Thanks for highlighting this crime against 'balanced' journalism—a disappointing trend that sadly seems to be occurring all too often nowadays at the BBC ! This program appeared to be driven by a clear anti-eBike agenda, presenting a heavily one-sided, sensationalist narrative that aimed to scare viewers without offering proper balance or exploring how other countries have successfully addressed similar issues. While there is no doubt that some 'uses' of eBikes can cause genuine problems (emphasis on "uses"), the program missed an opportunity to provide a nuanced discussion. Instead, it chose the easier option of fearmongering over constructive analysis. 😔
im a fat fuck tbh, if i didnt have a ebike i probably wouldnt bike as much. i lost a couple kilos because i dont use the throttle and only use level 3 out of 5 except in crazy hills.. love them. engwe ep-2 pro
Why are they showing speeded up footage at 14:28 complete with scary, dramatic music? Oh yes, it's probably to give a balanced presentation of how useful and safe e-bikes are.
I ride my ebike on the road, cycle/pedestrian path, and for narrow fast dangerous roads I do use use the pedestrian paths now for good reason, having been knocked off my bike now on 2 occasions, so the choice is obvious, I would rather suffer a fine riding illegally on the path than end up on the mortuary slab, the magic word here is being courteous to pedestrians by ringing your bell or telling them your coming through, wear visible clothing, the main culprits here is the lycra brigade who ride in packs taking up all the road 2, 3, even 4 abreast, they sould not put fashion before saftey by wearing dark clothes, see and be seen, simple people!
I'm sorry, but 12 minutes in I stopped watching. It's a BBC production, that's a Biased Broadcasting Corporation production. I don't watch BBC programs for a reason, and the last 12 minutes has just reaffirmed that reason. Indeed I havent had a tv licence for well over 10 years. A woman I know spent £3.5k on a Sur-Ron for her teenage son to ride around the streets, and I laughed at her saying that's a big lump of cash to get seized by the police. She replied that the police in South Wales are not allowed to chase after them after the deaths of two riders recently during a chase, and it seems she's right! Where are the specialist police units on their off road bikes to go after these yobs? I know these units exist because there's not a green lane in South Wales where you won't be challenged if you try to ride them, yet the streets are fair game for these yobs.
The scum out there make it bad for everyone else, but It need policing regulating , licensing, so we can get insurance, we can even pay road tax, there should be some form of control on fast food riders, or they can just ban the import of them .
I can't believe you made me watch that bias tosh again! 😂 Spot on with the comments!
The delivery rider got away because he had a throttle!!!!! Nah he was probably on a illegal ebike, that could power past 15.5mph. Nothing to do with throttles Shame that consultation has been forgotten and there was no mention that more power and throttles had been considered by the previous government! Ps have you looked at the updated definition of EAPC on Gov.com? Twist and go's got greyer with words like new,new to market etc.😂
'Twist and Go’ cycles are classified as EAPCs provided they meet the EAPC regulations.'
'The requirement for approval is for manufacturers, importers or individuals bringing new vehicles to market or when creating a new ‘Twist and Go’ EAPC.'
These are two changes as of 10/12/24 I can spot, plus a mention of the 250w LPM MSVA test
You need to act against the 100s deaths caused car,vans and lorry's and motorbikes,or are ebikes being targeted because they help people who can't afford a car to get to work or get exercise to help there health.
250 watts is ok if you live in a flat area Norfolk etc, but is hard work in hilly cities like Bristol. I don't see the problem with higher wattage if the assist cuts off at 15.5 MPH(20 mph would be better). I read that the Government is considering upping the max to 500 watts which is far more sensible. E-Scooters are more dangerous because the little wheels are likely to throw you off if you hit a pothole. Basically E-Bikes are like normal bikes to ride except they go up hills better. And with me being 75 with a damaged pelvis they are my only option.
I have an ebike and I love it. I'm 78 yrs old and as I live in a hilly area it's a blessing when going uphill. As for the legal maximum speed of these being 15mph I find this confusing as I can achieve 30mph on my conventional road bike, so where is the logic in this. I do however agree that more control is required for all cyclists.
