Should electric bikes and perhaps electric scooters be allowed on the carriage roads at Acadia National Park?/Rebecca Latson file
A story caught my eye the other day. It centered on electric bikes, and where they can roam in the National Park System. The story centered around Acadia National Park in Maine and raised the prospect that e-bikes might one day be allowed to travel the park's iconic carriage roads. Is that a good idea?
For now, the park is blocking the motorized bikes from heading down the carriage roads, which are restricting to muscle-powered cyclists, hikers, and equestrian travelers. But the AP story adds that "new rules are expected in the coming weeks."
“I’m hoping that they’re going to come to reality,” said one of the cyclists interviewed by the AP. “This will get more popular as time goes on.”
Well, there are a lot of popular things out there, but do they all deserve access in the parks? Remember Segways? What about those electric scooters that are all the rage in metropolitan areas? Will they be next to seek access to trails and areas normally off-limits to motorized vehicles?
In Canada, a pilot program is under way to test e-bikes on trails in Jasper National Park.
"There's a lot of places in the national park that are accessible by bike but maybe not to the entire general public due to limitations on fitness, etc.," Marc Vien, sales manager at Jasper Source for Sports, told CBC News. "But those e-bikes allow people to get to those places easily."
Tell us, travelers, how much access in the National Park System should electric bikes have?
Comments
Pedal assist e-bikes should definitely be allowed in national parks, and specifically on the carriage roads of Acadia National Park. Other types of electiric bikes, scooters , motorcycles, etc should continue to be prohibited. Prohibiting pedal assist e-bikes is a form of age discrimination since most e-bike uses are older people who enjoy biking but need the assist that e-bikes provide. Older e-bike users tend to bike at a slower speed than younger people on regular bikes, especially on downhill runs. If safety is a concern, maybe there should be speed restrictions on all kinds of bikes. And forcing e-bikes to use the Acadia Nationl Park Loop road is just an accident waiting to happen. There is already too much congestion on these roads.
Thumbs up!
Just for the handicapped...as in parking. When I was young, we went everywhere on our bikes. I love them, but now I can't lift themy high enough to get them on the support thing. I would love something like this. I take sunset photos every night, but only where I don't have to walk any distances. It is one of my passions. People like me are losing out on beauty...it makes me very sad.
Only electric motors are allowed on the lake I go to. It doesn't spoil the lake, for when I take pictures. I am 76, and can no longer ride bikes or walk for that matter any long distance...which I desperately wish to do.
That sounds ok, but you don't know that. It has been tried elsewhere, and works well. I used to ride horses...they are a lot bigger and faster than electric bikes at times. Besides, when we get old, it is sad we can't even bike. I always thought riding bikes was easier and a lot more fun than walking.
I disagree. An electric bike does no more harm to trails which are open to cyclists than a mountain bike. Similar false assertions were made in my home town of Durango, CO. A year long trial proved them incorrect.
I'm 70, a disabled vet though reasonably able man, ebikes have got me rolling the roads again. Critics of ebikes invariably have little sense as to what the are. They only move when you pedal...their assistance is no different than the 21 gear carbon frame Rolls the 'purists' jet around on...and they are slower particularly when ridden by the older target audience. I suggest the opposition is mostly from younger fit individuals who don't realize they will ever get old...they are wrong on all counts
terrible idea, totally unenforceable, no way that people won't eventually bring faster more powerful e-bikes on to trails. Maybe if you're not fit enough or to old to continue climbing hills and going on long rides maybe it's time to slow down and consider other activities or just do less. Another example of selfishness, the people on these bikes aren't considering the experience of the people around them, only their own.