B.C. unicyclists hit with pricey tickets
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- čas přidán 16. 07. 2023
- Electric unicycles are becoming a popular form of transportation in B.C. But as Joel Ballard reports, with a lack of regulation, riders have found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
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Welcome to Vancouver, feel free to do drugs, sell drugs, launder money... but don't you dare ride an electric unicycle.
In other words…. Welcome to a liberal city.
@@crosisofborg5524 While I agree that being too liberal is a serious problem here I guarantee if we were conservative they would have banned escooters and e-unicycles right from the get go.
That’s also against the law😂 holy smokes
100% lol
@@littleripper312as conservatives like less regulation your logic is so very broken
I guess it's a lot safer to go after a geek on a unicycle than a real criminal.
until they start fleeing down alley ways... if its really that easily maneuverable then surely they can just escape the cops
@@notexpatjoe We are actually having a police shortage problem. Cops are leaving or retiring far faster then they can be hired.
@@bmxscape You can't evade a radio...
@@bmxscape Unless the cops are also on unicycles? That I would actually pay to see.
@@Plasmastorm73_n5evv u gotta think quick man, dip down an alley and the cop car will drive around the block. during that time u backtrack through the ally and go somewhere else. aint no backup coming in 8 seconds
Over here in The Netherlands at least the laws are clear. These things are considered mopeds under the law and that means they have to meet all of the requirements that a moped has to meet. If they do, the importer or manufacturer can apply for a type rating for it to be allowed on the road.
The thing is, these things don't and can't meet the requirements as set in the law. This is mostly related to the brakes, so there is a legitimate safety concern at the root of it. Most of the other requirements can be bypassed on technicalities if a manufacturer really wanted to.
But as it stands, over here it's a moped, so it must have a plate and be insured and you're required to have an AM-class license to ride it. But because of the brake requirements, it can't get a plate. And because it has no plate, it can't be insured. And thus it isn't allowed off private property.
The state I live in has them labeled as mopeds too. Also must be insured and licenced. The law was changed cuz of the rental skooters that the city has.
That's a bit silly. They should just treat it like a bicycle, except you just need insurance ($80-$100/year).
@@happydappyman in order for it to be a bicycle it has to have pedals and the electric motor can only be pedal assist.
These things do not have pedals and thus can't have pedal assist. That makes them mopeds.
Mind you this law was put in place during the heyday of the OG Segway. So it's not like manufacturers weren't aware of these rules for going on 2 decades. They just chose not to go that route.
@@fermitupoupon1754 yep, and I'm saying those standards are dumb. There are countries in Europe where they do exactly what I explained in my last post and have been doing so for 5 years. Makes a lot more sense than a bunch of arbitrary pedal assist nonsense.
@@happydappyman I know they have been and I think they're inviting more trouble than it's worth.
I've had to deal with trying to recoup 650 euro in damages from a kid on a Xiaomi e-scooter when he ran into my motorcycle and bent my exhaust.
Have you any idea what kind of hassle it is to sue the parents of a 13 year old? Especially if that 13 year old managed to put himself in hospital at the same time. Kid was wearing noise cancelling earpods and riding an illegal, uninsured vehicle, without a license.
Same with a guy on an OG Segway who put me in hospital after colliding with me in a mall, and then he took off.
Liability is probably handled differently in other countries, but from my point of view, they're mopeds and should be treated as such. Even if only to make dealing with the liability in an accident easier. Not to mention tracking down an offender.
Any court update on this? ie. were the ticket/s upheld or dismissed?
As far as I know, they were dismissed. However, this hasn’t stopped the tickets, or the police behaviour towards them. It’s honestly super disheartening, because many people are back in their cars and refusing to ride due to the stress of harassment.
People still need to take time to go to court and fight the tickets. This is tyranny mixed with incompetence at the local government level.
Get these people out of office.
Judges should have the right to redirect proven false fines to the writer of the ticket.
Make them accountable for their actions.
@@GEX-_- Good luck with that
That sucks, just another excuse to rob people for more money
God forbid we decrease traffic congestion and pollution 😵💫
You can only blame automotive companies for lobbying to keep people inside cars.
Just like Ads ! There is money in ads but NO money in stopping them😅 Tuff world we live in! And just to be sure if you think for a second your going to be able to go 45km an hours with no gas with out paying them some how? 😂 ITS THEIR JOB TO TAX YOU Hahahah are you lost ? This is not a new thing! They HAVE to tax everything people do! It’s the whole point of capitalism and government
@@GlennSweden1 But hate the competitions making more than them.
that's fine so long as he has insurance on that unicycle🤣
You aren’t though.
