[SolarBikeCar]

I don’t come into DC. I park in the garage in Tyson’s. The building engineers have been especially kind. For a long time I parked in the car recharging area because it was unused. Eventually a Tesla started using the charger and the owner complained that I made it harder to park. The engineers took it upon themselves to make me a special spot. They told me I deserved an electrical outlet as much as the Tesla and that’s why they didn’t tell me to park elsewhere until they had fixed a new outlet for me to use. Anyway, the garage doesn’t change for parking so what rate to charge never became an issue.

The one time I came into DC there was a protest going on and the streets were closed to motor vehicle traffic but not to bicycles. I had no problem crossing the police lines and there were plenty of parking spots on the empty streets. At home I park it between the two vehicles in my 2 car garage.

[SolarBikeCar]

The bicycle that got me banned from participating in FS (not just banned from using it to log FS miles). This vehicle is great on wind chill days–no face mask needed. Very stable in cross winds but the power requirements go up a lot unless I slow down. I don’t like temps below 20 because of my discomfort with freezing fingers. I haven’t had a chance to try pushing through accumulated snow. This winter i’ve been keeping up with my 100 mi/week commuting schedule. I even got in one 70 mile weekend ride pulling a trailer with a protest sign.

[SolarBikeCar]

@hozn 150863 wrote:

I like freeze points and welcome more charting ideas, especially if they include volunteering to write the necessary queries! .

I have some ideas I’d be willing to express in SQL if you pointed me to a sample dataset.

[SolarBikeCar]

@cvcalhoun 148982 wrote:

The issue of whether an Elf is considered a bicycle under Virginia state law is separate from whether it is allowed on bike trails. See, for example, Falls Church City Code:

Virginia is a Dillon state which means that local jurisdictions cannot have rules that conflict with state law or rules at all unless the state permits them.

State law does not allow local jurisdictions to modify the definition of a bicycle or change motor vehicle laws or define MUPs.

Then again, bringing up outdated Falls Church ordinances is an attempt at diversion since we are talking about Fairfax and Loudoun County unincorporated areas where Falls Church ordinances don’t apply.

[SolarBikeCar]

@Vicegrip 148963 wrote:

You have posted in your webpage that you modified the elf car beyond legal requirements of being g an electric bike. You stated and described how you have bypassed the max speed controls and changed the gearing to increase the top speeds. If you want to argue the law you should also follow it.

The federal government defines an electric assist bicycle for product safety purposes. The states decide on rules for operation of bicycles. The states are permitted to have more lenient definitions of e-bikes than the minimum standard set by the federal government. Virginia permits more power and higher speeds than the federal guidelines for e-bikes. I modified the bike to exceed federal guidelines but remain conforming to Virginia laws. Since Virginia regulates the W&OD, their rules, not the federal government’s apply.

[SolarBikeCar]

@rcannon100 148958 wrote:

A motorized wheelchair would fall under the ADA and has absolutely nothing to do with motorized skateboards or bicycles.

You have a too narrow view of disability if you think the only people covered under ADA are those in wheelchairs. Electric assist bicycles allow people with physical limitations to enjoy the W&OD.

[SolarBikeCar]

@Sunyata 148942 wrote:

Can you please provide the code sections that you reference above?

The Virginia code is pretty clear that electric assist bicycles are regulated like bicycles. The W&OD trail is a multi-use bikeway trail and thus any bicycle (electric assist or not) is permitted to use it.

Virginia defines a shared use path as a bikeway (see 46.2-100.) Implicit in describing it as a bikeway is that bicycles are permitted to use it. Virginia Code defines two types of bicycles: bicycles and electric-assist bicycles. The Virginia Code sections that mentioned bicycles were recently updated to also include electric-assisted bicycles. This indicates a clear legislative intent to lump all bicycles together for regulatory purposes.

