk anyhow. I always walk my bike if I'm on the sidewalk. I however think I should still be allowed to park there :-). That being said, why are the regular bikes doing on the sidewalks, hmm? Usually the spandex crowd. If it was a busy street I could understand. But I see them on Royal York where there is a proper bike lane. I always see them riding on the sidewalk. And they're usually going much faster than my escooter goes.

This is a really idiotic article. Like someone said, they totally confuse riding on the sidewalk and parking on the sidewalk. Its already illegal to ride any bike on the sidewalk and it should stay that way. Not long ago a woman was killed in Toronto in a collision with a bike on a sidewalk. I've had a few near misses while walking my dogs around the corner from my house. There's a tall hedge right by an intersection and you can't see around it. Bikes, that shouldn't even be on the sidewalk, have come close to hitting me and my dogs twice in the last few years at that spot. I understand people who don't want to ride their bikes in fast moving traffic, but they can always take side streets rather than using the sidewalk.

As I understand it, you can park a bike on the sidewalk, but I don't think you can part a motor scooter or motorbike there. There may be some confusion because you can park your motorcycle on private property, which may include part of the paved area closest to the buildings in retail areas. Cost of parking won't be an issue in Toronto because scooters are exempt from paying for street parking, but they will wind up taking up a lot of space. Ebikes seem to be everywhere already and I'm sure that the numbers will really take off now that the ambiguity about their legal status has been resolved.

Thanks for attending and updating us. I agree with the confusion being spread out there to support their own agenda. It is rediculous really as I have never seen any ebikes riding on the sidewalk but regularly see regular bikes riding on the sidewalks. Not to mention speed past stop signs, lights etc.

Bravo on raising that they should enforce the rules they already have rather than create new ones. Imagine that... if they can't even enforce existing rules, why bother create new ones??

Folks here do realize that in 2005 the City amended their By-Laws and that today motorcycles park on city streets for free? Here:
http://www.toronto.ca...

...this because the City wanted to recognize motorcycles as an environmentally friendly mode of transport that take up much less parking space...

So worst case, if the City decided that ebikes of any fashion would NOT be allowed to park on the sidewalks for free, I believe a pretty good case could be made to permit them to park on the *road* for free

Lock