Here in Germany, penalties start at a full monthly wage gross and go as far as imprisonment. Driving an environmentally friendly small electric vehicle is punished more severely than the hundred-thousandfold fraud of the former Audi boss. Politicians from all parties have already announced that they do not want to change anything, the competition for the domestic car industry would probably be too big. E-scooter drivers faced similar penalties until the EU regulated e-scooters and forced Germany to legalize them. This leads to such absurd situations as in Austria, where driving a rental scooter that is lying around everywhere actually violates national law.
Not the worst thing German authorities have done
but they put up no highway speed limits
@@mr_brass_monkey The car is the sacred cow of the Germans. Here you can even drive drunk, kill a person and still become transport minister.
That’s very backwards. I live in New York City where a lot of people ride these. Nobody gets a ticket even though they’re technically not legal. They’ve just decided to not enforce the law against these.
Wow. Here in Sweden we can still ride them as bikes.
The city is mad that less people are driving cars. It means less revenue via traffic tickets and parking fines, so they gotta go after easy targets to punish them. "How DARE you use an electric unicycle? So you can potentially break less laws? Unacceptable"
My city has introduced a new law requiring insurance and a moped license. Any gas/electric vehicle (even E-Bikes) that have the ability to go over 20MPH and must be 16 or older. 16 and under is 20mph max and do not require permit or insurance. I see this reg coming to more cities.
How does that apply to nonresident travelers going through your town.
Where I am no license is required and a moped license is just a drivers license.
You say anything over 20 mph but the rules are 20 under its own power and class 3 can go 28 if helped but only 20 if you don't pedal.
Sounds like the law doesn't effect legal e-bikes at all.
A nearby town requires registration of e-bikes but I can ride through without needing to get registered because I live outside their jurisdiction.
They can't prohibit people from riding through or require every traveling rider to register.
I think that's completely ridiculous honestly. I'm disabled and I cannot drive, but I can absolutely use an e-bike. Since I can't get my license that rule would prevent me from using an e-bike that I have full capability of using. That's ableist and I'd take them to court frankly.
It's the same thing for electronic longboards as well. You apparently need insurance for you to ride them, but you literally can't get insurance for them because they aren't classified as vehicles.
then stop driving them. If you do get into an accident your insurance won't pay anything. is that really worth the risk?
They literally have scooters to rent
Lime and bird. What type of crud is this lol.
@@Theodrehad spoken like an old fart. Yes it is worth it, because they're fun to ride. Your argument is the same as "why do motorcycles exist, if there's a bigger risk of bodily harm when riding them?" Or "why go swimming if there's a risk of drowning? Is it even worth it?"
Or better yet "why fly in a plane? They can crash y'know.."
do we need insurance to ride a bike now too? they are just making up BS charges. You dont need insurance to ride a bike, or be on a skateboard, but as soon as you put a battery on it, and an electric motor its an issue? Old portable cd players and walkmans had batteries and motors. do we need to get insurance for those too now? I have a pen that makes squiggly lines that has a motor and battery in it. Do I need to get insurance to use that now too?
what they are saying makes no sense. You can ride as big of a bike as you want. It can weigh 500 lbs. But if you put a 2 lb motor in a 5 lb bike, well now you need insurance.... makes total sense.
@@trumpisthemessiah7017 exactly, next we'll need insurance to walk down the street or breath the 1%'s oxygen
Who does riding a Unicycle hurt?
What logical reason is there to give a $600 ticket other than attempting to steal money?
i wonder whether it'd count as a bicycle if you attached a rollerskate wheel on the seat
@@markifi It's so nutty that we even have to think of doing stuff like that. These are literally the same as ebikes and escooters. What is wrong with this city. We have a massive traffic problem as well as a poverty problem and riding stuff like this helps with both of those things. Yet Vancouver hates cyclists and wants us to all drive cars.
@@markifi See, now someone with an actual brain is thinking instead of whining about the "man"
@@everydaytenor8862 "highway speeds" lol, these things don't even go close to highway speeds... lmao, but okay....
Next thing you know they will fine you for suicide,
“ you can’t even get insurance on these things ” his reasoning is hilarious 😂
its called "personal liability insurance" or "Umbrella Insurance".
So you think you should only be able to ride on private property? Either you're not a fan of freedom or you're so small minded you don't understand the value of freedom. I feel really sorry for you. Maybe someone has to infringe on something you love for your self involved mentality to even begin to understand something so basic.
