3. Figuring out where \u201cpowered two-wheelers\u201d start on the transportation mix.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the wave of \u201cmicro-mobility\u201d washes over the landscape, it has brought fresh challenges to safety and the idea of personal mobility. The provincial government describes a \u201cMicromobility device\u201d as a zero-emission personal mobility device such as an e-scooter, typically designed to transport one person. This class of vehicle is not currently authorized to be used on streets and sidewalks. Part of this discussion tends to include powered assisted bicycles, which have a whole new risk factor, especially since the introduction of new behemoth models.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Police have cited the micro mobility class of products as a new tool in the arsenal of criminals. Often unlicensed, unregistered, no licence required and not bought from a licensed motor dealer. It\u2019s ideal for the nefarious. An additional challenge is staying ahead of the product curve. Google \u201cFat Bike\u201d; certainly a vehicle of significant mass and potential speed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This discussion asks at what point do you have a powered motor vehicle and thus be required to be trained in its operation, licensed, insured and purchased from a recognized motor dealer? It\u2019s a logical assumption to expect a percentage those starting with micro mobility products will move up to more robust two-wheel products.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Message to governments \u2013 engage the motorcycle industry. They build these products and it\u2019s in their interest \u00a0to comply. They follow the rules, regulations, and they (and their dealers) pay the fees and taxes to do so.\u00a0 Do not incentivize new unregulated transportation modes at their expense. A level playing field is needed for everyone\u2019s safety.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
I\u2019ll close with the elephant in the room on getting motorcycles accepted as transportation \u2013 riders. It might be best expressed up by the butchered expression, \u201cWe have seen the enemy and they are us.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In North America, motorcycling has always been very much a recreational pursuit. The global view that motorcycles are a recognized form of transportation is rather new. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Selling motorcycles as mostly a recreational experience tends to sell form over function; you sell the experience and less the destination. Think of Steppenwolf\u2019s \u201cBorn To Be Wild\u201d. Much of this is also playing into the notion that you get to be badass riding a motorcycle. Motorcycle advertising has generally reinforced the image you are buying. (Tip of the hat of course, to Honda\u2019s legendary \u201cYou meet the nicest people on a Honda\u201d. Look what that did to sales.) The proliferation of super powered sport bike models was to appeal to the badass wannabea track stars. As a result, many riders became self-centred, and why not. Advertising supported that view.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
You don\u2019t have to look very far to see how too often this lifestyle selling has often affected riding habits and negative perception of motorcycles by regulatory bodies. Social media posts showing flatdeck trucks full of impounded motorcycles on the Sea to Sky highway are evidence of the problem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The rider image has arguably been a stumbling block in welcoming motorcycles into the transportation planning process. Riders have (again arguably) too often been their own worst enemy. Not all, but too many.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
You are unlikely to change views or habits of the traditional recreational rider. You can leave them as is. They will make out okay. They will buy the big performance machines. Their reasons for riding are not transportation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
However, if policy makers took a \u201cMotorcycling Done Right\u201d thinking to a new generation, it could work. They are a group that may be looking for options to public transit, but still want to be part of the transportation solution. These riders are less likely to engage in risky behaviour; using them instead more for mobility and economical transportation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
They enjoy the riding exhilaration as much as the recreational rider, but they understand it\u2019s a new world. It\u2019s important to note that traditional riders can easily come over to a new way of thinking.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
They are willing to (and want to) get professional training, wear the right gear, pick the right class of motorcycle, have legal mufflers, and generally follow the rules of the road. When they do all that, their risk percentage drops to single digits. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Incentivising this way of thinking is where the regulatory policy conversation should start.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Why it\u2019s a struggle to get motorcycles recognized as transportation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[8,21,20],"class_list":["post-742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-commute","tag-ridetowork","tag-transportation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=742"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/motorcyclesok.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}