What do you think of electric bikes? Some long time bike commuters grumble when they see an electric bike pass them up the hill (especially if they are pedaling hard to catch up with it). There are some electric bikers, however, who have their own personal code of ethics to not pass anyone that is working hard to pedal up a hill. But the photo of a mom using an electric bike as a minivan alternative for carpools to school made everyone smile. Sightline’s blog has recently been discussing how electric bikes could be part of our future.
Here at SDOT, we are encouraging our employees to consider using the bikes in the City’s fleet instead of a car. Here is one employee’s testimonial after trying one to get to a meeting at the Port of Seattle. “I had a meeting at the Port of Seattle, on the waterfront, and elected to take a City motor pool electric bike. I recommend it to all. It took 15 minutes door-to-door. Parking was at the front door….The bike is comfortable, easy to use and has a bit of pep, even though the bike is 40 or so pounds. One can either pedal, travel on electric power or do both simultaneously.”
Check out the discussion on Sightline’s blog; and think about if electric bikes could be part of the solution for you. Check out SDOT’s Way to Go! website, it features stories of lots of people getting around and enjoying the benefits of driving less.