@@sidvicious332 if you can't get a vehicle insured, it can't be on the road.
Being ignorant of a law is no excuse to break a law. "I didn't know" is not a valid defense.
@@sidvicious332If he gets into an accident, who's liable for the repairs, the other guy?
what? 600$ for no insurance? holy cow
In my city in the U.S. we can ride anything gas powered or electric in the streets without insurance or a license as long as it doesn't exceed 25mph at full throttle. However, they are not permitted to be on the expressway, freeway or interstate.
Hell yea. Canada is f*cked up. This super troopers 2 😂
@@TotallyNotBrandon lmao yes it does
@@TotallyNotBrandon forward and rear facing cameras keep the white folks in line.
@@user-co6ww2cm9kNo it doesn’t. Americans don’t share the road with bikes, and don’t share the road with mopeds, even. Half of them are simply confused, and the other half is driven by misdirected anger. It’s a bummer, but that’s how it is.
Sounds very reasonable to me.
Mobility devices like these should be legalized and treated the same as bikes and e-scooters.
And they should be insured, just like all bicycles
@@OptionalZeroI think the real threat here is cars.
Especially this EV should be insured. It is very risky for pedestrians, which is much more dangerous on the road, too, because of its high speed & single wheel design.
@@OptionalZero No true a all!
@@OptionalZeroe-bikes are already legal and go just as fast, take up more room on the road.
With fines from $2k -$10k for off leash dogs in parks, play grounds, tennis and basketball courts. You would think the city would direct their attention to that and help keep small children safe.
Those are ridiculous fines.
@@sb3424yes, but doesnt seem to deter.
@@sb3424yes, but the fine amount doesn't seem to be a deterrent at all. Guess the people are to rich to care
@sb3424 True, but they are not working 😂 those crazy rich.... Oh well
It should not be a controversy as to whether a vehicle is legal to operate on pubic roadways and what restrictions apply to that vehicle. A ticket for not having required insurance does not lose its enforceability if insurance cannot be obtained as required. The argument that an operator cannot afford insurance and therefor is exempt from having the required coverage does not excuse and the availability of such insurance is likewise not an exemption. The law likely provides for 'self insurance' in which the operator must put up money in escrow to be held by the state against the need for coverage of at fault liabilities.
In France monowheels have been recognized by law as an authorized vehicle since July 2019, they have the right to circulate on the streets, cycle paths, and roads whose speed limit does not exceed 70km/h for cars. They have designed the same regulations for all means of electric micro-mobility (EDPM).
We have the obligation to insure them against damage to other people and property, this costs between 30 and 100€ per year depending on the insurance companies.
That sounds ideal - any tips on how that got done, and so relatively early too? Maybe I should move to France ... California is also somewhat progressive, BC is trying, and the e-scooter trial was a decent step in the right direction, I just don't understand why it excluded e-wheels and e-skate.
How much liability does that EUR30-100 insurance get you? Any other limits to the devices? EUCs can be safely speed limited, but it is dangerous to limit thier wattage, as they need that to stay balanced - needs a very high torque motor to briefly spike in juice when you hit a pothole.
@@brushlessmotoring , Collectives of users and representatives of stores campaigned together for the monowheel to be recognized in the law which was being prepared to regulate electric mobility (bicycles, scooters, draysiennes, monowheel, etc.), they went to meetings to explain this mode of transport and show the interest of including it in mobility (low CO2 emissions, no noise, no parking, and good intermodality with public transport), it took a few years.
In France monowheels are not limited in power, but in speed: by law they must be "materially" limited to 25km/h, except that in practice no wheel is (software restriction only, and nobody 'enabled). The police do almost no checks, except in the streets of Paris where a very large number of bicycles and EDPM cohabit on the cycle paths (in the center of the city there are often more bicycles than cars now), they visually check that the monowheels do not go too fast compared to the bicycles (30-35km/h, still passes, but beyond that they verbalize and can even confiscate the material). They have also begun to control insurance. Insurance at €30/year covers damage caused to third parties (persons and equipment/vehicles) but does not cover any damage to oneself and the wheel. For 100€/year there is insurance which also covers the pilot and his wheel.
@@brushlessmotoring In France you can literally buy cars that can be driven without a license, they have the top speed of a golf cart but they look like a very compact car. On the other hand, Paris banned all those rental e-scooters and e-bicycle companies from operating because they were being a nuisance and causing property damage which would go unpaid.
Great
@@PURENT No, only free floating e-scooters that were causing real problems and because operators were not implementing the features asked by the city hall fast enough and well enough.
