Wednesday, April 25, 2001
|
Wednesday, April 25, 2001 |
|
E-Bikes OK'd for PTC cart paths By JOHN MUNFORD
E-Bikes, electricity-powered bicycles, have been approved for use on Peachtree City's cart paths. Although the police department had recommended that the E-Bike should not be allowed on the paths, the City Council unanimously decided to allow the motorized bikes on the path system. Council also adopted new ordinances which restrict the use of the E-Bike to riders ages 16 and over. Barbara Evans, the owner of an E-Bike dealership in Peachtree City, said E-Bikes are used in other cities which have path trails such as Sun City, Ariz. Councilman Dan Tennant said he was in favor of allowing the E-Bike on the paths. "I've gotten on one of these things," he said. "It went downhill and straight." Evans said the E-Bikes are wonderful for persons with injuries who otherwise might not be able to ride a regular bike. But banning the E-Bikes from cart paths would hurt her business, she added. Evans said seniors are showing the most interest in E-Bikes, which start out at $1,000 and run up to $2,000. The low-end model has a top speed of 10 mph while the high-end model has a maximum speed of 18 mph. The E-Bikes are equipped with a bell or a horn to warn oncoming traffic of their presence, Evans told council. An initial suggestion was to require all E-Bikes for use in Peachtree City be registered. But City Attorney Rick Lindsey said a state law prevents electric-powered bicycles from being registered. Mayor Bob Lenox said he appreciated the police department's thorough evaluation of the E-Bike. The department suggested that the bike's slick tires and braking system were not "amenable" to usage on the cart path, particularly in areas where there are bumps and pinestraw hazards on the paths.
|
||