In addition to bicycles of all types, shared use paths are to accommodate “pedestrians, skaters, users of wheel chairs or wheel chair conveyances, joggers, and other nonmotorized users.” Careless reading allows the mistaken interpretation that “and other nonmotorized users” phrase as requiring that bicycles, wheel chairs and skaters be nonmotorized.

A more reasoned interpretation is that “other nonmotorized” applies only to vehicles that have not previously been enumerated. Thus electric personal assistive mobility device (e.g. Segways), golf carts, low-speed vehicles, and mopeds are prohibited from trails because they are motorized, but electric wheelchairs and motorized skateboards are permitted even though they are motorized. A four wheel pedal car or a wagon sled pulled by dogs would also be permitted because although not enumerated as permitted vehicles, they are also not motorized.

If the definitions section isn’t clear that all bicycles including electric-assisted models can be operated on a shared use path, the legislature explicitly gives permission in § 46.2-903 and § 46.2-904. Virginia Code also specifically declares that “…any device herein defined as a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped shall be deemed not to be a motor vehicle.” Therefore road signs or regulations that prohibit motorized vehicles on the W&OD are not referring to electric-assist bicycles, motorized wheelchairs or powered skateboards.

Section 46.2-904 does allow local jurisdictions to prohibit the operation of bicycles or skates in a public area that might normally be shared with pedestrians (like a shared use path.) This statute is worded to offer a choice to disallow skates, bicycles or both but does not allow local jurisdictions to prohibit a sub-category of skate or a sub-category of bicycle such as power-assisted ones. Thus local jurisdictions cannot legally enforce signs such as “No eBikes allowed”.

A trail could be converted into a scenic trail and regulated under Virginia Code § 10.1-204 D which restricts traffic on state trails to any combination of “foot, horse, or nonmotorized bicycle use”. Using this law to eliminate electric assisted bicycles on a bike trail would also eliminate many other vehicles such as strollers, skates, wheelchairs, skies, dog sleds, etc.

[SolarBikeCar]

@JimK 148939 wrote:

are motorized vehicles allowed on the w&od?

Electric assist bicycles are regulated exactly like bicycles in Virginia and are specifically allowed on MUPs by law. Motorized skateboards are also permitted as is motorized wheelchairs. All other motor vehicles are prohibited. A gasoline powered bicycle is a motor vehicle and prohibited. An electric assist bicycle is not.

[SolarBikeCar]

This thread was started about a year ago. Since I started using an ELF to commute between Sterling and Tysons on the W&OD and more recently along Route 7 eastbound, I’ve racked up 7,000 miles over a year and a half. Here’s an update on my experience.

Over the summer I started using the Route 7 eastbound “bike” lane after they finished construction between FFX Cnty Parkway and Reston Ave and repaved the badly deteriorating shoulder all the way to Tysons. My inbound commute decreased from 17 to 13 miles and from 52 to 36 minutes which on many days is the same or faster than a car. Most auto drivers are pretty chill about sharing the road when the shoulder is blocked by a deer carcass, trash bins, tire vomit or even a couch. I put on my turn signal and they slow down slightly to make a space for me to cut into the travel lanes and then back onto the shoulder. I still use the W&OD westbound since the Rt 7 shoulder westbound has too many missing shoulder sections and I don’t want to press my luck playing frogger.

Fortunately I’ve not had any incidents. No children, pets, wildlife, pedestrians or cyclists have been injured or killed by my presence on MUPs. Both the police and park staff had many opportunity to challenge my presence on the Virginia trails and have not. I’ve been fortunate not to have any accidents or even any close calls with cars and I’ve had no injuries myself.

For me this works. An ELF allows me to get exercise and commute at the same time. I like it and look forward to my daily commute. Occasionally I’ll pass someone who does a judgy hurump (and this post is sure to spark some of them to comment here, again) but most people seem content (perhaps even happy?) to share the road or trail with an ELF. To those, I say: thanks for being nice to me.

P.S. that wasn’t me on the C&O, that time.

