Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, December 26, 2019
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2019 Tour de France | 2019 Giro d'Italia
I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan
Current racing:
- Dec 26: World Cup Heusden-Zolder
Upcoming racing:
- Dec 27: Azencross
- Dec 29: Superprestige Diegen
- Jan 1: GP Sven Nys
- Jan 19-26: Schwalbe Classic & Tour Down Under
- Jan 20-26: La Tropicale Amissa Bongo
- Jan 26 Feb 2: Vuelta a San Juan
- Jan 30-Feb 2: Challenge Illes Balears
- Feb 2: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- Feb 2: GP la Marseillaise
- Feb 22: GP Leuven
Latest completed racing:
- Dec 22: World Cup, Namur
- Dec 15: Vlaamse Druivencross
- Dec 7: IKO Cyclocross-Essen
- Nov 17: Flandriencross
- Nov 10: European Cyclocross Championships
- Nov 3: Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde
- Oct 27: Superprestige Gavere Cyclocross
Legislation over e-bikes and e-scooters in New York remains in limbo
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News sent me this:
NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Don DiCostanzo has seen e-bike access battles play out successfully in other states and cities, but he's skeptical a bill pending in New York — which also includes e-scooters — will become law.
"New York City is the only city in the country that's been anti-electric bike, and that has had an impact on the entire state," said DiCostanzo, CEO of Pedego Electric Bikes. "For political reasons, certainly not any other reasons, they opted to make it difficult for electric bikes."
The state legislature approved the e-bike and e-scooter bill in June. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has yet to sign it before the Dec. 31 deadline. The bill would give the three classes of e-bikes the same rights of the road as traditional bicyclists throughout the state and give local municipalities the right to regulate them at their discretion. Currently, only pedal-assist e-bikes are allowed.
The legislation recognizes three classes of e-bikes: pedal-assist and throttle-control with 20 mph maximum speed and throttle-control with 25 mph maximum speed. E-scooters would be capped at 20 mph. Riders would need to be at least 16 years old, and local municipalities would decide if they would be allowed on sidewalks. E-scooters would not be allowed in Manhattan because it's the city's busiest borough.
Cuomo has cited safety concerns and the use of electric transportation on public sidewalks.
"But at the end of the day, I think it's the scooters that have messed it all up," DiCostanzo said. "We've seen it in other cities — Austin (Texas) in particular — they infiltrate the place without following any rules, and then they categorize electric bikes in the same category. Same thing happened to us in Long Beach, and I went to the mayor and I successfully convinced the mayor: the scooters — I agree with you 100% — but with the electric bike, you're throwing the baby out with the bath water. I got them not to include electric bikes as part of the scooter regulations. I think that's the catch."
Concerns over food delivery workers using e-bikes in a dangerous manner also has contributed to the New York City backlash against e-bikes. The city council's public safety chair, Donovan Richards, said the New York Police Department has been harassing e-bike delivery workers. Mayor Bill de Blasio began an initiative in 2014 to curb dangerous driving, which included e-bike riders.
You can read the entire piece here.
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