The free floating e-bikes were not affected and remain available.
They've even asked the companies to beef up their fleets in preparation for the Olympics.
In Austria I had a friend pulled over on 5000w scooter (that was permanently limited to 25kmh and around 500w by him) officer pulled him over while doing 25km/h, read it says 5000w on the motors, said it's an actual motorcycle, not even a moped, proceed to give him 11 tickets in total costing 1100euro ($1300): no insurance, no registration, no motorcycle license , no horn, no blinkers, no low/high beam etc. Insane country and officers
FYI folks, by ticketing, the police hasten the laws to address these modes of transportation. Better than having an unregulated form of transportation which remains undecided which laws apply to it. Injuries including death will occur to riders and to other people. An electric unicycle is bound by the laws of physics and due to its design will exhibit unique differences for collision avoidance. Example, what is the average stopping distance a 180 pound person traveling at 40 kph?
Kind of reminds me of how, for decades, skateboarding was illegal on the road and sidewalk. Legally you could only do it on private property or at a public skatepark. It was a $25 ticket iirc from its inception in the 90’s, up until it was finally repealed around 2016 or so.
You get it.
Should be enough to have personal liability insurance, not specific "EUC" insurance.
Exactly.
I got insurance on mine no issues for liability
Exactly! But this is not what their corporate masters are thinking... You can't make money on useless insurance if you are not selling it to the fools.
thats just a made up charge since its not actually illegal, so they cant charge you with what they said... They are dishonestly and probably illegally abusing a technicality. Weird how the cops break the law so much...
@@eucmike you mean you got insurance on the device? Or you got yourself insured while riding it? Cuz the former just means if you break it they will fix it. thats not what the law requires...
17,000km of riding for me so far. Best way to get around.
I got one a few weeks ago. Still learning...
@@bigglyguy8429Keep at it, happy riding!
@@leetNightshade Cheers! I only get to ride on Sunday mornings. Am still at the stage of holding my wife's elbow, but this Sunday I shall do one length of the little car park holding on, then I'm determined to let go and learn by doing it! Worst injury so far, a bent-back finger that's still a bit tender now. Wrist protector helped my wrist, not my finga! I'm 100% confident I shall be riding around a bit next Sunday *crosses fingers
Amazing! How many years is that?
@@001sander2 I’m halfway through my 3rd year of riding. I basically replace my car 8 months of year, and just use a backpack as my trunk :)
Electric unicycles have a trolly handle, it’s like a suitcase handle that pops up which is completely unique to electric unicycle’s. It makes them insanely practical to take shopping.
In Toronto You can ride it. But Only in Bike lanes if you are not on a bike lane or if you ride on a sidewalk you will be ticketed.
Maybe if more discussions are needed THEN DON'T FINE PEOPLE IN THE MEANTIME? What utter BS.
Riding a unicycle on sidewalk is pretty tricky at extremely low speeds. It requires much more balance and control. So sidewalk use is not ideal and not safe around slow moving pedestrians.
And yet. the electric ones are self-balancing unlike the pedal juggling-clown ones that are legal.
Law makers need to start paying attention to the emergance of these technologies and provide people with options. It's clear that they want to reduce cars/ICE vehicles, but haven't considered any alternatives or explored the emerging technologies out there.
In the same way that not everyone wants to drive a 4 door sedan, not everyone wants to ride a bicycle.
They all wants us to ride buses and boring bicycles, and keep paying our taxes until we are spent. None of the ones in power use anything but their luxury cars of course, so even if they wanted to reduce pollution they wouldn't be able to see the forest for all the trees.
It is not so clear.
You must understand that the Canadian government is one hundred % corrupted and doesn't give a damn about Canadians. The only interest they care for is the interest of their corporate masters, who actually put them to the government in the first place.
The only thing that corporations care about is PROFIT, and they don't sell EUC, EUC is a small industry, so they need to make money otherwise, for example by forcing you to buy their useless insurance, so you'll have monthly payments, practically you'll become their permanent slave for the rest of your life. Just like they already did with car owners.
You all have medical insurance by default in Canada, you have public health care, so where did the need for insurance come from?
they are in the pockets of big oil, and the car manufacturers.
And insurance would be nice to have. I have it on my ebike and escooter and it just gives me a little piece of mind. It's really cheap also. If they are really worried they could also just require a license plate on all electric vehicles. Might help with theft a little if they did.
As a voter it's up to you to bring it up at the city meeting.