My brother has two E Bikes in the Netherlands.Not cheap 3 grand each.But what a way to cycle I have cycled whilst i was on holiday at his house.But proper cycle paths and where he lives Teuge to Apeldoorn a proper cycle road.Its a different world for cyclist than the UK.
e-bikes with pedals are mopeds! it has a motor and it has pedals! if it doesn't have pedals but does have a motor, it's a scooter or a motorbike, it doesn't matter what is powering the motor and it doesn't matter how many wheels! to be a moped you just need a motor and bicycle style pedals
you cannot buy an illegal ebike on the cycle2work scheme. You may be able to buy a legal ebike which could be modified to make it illegal (but I guess any ebike could be modified to make it illegal) So more lies. BBC where is the balance in this doc? Let's be very clear. The most dangerous vehicle on uk roads is the private car
Oh dear BBC, MORE sensationalist journalism ? plenty of licra peddle boys hitting 30 mph on the road with no PPE (apart from helmet) oh BTW, 1105 of them were killed in 2022. And in the back country, they are racing against the clock to beat route times, and dont get me started about people that ride motorbikes reporting the negatives on other two wheeled vehicles (you cashed your values in there). I wonder what the stats are for skate boarders ? BMX riders ? Mountain bikes ? A 50cc moped is faster (and is subject to the same tuning hacks) and accesible by a 16 yearold ! Those STATS are significantly worse – FACTS AND PERPECTIVE TIME – THERE WERE "7" E SCOOTER DEATHS IN 2024, AND THERE WERE "1607" MOPED/MOTORCYLCE DEATHS AND "28,000" SERIOUSLY INJURED. E TECH works perfectly well in the netherlands, denmark, france and germany, and works harmoniously. But I guess that doesnt make a good story for those that live in a small minded bubble. Horse and carriage, complaining about the evolution of the combustion engine and sharing the road, all over again, 100 years later. (Sorry, I had a bad day)
Love how the video starts of and within 3 seconds it shows a pedestrian stepping out into the road, and a bike hits the pedestrian. Guess what, its the pedestrians fault…
Isnt it amazing that 10 seconds in they have shown loads of illegal electric motor bikes, and yet it suits them to call them ebikes.
Absolute BS reporting.
Its like saying the level of driving has gone down and then showing 20 bank robbers that used cars to 'get away'.
And finally, how about clamping down on drug drivers, drink drivers, Tax dodging drivers, Insurance dodging drivers, phone drivers.
ALL of these are 100s of times more dangerous than an ebike,
I love E-bikes but something needs to be done about the illegal E-Motorbikes, if it has a throttle it should be disposed of. Totally illegal and dragging cycling and E-biking down with them.
What i find annoying is ……as a mature rider who lives not in a big city , but stays in a small countryside community. Some of my trails and routes would be classed as remote Yet my freedom to choose assist over 15 mph 20 mph or higher is dictated by the laws for heavily populated city's. I have always respected other trail users who hike and walk dogs . So why should my freedom to purchase a suitable powered e-bike that suits my needs be restricted by the law , because of those riders who don't respect others .
I love my e-bike. No pollution, no petrol costs, gets you around quick. It's all around one of the best things to have happened to transportation & the environment.
Jobby jobby jobby More sense in my last sentence than any old Karen complaining that bikes are dangerous .. there is cars on every road every minute of the day DANGEROUS 🤷🤷🤷
E-bikes are not the problem, in the same way that EV cars are not the problem. The problem is the lack of infrastructure, Not enough bike lanes as there are not enough chargers for the cars. The UK is just not interested in making the roads more modern and safer. The woman complaining about e-bikes is walking right down the middle of the road, what does she expect ???? Use the damned pavement woman.
Its illegal to drive a car without a license, uninsured, un registered , without a valid mot and not whilst under the influence of drink or drugs but hundreds of thousands of people drive everyday ignoring all of the above 🙌🏿 just increase speed of ebikes to 20mph (maybe a cbt cert so the gov can make some money 😂) and ban them from busy pedestrian/cycle paths. Wronguns will be wronguns but dont penalise everyone.
Trust me most kids who are riding surrons are either dealing or have stupid parents, anyone who isnt old enough for a moped should not be aloud on the road on an e bike or e motto regardless. For me ive been riding large super bikes for 20 years, and id rather keep my 80mph peddle bike that cost half the price of a surron. Its a 72v 5000w kit from china, surrons are only 40mph and 60v. I have way more range and dont draw attention to myself, but as a larger person i need the torque rather than the speed. Also this piss head just jumped on the laws that have just b een passed in Cali for a topic to cover.
39 Comments
Thanks for highlighting this crime against 'balanced' journalism—a disappointing trend that sadly seems to be occurring all too often nowadays at the BBC !
This program appeared to be driven by a clear anti-eBike agenda, presenting a heavily one-sided, sensationalist narrative that aimed to scare viewers without offering proper balance or exploring how other countries have successfully addressed similar issues.
While there is no doubt that some 'uses' of eBikes can cause genuine problems (emphasis on "uses"), the program missed an opportunity to provide a nuanced discussion. Instead, it chose the easier option of fearmongering over constructive analysis. 😔
this BBC cut is ridiculous meant to scare people off ebikes!
im a fat fuck tbh, if i didnt have a ebike i probably wouldnt bike as much. i lost a couple kilos because i dont use the throttle and only use level 3 out of 5 except in crazy hills.. love them. engwe ep-2 pro
Why are they showing speeded up footage at 14:28 complete with scary, dramatic music? Oh yes, it's probably to give a balanced presentation of how useful and safe e-bikes are.
