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Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

theguardian.com

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Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#61

Post by lmm »

Loughla wrote: post #45
piafraus wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you can't actually pedal this thing... sort of foundational to the concept "bicycle". Interesting. Just wondering - what does "pedal" mean to you. Explicitly spinning and explicitly with feets? Are any of those not considered bicycles to you? -Elliptical bicycle -Treadmill bicycle -Handcycle

The first two don't go anywhere and therefore aren't a problem. The third is just a variation of bicycle. What is your point here?

> The first two don't go anywhere

They're probably talking about e.g. an elliptigo, which does go somewhere. Although I can't imagine it ever making sense to motorise one.

Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#63

Post by cqqxo4zV46cp »

cryptica wrote: post #35
gentile wrote: post #8

A license isn't needed for an electric bicycle. The law states that it is classified as an electric bicycle if it is only pedal assist and only up to 24kph (15mph). The issue arises when either there are no pedals, or it can be operated without using pedals, like these suitcases. Electric only operation moves the classification to a scooter, thus license needed. https://archive.ph/Fw5lX https://www.keishicho.metro.to…

Such a bad regulations. Rideable luggage actually seems reasonably innovative. It sucks how the government often gets in the way of meaningful improvements. Feels like we are really headed for dark ages.

No. This is your presumably tech-informed “any regulation that gets in the way of my passing intuition of what’s good is TERRIBLE!” Have you been in a city as dense as (parts of) Japan with completely unregulated use of vehicles like this? It gets quite bad quite quickly. I say this as someone that uses an electric scooter regularly. It’s quite easy for there to be a high enough concentration of idiots doing the wrong thing that it’s not worth it overall. Putting some rules around use is just the intuitive reaction to this, learned by countless jurisdictions worldwide.

Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#65

Post by samatman »

mikepurvis wrote: post #42
bilsbie wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does it work for bicycles?

You don’t ride your bicycle through an airport terminal?

I have actually, several times.

I own a Brompton, which fits through the baggage X-ray and can be checked like a stroller at the gate. I've flown with it more than 12 times, and you had better believe I've ridden it in the terminal

I only do this during late arrivals when the airport is almost empty, travel at a reasonable speed, and otherwise conduct myself like a civilized human being. On a bike. In the airport. It's great actually.

Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#66

Post by erickhill »

lmm wrote: post #60
bilsbie wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does it work for bicycles?

Bicycles are known and understood by the people you're sharing spaces with; there are rules for where they're allowed and where they're not allowed and how they have to behave. The Japanese laws essentially allow ebikes that mimic bikes very closely to be used as bikes; otherwise you have to follow the rules for a scooter/moped (which is, after all, what you are).

I wish more places were like this.

I'll be riding my bike in a designated a bike lane (which is sometimes shared with pedestrians, dogs, etc.) with clearly marked speed limit signs of 15mph. That's plenty fast in general, but even more so in busy spots. And suddenly a near-silent e-bike will go flying past me (no "On your left," by the way) at speeds close to 30mph. Happens all of the time and is bafflingly reckless and arrogant.

The way folks ride class 3 e-bikes they really should be treated as mopeds: put them on the roads like other motorized vehicles and licensed and (hopefully) forced to obey the rules of the road. Just my opinion, but they seem to break the spirit of being in the bike lane. The touristy day-cruiser eBikes like Lime bikes are fine.

Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#67

Post by codetrotter »

janstice wrote: post #52
recursive wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see a lot of scooters around here with vestigial compliance pedals, mostly driven by gig delivery drivers. The form factor looks more like a moped. No one would ever use those pedals. Clearly they're there to skirt some kind of regulation. I'm not sure what the fix is, but "able to pedaled" is kind of a ridiculous compromise.

In 60s/70s France 14 year olds could ride motorised bicycles, so Vespa sold a Pedalo - a regular (but lower-powered I think) Vespa scooter with pedals as well as 2-stroke engine - you had to put the engine in neutral to pedal (I bet not many 14 year olds did this).

Here’s a picture of that Vespa with pedals for anyone else interested in seeing it: https://www.museopiaggio.it/en/models/1-vespa/25-50-pedali-v...

Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#68

Post by throwaway2037 »

nradov wrote: post #57
gentile wrote: post #8

A license isn't needed for an electric bicycle. The law states that it is classified as an electric bicycle if it is only pedal assist and only up to 24kph (15mph). The issue arises when either there are no pedals, or it can be operated without using pedals, like these suitcases. Electric only operation moves the classification to a scooter, thus license needed. https://archive.ph/Fw5lX https://www.keishicho.metro.to…

In China some able-bodied people have started riding electric wheelchairs to get around licensing and usage laws restricting scooters. Some of the wheelchairs are pretty quick now, basically the same drivetrain in a different package.

I tried to Google about this but I could not find anything. Can you share a source?

Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#69

Post by Dylan16807 »

cqqxo4zV46cp wrote: post #63
cryptica wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such a bad regulations. Rideable luggage actually seems reasonably innovative. It sucks how the government often gets in the way of meaningful improvements. Feels like we are really headed for dark ages.

No. This is your presumably tech-informed “any regulation that gets in the way of my passing intuition of what’s good is TERRIBLE!” Have you been in a city as dense as (parts of) Japan with completely unregulated use of vehicles like this? It gets quite bad quite quickly. I say this as someone that uses an electric scooter regularly. It’s quite easy for there to be a high enough concentration of idiots doing the wron…

"Does it need regulation?" and "Should it need more licensing than an electric bicycle?" are two entirely separate questions, and I agree that answering "yes" to the latter seems wrong.

Re: Japan cracks down on use of rideable electric suitcases amid tourist boom

#70

Post by throwaway2037 »

gentile wrote: post #8

A license isn't needed for an electric bicycle. The law states that it is classified as an electric bicycle if it is only pedal assist and only up to 24kph (15mph). The issue arises when either there are no pedals, or it can be operated without using pedals, like these suitcases. Electric only operation moves the classification to a scooter, thus license needed. https://archive.ph/Fw5lX https://www.keishicho.metro.to…

How does Loop work? They are rental electric scooters.
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