They will not know about it if no one brings it up
I think those things are as cool as can be and thought about getting one myself but I saw a dude weaving through traffic the other day and thought to myself that it's only a matter of time before they crack down on those things.
Then get one and demonstrate to the public that we are a respectable bunch :)
@gabinator1177 I don't have a spare $600 sitting around.
@@TheRaferaf Me neither, and because the tickets don’t get held up in court, I didn’t have to pay mine.
Also since December, the 3 cops (that’s right, there’s only 3 of em) that give out tickets have only been giving out warnings.
An unregulated vehicle means that the state chooses not to regulate it. It's like requiring registration for horses. He should have fought those tickets and then sued the cop in private arbitration.
Build the infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and cars in separate lanes!!!
Theres countries that parents let their kids take their bike to school cause they know their path will never cross an intersection with cars.
here in the U S OF America I rode a 10-speed to school all through my time in high-school. In one of the biggest metropolitan city clusters in the South West. No bike lanes, Right lane of traffic, and side walks. That high-school serviced a 3 - 5 mile radius of 14 to 18 yr olds most of whom rode bicycles. Hardly ever had an accident and we mobbed the roads.
I would never drive my kids to school. I don't have a car
American cities are built around car travel and I doubt it will ever change.
mobb the roads respectfully and safe brother make sure we can continue to have fun and freedom@@daniellow426
Problem is a lot of the electric unicycles and ebikes sold today can easily go as fast as city traffic, over 60km/hr, too fast for bike lanes shared with little kids riding with their parents. So maybe they need to look at license and insurance for them if capable of a certain speed.
I used to ride one of these. Was cruising on my way to school going 18mph. It went limp on me and I had to hop off. I tried to run into the momentum but it was too much and I fell forward and broke my shoulder. Glad to see these guys wearing a helmet and gear. I wasn't wearing anything. I could have been killed or disabled. Never again.
Was this an EUC or a OneWheel? Which EUC was it?
@@brushlessmotoring Solowheel Glide 3 (formerly the InMotion V8)
@@ThatOneScienceGuy that sucks - I’m sorry that happened, I have an older V8F and it’s never cut out, but I have overpowered it on hills. I bent the axle on it, they are strong now though. I also have the V10F and V12 HS with several thousand km on them, I do gear up, but I’ve not had problems yet. Take care man. Hope you fully recover.
That thing's ancient though, and I highly doubt a solowheel of an early gen could go 18 safely. They are so much more improved.
Thankfully, the newer electric unicycles on the market are much more safe than those old ones. They have wider tires, suspension, better controllers, better mosfets, better hall sensors, better rims, better motors, better batteries, etc.
Its likely that your inmotion v8 cut out because you pushed it to its maximum speed and because the v8 only had a 1000watt motor.
I would still recommend wearing safety gear when traveling faster than 15mph just to be safe. Motorcycle gear works the best.
Requiring insurance on these wheels is pretty ridiculous in my opinion.
As a Seattle rider, this definitely puts a damper on my interest to visit Vancouver.
One would think the crime, open drug use, and ndp would be bigger reasons not to visit.
@@zzz7zzz9 we have all that in seattle too, and i can easily outrun it on my electric unicycle.
#1 stop telling police that you're carrying ID when you're not driving
Why the concern with EUCs having no insurance, and yet both e-bikes and e-scooters don't need it. Plus, the cops never seemed to do anything about the cyclists on non-motorized bikes that go screaming down the streets with barely any regard for safety.
safety=money
You need insurance for eBikes if they are over 500W according to ICBC. These EUC can go up to 4500W, most models are way above 500W.
The bicycle lobby was able to force some laws through that protected cyclists and let them do what the want.
@@lIIustration we can speed limit EUCs in software, but it’s important not to power limit them - the need that 2000W not to go fast, but to stay upright when you hit a pothole - that needs a sudden blip of power to pull you out of the hole and then it immediately reduced the power again - it modulates the power thousands of times a second to stay balanced.
You do need it for ebikes. My ebike is 500watts and goes 32kpr max so it doesn't but if it's above that it's officially a limited speed motorcycle. The problem with the EUC's is they aren't offering them insurance like they do for ebikes.
If a cop gives a ticket for something they just made up because they're uneducated, or power tripping, or falsely inflating quotas, they should have to pay the fine out of their personal salary. Their department should pay court costs + lawyer fees + extra $ to the ticketed person for wasting their time/missed.
If he or she thinks their department misinformed them/poor training, they can pay it.
Laws should be logical and clear for everyone.
