micromobility - Ebikes, scooters, longboards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility

I recently got an e-bikes. It goes up to 20mph and honestly scares the shit out of me sometimes. I have a normal bike helmet but am looking into something a bit beefier, between a bike and motorcycle helmet

I don't think people understand: At 20mph that's athlete sprinting speed. Imagine going all out "impending asthma attack and you don't even have asthma" full sprint down a hill then tripping on a curb

Wonder how many of those injuries are on rentals? Veo rental e-bikes are very prevalent around these parts. Have never seen anyone riding them with a helmet. If you own an e-bike and don't wear one, that's on you. But rental ones don't even have a way to provide you with one.

OTOH, most rental e-scooters have a helmet carrier box on the back. It unlocks when you go to pick one up with the app.

An e-bike is a motorcycle in everything but name and highway-worthiness. It's honestly a little bonkers how long it took for this conversation to come up. I do think there's a bit of an odd feeling strapping on a motorbike helmet when you're getting on what you think of as a bicycle, and it probably doesn't help that motorcycle helmets are bulky and a PITA to carry around if you're using your e-bike as a commuter. Those are all addressable solutions, though.

Probably the fastest/cheapest way to affect a change would be to set a top speed for eBikes operating in public areas as bicycles. Speed kills, and keeping people from doing practically 30 mph in the bike lane would probably be a good place to start. I'm not talking about handing out tickets as much as having manufacturers govern their top speeds down. After that, public health campaigns.

I fell on my bike onto the pavement going 12mph. That's it. Not very fast whatsoever compared to some cyclists.

I ended up busting 4 ribs in half and fractured my scapula (shoulder blade). I was wearing my helmet w/front visor thank God because it's amazing how quickly your head smacks that concrete. I went face first too and the visor + helmet completely spared me any head trauma.

Never felt pain like that in my life. The agony of getting loaded onto a gurney with that many busted bones isn't something I wish to repeat.

If you think your head and its contents are important, wear a properly adjusted helmet. Every time.

Paramedics treat pedal bicycle accidents the same as a car crash. An electric bike can go much faster and cause more damage.

Helmets and gloves.

I can't understand why people refuse to wear helmets when riding.

I had a professor in university who got in an accident while not wearing a helmet. He went over the handlebars and landed on his head. It happened years before I met him, but he would regularly get crippling migraines as a consequence, and he would plead with his students to never ride without wearing a helmet.

I bought a new helmet for my downhill biking. It's actually lighter than most road bike helmets and has great air flow. Wear a helmet, people. Your noggin is precious and cars and trucks are aiming for us.