I ride my ebike on the road, cycle/pedestrian path, and for narrow fast dangerous roads I do use use the pedestrian paths now for good reason, having been knocked off my
bike now on 2 occasions, so the choice is obvious, I would rather suffer a fine riding illegally on the path than end up on the mortuary slab, the magic word here is being courteous to pedestrians by ringing your bell or telling them your coming through, wear visible clothing, the main culprits here is the lycra brigade who ride in packs taking up all the road 2, 3, even 4 abreast, they sould not put fashion before saftey by wearing dark clothes, see and be seen, simple people!
Yeah, lets get the delivery riders off those horrible e-bikes and back onto motorbikes or into cars. That'll be better for all of us won't it.
How pathetic…. Anything to give e bikes a bad name…wow it really annoys me…🤬🤬🤬
I'm sorry, but 12 minutes in I stopped watching. It's a BBC production, that's a Biased Broadcasting Corporation production.
I don't watch BBC programs for a reason, and the last 12 minutes has just reaffirmed that reason. Indeed I havent had a tv licence for well over 10 years.
A woman I know spent £3.5k on a Sur-Ron for her teenage son to ride around the streets, and I laughed at her saying that's a big lump of cash to get seized by the police. She replied that the police in South Wales are not allowed to chase after them after the deaths of two riders recently during a chase, and it seems she's right! Where are the specialist police units on their off road bikes to go after these yobs? I know these units exist because there's not a green lane in South Wales where you won't be challenged if you try to ride them, yet the streets are fair game for these yobs.
The scum out there make it bad for everyone else, but It need policing regulating , licensing, so we can get insurance, we can even pay road tax, there should be some form of control on fast food riders, or they can just ban the import of them .
Bit rich coming from the most far left media establishment on the planet who also happen to operate as a safe haven for sex offenders.
I can't believe you made me watch that bias tosh again! 😂 Spot on with the comments!
The delivery rider got away because he had a throttle!!!!! Nah he was probably on a illegal ebike, that could power past 15.5mph. Nothing to do with throttles
Shame that consultation has been forgotten and there was no mention that more power and throttles had been considered by the previous government!
Ps have you looked at the updated definition of EAPC on Gov.com? Twist and go's got greyer with words like new,new to market etc.😂
'Twist and Go’ cycles are classified as EAPCs provided they meet the EAPC regulations.'
'The requirement for approval is for manufacturers, importers or individuals bringing new vehicles to market or when creating a new ‘Twist and Go’ EAPC.'
These are two changes as of 10/12/24 I can spot, plus a mention of the 250w LPM MSVA test
You need to act against the 100s deaths caused car,vans and lorry's and motorbikes,or are ebikes being targeted because they help people who can't afford a car to get to work or get exercise to help there health.
The bbc again referring to and showing Surron motorbikes as e-bikes when they are clearly not. 🤦♂️
250 watts is ok if you live in a flat area Norfolk etc, but is hard work in hilly cities like Bristol. I don't see the problem with higher wattage if the assist cuts off at 15.5 MPH(20 mph would be better). I read that the Government is considering upping the max to 500 watts which is far more sensible. E-Scooters are more dangerous because the little wheels are likely to throw you off if you hit a pothole. Basically E-Bikes are like normal bikes to ride except they go up hills better. And with me being 75 with a damaged pelvis they are my only option.
I have an ebike and I love it. I'm 78 yrs old and as I live in a hilly area it's a blessing when going uphill. As for the legal maximum speed of these being 15mph I find this confusing as I can achieve 30mph on my conventional road bike, so where is the logic in this. I do however agree that more control is required for all cyclists.
My brother has two E Bikes in the Netherlands.Not cheap 3 grand each.But what a way to cycle I have cycled whilst i was on holiday at his house.But proper cycle paths and where he lives Teuge to Apeldoorn a proper cycle road.Its a different world for cyclist than the UK.
e-bikes with pedals are mopeds! it has a motor and it has pedals! if it doesn't have pedals but does have a motor, it's a scooter or a motorbike, it doesn't matter what is powering the motor and it doesn't matter how many wheels! to be a moped you just need a motor and bicycle style pedals
gets off motorbike producing over 100bho but is scared by a bike with 250-500w – he's a liar with an agenda.