That Eevees store is awesome! Such great customer service, like in the good old days. They were really helpful in getting some work done on my onewheel.
I really love Vancouver, and over many years have considered living there. What has prevented me from making this move is the endless list of annoyances that collectively make Vancouver unattractive. Of course, the flakiness of the Vancouver and BC governments contribute in other ways to make the city cool, but it's not enough to counter the negative.
Thats completely outrageous
Is it really? Look at the laws around E machines 😂 You may not use a privately owned device ! Only lime and other Legal companies can … Also we have brake levers that won us the battle in court … YOU GUYS HAVE NO BRAKES 😂 I CANT 😂
not in Vancouver, it's legal to ride e-bikes@@zometthecomet
There's one rider of the Unicycle that rips along at what must be 40kmh at least.
They are wearing a helmet, but I fear for the safety of other people due to the fact this person rides so fast.
My concern is that safe stopping distance for them may be more than they think; I just want to see them not have any accidents with bicycles, scooters, or anyone else using alternative transportation.
Mind your own business. As long as no one is harmed, there's no need for you to worry about something that hasn't happened.
@@brutusmaximus5380 Ok.
Thank you for your comment, I wish you health and happiness all your days.
So they do not skid. Otherwise they would fall over. This means it’s like built in ABS but better. So the stopping distance is incredible. They are just a person standing so very small and super nimble. If you see a guy ripping assume he’s the same guy doing 150km on a motorcycle. In control and experienced stay where you are they will move around you.
About time.....we as drivers have no coverage if they smash into our vehicles.
Actually you do. What coverage do you have if a bicycle, a stone or anything hard object slams into cars? Talk to your ins agent to get educated
Alternative modes of transportation are everywhere in Asia. Definitely takes a huge burden off road congestion for densely populated areas. That's why Canada can't move forward. They complain about congestion, but combat it by punishing users that use alternative transportation. Watching North Americans' minds at work is always so entertaining.
@@wesleyswafford2462 actually, it's the same hand there too (not the other hand). Canada opens its borders for easy entry, and then complains about the problems that arise from said decision. If you analyze and think about it, it's the same common theme - create a problem, complain about the problem, further the problem by not making any changes.
Your confusion is that you think the people who live in Canada are the same as the government, the government never does what the people want, so all they can do is complain@@HokKan
@@chronometer9931Is Canada not a democracy?
These are the future. I just pass 14,000 miles commuting via EUC in the city. The city needs to catch up.
Exactly. You getts itsss. I’ve got about 6000km myself split between 3 wheels.
I want 1 n dont know where to get 1 in vancouver or Burnaby
I was once driving at 80 km/h in the city, and a unicycle was actually going faster than I was, on the sidewalk! Not an area where you'd see any pedestrians, but still... Yeah, those things should require insurance.
No. EUCs weigh less than a motorcycle. The damage in a crash is minimal so that your no fault insurance won't even cover it. The rider may want medical insurance. Plus because there is no way to register them there's no way to insure them except through a manufacturer's warranty. If you get a ticket riding one of these, you need to fight it in court and file a countersuit. If there is no regulation specific to unicycles then the ticket should be dismissed. If it is not dismissed, you can appeal it. Just don't let the government railroad your freedoms. The courts lack subject matter jurisdiction over unicycles because there are no statutes related to their regulation. It's the same with riding a horse. No need to register a horse, nor do you need a driver's license to ride a horse. I.E., traffic court's lack subject matter jurisdiction. It is through registrations that the state has jurisdiction.
WHY NOT?! We just got e scooters legal in Montreal as of today on bike lane and streets. Before this no cops would stop me for using my electric scooter on the street or bike lane. It clearly needs to be legalized because we have PEV shops selling these "devices" and it's a great way to explore the city or just have a fun ride and many of us ride safely. Btw i ride a Vsett 11+ :)
You're not allowed to have fun and be happy though, you're meant to be miserable, hard working, and easily manipulated, so the corrupt elite can enjoy the fruits of our labor.
I ride an Apollo City 2022. It's temporarily legal as part of a pilot program here, and it's saved me a ton of money on gas. Saves me time when I let my car running in stop-go traffic with my AC maxed out.
Scooter have BRAKES 😂 GUYS HOLY!!! Brakes = the difference 😅
@@zometthecomet At least try to communicate.
@@zometthecomet And Euc do not? You must be trolling. At that point he should get a ticket for not having brakes and being a danger to himself and everyone else.
