Green v. Safety
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by: margaret
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Word Count: 312
Just as we see usable electric cars (high end and not-as-high end) on the market or at least on their way, we see also electric motorcycles. While most agree that "going green" is good, are there safety issues inherent to this shift when it applies to bikes?
Yesterday's news contained a story about an electric bike manufacturer in Silicon Valley, named Zero Motorcycles. They build and sell electric bikes--bikes that are so light that they can be purchased on the internet and shipped to the consumer's house, just like the "smart car." Due to their light weight, these bikes are said to operate at very high speeds, and with less noise, and no emissions of course. The no-emissions feature is great, but what about the other features?
Higher speeds mean that losing control is easier and that crashes will have more severe consequences. Of course, speed is determined by the law, and by the driver. But with less noice, the realization of excessive speed will be delayed or nullified. Furthermore, quieter bikes might be less noticeble on the road, though gasoline-powered bikes are rarely heard by car drivers until the bike and car are laterally aligned.
So how do we avoid turning an eco-friendly development into a series of death traps? Perhaps if someone has had speeding violations in the past they should be restricted in their purchases of electric bikes. Of course that merely accounts for those who have been caught speeding; drivers who speed and don't get caught would still be a risk that could not be easily measured. Perhaps the best way to educate consumers is to mandate safety courses and tests. While those may not be convenient, anyone who has witnessed a motorcycle accident, even just by hearing or reading about it in the news, would be hard-pressed to eny the importance of motorcycle safety.
About the Author
Margaret is a writer for ERUNIX, Inc.
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