[SolarBikeCar]

The sexist hurtle for men is the cultural assumption that most guys are closet pedophiles who would offend if only given the chance. Women might leave their child for a few moments with a stranger if the stranger was a woman, but never a man.

A group of new parents in our community decided on a neighborhood parents night out where one couple would stay home and babysit while the rest had the night off. One initial stipulation, though, was that the wife would always be home and never let dads alone with the kids. I don’t know what the group would have done with a modern gay couple with children.

[SolarBikeCar]

@Steve O 129725 wrote:

ebike – short for electric bicycle
bicycle – created from bi, meaning 2, and cycle from the Greek kyklos, meaning wheel

Repeat: bi – meaning 2

How about a rule that requires your “bicycle” to have 2 (+/- 1) wheels. That will allow unicycles and those weird, 3-wheeled recumbent thingies.

Or maybe even 3-wheelers shouldn’t count. After all, part of the adventure of Freezing Saddles is the whole trying-to-stay-upright challenge presented by inclement trail conditions. I doubt the ELF has ever gone done on the Lyon Village switchback because of wet leaves. Or has to even slow down on the Trollheim, other than to navigate the corner.

So my proposal is your “bicycle” must have 2 wheels or fewer to count for miles in BAFS. dasgeh, you’re in. ELFman, you’re out.

The efforts people will go to feed bigotry. … Oh snap, Steve, the ELF has 3 wheels so your attempt to justify targeted exclusion fails. So sad. Really sad.
What a great first hand illustration of what woman and African Americans experienced trying to play golf at a country club.

[SolarBikeCar]

Obviously most of you have never seen an ELF or you wouldn’t make silly comments claiming it is enclosed. You might get away with claiming it is partially enclosed much like a carport is partially enclosed. Still a carport is hardly a heated garage.

If this is serious athletic competition will there be drug testing? If not, how do you prevent doping. If competitors get a Starbucks enroute that should disqualify, right?

I figured if my presence generates such visceral contempt it would be a good motivator. It got Rod all pumped up for his epic. The prizes are “pointless” so I couldn’t care less, but putting rubber on the [snowy] road while you all bicker about who’s in and who’s out is priceless.

-enjoy

[SolarBikeCar]

The survey, the discussion…. Just too funny. Hilarious. I can’t stop laughing and take this vote seriously.

[SolarBikeCar]

@PotomacCyclist 128587 wrote:

Plus there’s the fact that he called in the racist attack dog on this thread. Great way to foster good will.

I have no idea who the troll is but I suspected it was one of my opponents who was frustrated with the inability to make a compelling legal case for banning an ELF on a MUP, upset that the park manager wasn’t issuing a trespass notice, and upset that social media shaming wasn’t making me hide. I figured the troll was a last ditch effort to label me as crazy by pretending to be an ELF supporter and then saying inflammatory stuff to tar me via association; I was ignoring it. Seriously, these techniques are straight out of Mean Girls. Shameful examples of cyber stalking and cyber bullying!

[SolarBikeCar]

I thought this conversation was over. I was enjoying work and driving the trail in the cold and wind and left this thread so others could bicker about politics and play Poe troll games.

However there is one canard that keeps popping up that needs to be addressed before I go: The falsehood that park management has banned the ELF from the W&OD trail.

In July Park maintenance did stop me to say that motorized vehicles were not allowed. I appealed to the Park Manager to correct his false assumption that the ELF is a moped instead of an electric-assist bicycle. Since then many times I have pedaled slowly past the same Park Maintenance guys in defiance and each time they declined to again remind me of the “no motorized vehicle” rule. A month later a safety patrol cyclist did stop me to tell me that I was the subject of debate about my use of a MUP but the conclusion was that I was a legal user. His “friendly” suggestion was that I slow down in the more crowded portions of the trail but otherwise enjoy it and I could “open it up” on the empty sections between Vienna and Reston because the 15 mph speed limit of years ago was repealed (for better or worse).

[Author]

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