Ive been riding for 8 years cops here in the USA stop to take pictures cuz they think its kool
No place like the USA!!😀
Cops dig electric toys. It’s a win-win thing.
And you can probably have a side arm strapped on while you do it lol.
Lol. I had the same experience. I had one police officer follow me once, and i stopped and asked if he needed anything from me. He said "no, i was just looking at your toy".
So i let him follow me for a little while more and I minded my speed. It wasnt a problem at all.
i have the v13 and was flying at 54 and a cop was amazed, completely everything about legality thrown out the window
When the laws are not clear…the police will ticket. In Montreal a few years ago the police were cracking down on cyclists. I was pulled over, and was handed a 80$ fine for not having reflected pedals!? 2 points off my license as well…by the end of the year I paid around 400$ for this joke. This appears to be a similar tactic, drivers are complaining, police are ticketing. Drivers pay insurance, drivers are who police will listen to.
I was ticketed 50 pounds for not having lights on my bycicle in Cambridge UK 30 years ago. In Estonia you can be ticketed for not hav ing reflective stripe on your jacket as a pedestrian after dark
They should be legal as long as they have someone walking ahead of them waving a pair of red flags, so horse owners arent inconvenienced by them.
So a 25 lb wheel is banned for being too dangerous but 6,000 lb SUVs which FREQUENTLY run over children are totally fine. BS. We need to discourage cars and encourage micro-mobility.
Yeah cars are responsible for 1.3M deaths per year, yet no one wants to talk about those stats!
The wheel in question is 90lbs and can go 72km/h
@@Gycamo02that’s not true. The rider got ticketed on an S18. The absolute max speed is 50km/h and it weighs 48lbs. The other rider was riding a V11 which has a max speed of 55km/h and weighs 59lbs. Both riders were going under 30km/h when ticketed. Also, do you know the top speed of a 6000lb SUV?
@@eevees Looks a lot more like the veteran sherman max to me, you can see the display at 0:12
25lb, 50lb, 90lb, what does it matter when we’re comparing it against a 6000lb object that can go over 200km/h?
If it's not a 2 ton metal box with air conditioning, entertainment screens and cup-holders they're going to try to stop it. Fact of life.
They can be insured and kept under regulations by law! Your toy can not and IS NOT regulated by the DOT like everyone else is subjected too😅 so why are you special ? Why must we go threw the DOT line ups but not you ?
@@zometthecomet Why is your fossil fuel burning toy better than my ultra-efficient toy? They both serve the exact same purpose, transportation, and we all pay for the same roads.
@@ChrisB... tell me again how my perfectly legal Segway ninebot max g2 is as you describe “ a fossil fuel toy “ I can insure and ride my unit where ever I feel! Just because you bought into a dream that has not been realized does mean everyone else is delusional as well! I read up on my local laws before acting maybe you should have as well
@@zometthecomet I built my own street legal dream, two of them in fact. Both were legal "motorized bicycles" when I built them 8 and 6 years ago, and thus I consider them legal today, as do cops apparently. Anyway, enjoy your box.
@@ChrisB... I will :)
I love mine, the fines are crazy
I love mine too, and fortunately none of these fines had to be paid, and since December, the cops have switched to only giving warnings
Get liability insurance through your homeowners policy. You will have insurance. For any property or personal harm. Tell them what you want it for and they will hook you up. I did.
Im glad to see the guy they interviewed was well armored up. He seemed to be a decent unicycle driver and of the ones I’ve seen on the road, they’re all good and don’t screw around but I think the reporter could have done the public some service by explaining how motor vehicle approval works and how Canada’s department of transportation goes about approving vehicles for transportation. Before anything can become legal for the road, they need to be classified and approved for transportation. It’s not the cops fault but maybe they could have lightened up and given him a warning or a lower fine unless he’s a repeat offender.
Goobers: Write insane ticket first, ask questions later.
reap thousands of dollars for the city's general fund...
Seems safer than a skateboard and slower than a bicycle or electric scooter, so it's hard to understand what the issue is.
@lgbfjb1933 what?
i dont need a wheel to damage your car.... if i damage your car by punching the window, how would you make me pay for it? simple answer is you can't. i already left before your phone connected to the cops. so your insurance company would have to pay out for every pedestrian who damages your car anyways, since no pedestrian has insurance that will cover your damages..
@lgbfjb1933 I suggest you read the post that you’re replying to, but more slowly this time.
Canada is a Karen country.
@lgbfjb1933 they have the same functionality as a skateboard, bicycle, or any other form of non-motorized transportation. electric boards, scooters, and bikes do the same speed or faster. there's no issue, other than people making an issue out of nothing
@lgbfjb1933 Yet an uninsured bicycle is legal.