you cannot buy an illegal ebike on the cycle2work scheme. You may be able to buy a legal ebike which could be modified to make it illegal (but I guess any ebike could be modified to make it illegal) So more lies. BBC where is the balance in this doc? Let's be very clear. The most dangerous vehicle on uk roads is the private car
Oh dear BBC, MORE sensationalist journalism ? plenty of licra peddle boys hitting 30 mph on the road with no PPE (apart from helmet) oh BTW, 1105 of them were killed in 2022. And in the back country, they are racing against the clock to beat route times, and dont get me started about people that ride motorbikes reporting the negatives on other two wheeled vehicles (you cashed your values in there). I wonder what the stats are for skate boarders ? BMX riders ? Mountain bikes ? A 50cc moped is faster (and is subject to the same tuning hacks) and accesible by a 16 yearold ! Those STATS are significantly worse – FACTS AND PERPECTIVE TIME – THERE WERE "7" E SCOOTER DEATHS IN 2024, AND THERE WERE "1607" MOPED/MOTORCYLCE DEATHS AND "28,000" SERIOUSLY INJURED. E TECH works perfectly well in the netherlands, denmark, france and germany, and works harmoniously. But I guess that doesnt make a good story for those that live in a small minded bubble. Horse and carriage, complaining about the evolution of the combustion engine and sharing the road, all over again, 100 years later. (Sorry, I had a bad day)
Love how the video starts of and within 3 seconds it shows a pedestrian stepping out into the road, and a bike hits the pedestrian. Guess what, its the pedestrians fault…
Isnt it amazing that 10 seconds in they have shown loads of illegal electric motor bikes, and yet it suits them to call them ebikes.
Absolute BS reporting.
Its like saying the level of driving has gone down and then showing 20 bank robbers that used cars to 'get away'.
And finally, how about clamping down on drug drivers, drink drivers, Tax dodging drivers, Insurance dodging drivers, phone drivers.
ALL of these are 100s of times more dangerous than an ebike,
I love E-bikes but something needs to be done about the illegal E-Motorbikes, if it has a throttle it should be disposed of. Totally illegal and dragging cycling and E-biking down with them.
What i find annoying is ……as a mature rider who lives not in a big city ,
but stays in a small countryside community.
Some of my trails and routes would be classed as remote
Yet my freedom to choose assist over 15 mph 20 mph or higher is dictated by the laws for heavily populated city's.
I have always respected other trail users who hike and walk dogs .
So why should my freedom to purchase a suitable powered e-bike that suits my needs be restricted by the law ,
because of those riders who don't respect others .
mine isnt exactly legal but i don't throttle and keep my speed around 20mph and i've never bothered anyone.
It's all the people on the paths who ruin it
More bikes less cars
Less fear mongering more reality 🙄🤙🏾
Ive cancelled my tv licence🖕BBC BS
Luckily people dislike Adrian chiles even more. As soon as they see him they'll not be listening. Probably changing the channel.
Dominant form of travel?! Must have missed that for all the cars that are everywhere.
I can go 45-50 on a road bike going down a steep hill. Is that illegal?
Sad anyone got hurt by an ebike, but you could do a TV show every hour of the day on every channel about people killed in or by cars.
I love my e-bike. No pollution, no petrol costs, gets you around quick. It's all around one of the best things to have happened to transportation & the environment.
Jobby jobby jobby
More sense in my last sentence than any old Karen complaining that bikes are dangerous .. there is cars on every road every minute of the day DANGEROUS 🤷🤷🤷
E-bikes are not the problem, in the same way that EV cars are not the problem.
The problem is the lack of infrastructure, Not enough bike lanes as there are not enough chargers for the cars.
The UK is just not interested in making the roads more modern and safer.
The woman complaining about e-bikes is walking right down the middle of the road, what does she expect ????
Use the damned pavement woman.
Love my e-bike (legal), like how they mention accidents with bicycles without mentioning accidents with cars 🤔 Biased reporting
The so called e-bike expert / beardy helmeted danger man will be featured in "the year that was /moral panic" re-runs for decades to come.
Its illegal to drive a car without a license, uninsured, un registered , without a valid mot and not whilst under the influence of drink or drugs but hundreds of thousands of people drive everyday ignoring all of the above 🙌🏿 just increase speed of ebikes to 20mph (maybe a cbt cert so the gov can make some money 😂) and ban them from busy pedestrian/cycle paths. Wronguns will be wronguns but dont penalise everyone.
its not the ebike/emoto thats the problem, its the people that ride them!
Trust me most kids who are riding surrons are either dealing or have stupid parents, anyone who isnt old enough for a moped should not be aloud on the road on an e bike or e motto regardless. For me ive been riding large super bikes for 20 years, and id rather keep my 80mph peddle bike that cost half the price of a surron. Its a 72v 5000w kit from china, surrons are only 40mph and 60v. I have way more range and dont draw attention to myself, but as a larger person i need the torque rather than the speed. Also this piss head just jumped on the laws that have just b een passed in Cali for a topic to cover.