In the UK we had the same issue with electric scooters. Needed insurance however noone will supply it. There has however been quite a few deaths from people riding the scooters on pavements and killing people so I can kind of see it from that point of view
It’s about time. Going 60kph on a pedestrian path is a danger. I’ve been passed by more than one before in my car, while they are on the mixed use path.
This is utter non-sense! Other than a different skillset required to ride them, unicycles, scooters or e-bikes are the same thing from the traffic perspective. It should be limited to a certain speed to ride without a license or insurance, but other than that there is no difference.
Maybe the police can focus on the shootings, property theft, cars racing mad at night, cars not yielding to pedestrians at legal crosswalks, loud parties at night or many other things that are actually damaging, dangerous or far more annoying.
$600 is nuts - totally out of proportion - a penalty that was meant for someone driving a car or a truck without insurance. It's just a vicious, deliberate cash grab by the police. Running a red light is $167, and running a red light can easily and very likely be deadly.
It's not possible to limit the speed of an EUC because all the device actually does is to keep itself balanced. If it would suddenly slow down for any reason other than at drivers will, it would cause immediate and very dangerous accident. Only "limit" that exists is how much power the device has available and possible alerts regarding to getting too close to that limit.
@@MikaelLevoniemi It absolutely could be limited just like any ebike.
@@beer1for2break3fast4 It's not physically possible without causing a major accident immediately. EUC can not brake on its own. It can hint about going too fast by tilting the pedals back, but despite that it can not brake if the rider does not want to do that.
Sure, but if the rider hits the push-back & keeps leaning even farther forward anyway, the resulting wreck is their fault for ignoring the warnings. I think every long-time EUC or Onewheel rider has done it at least once & most learn their lesson really quick. Speed limits on EUCs already exist & there's no physics reason preventing that limit from being set lower; stupid riders are a problem that solves itself
Also, if the pushback & cutoff limits were set lower, those who do continue to push past the pushback limit & wreck, would wreck at a lower speed. win\win
Absolute CROCK OF SH** ...I don't own one..don't plan on it. BUT I've watched enough videos to damn near be an expert on them 💪 I support all these fancy new types of electric vehicles!! They belong on whatever infrastructure we deem appropriate for bicycles. They are going equivalent speeds and are similar in weight (if we talk ebikes) And safety is no more a concern on these than ANY vehicle that isn't an enclosed shell of metal for it's operator.
Sick and tired of 2 ton metal boxes getting free pass after forking free pass. I know which type of transportation I'D rather have an accident with, that's for damn sure.
Try to find some stats on how many people electric unicycle riders have killed. Go ahead.. I'm totally gonna wait here.
And by wait here I mean, my YT notifications are ON lol
I love you.❤❤
Make stupid laws, win stupid prizes.
Lawmakers should go to prison for such stupidity.
Absolutely Ridiculous. To be fair municipalities need to catch up with all electric vehicles. Cities want to to reduce emissions and should encourage electric bikes, etc. Clearly change is needed
I'm not sure why he thinks he needs to spend money on a lawyer. People fight traffic tickets all the time. They just show up in court. Just do a little home work and then schedule a court date and show up. "Your honour this is stupid and this is why ..." :)
I've done that for a ticket but they don't remove it they just give you a reduced amount. Still worth doing though. Saying he needs a lawyer for a $600 ticket was I guess him trying to be dramatic.
@@littleripper312You can appeal it to a jury trial which is a logistical and financial nightmare for the government and negates the revenue generation potential of traffic tickets.
You have to prove you did not break the law. If you are successful the judge will dismiss the case and the policeman that booked you will also send you flowers with an apology note attached. Let me know how you get on,,,
@@philtucker1224 Oh really? Wow. Let me go out and sorta kinda maybe break the law now. Gee, thanks. :)
If it's no faster than a bicycle it should be treated like one and you shouldn't need insurance. In the UK they set a power limit and speed limit.
these things can go 60 mph
@@jerome1lmthe fastest one on the market maybe can go that fast. Most of them go less than that. Mine (the ks-s22) only goes 43mph max speed, and I'm only able to reach that speed on smooth roads. Most of the time I'm going 38mph or less.
Thor would be disappointed to hear this after all his hard work.
You don't need a lawyer. If there's no law outlawing them then they are allowed to use, you can't just say "we don't allow it" when there's no statute for it.
Explain how this is different from an electric bike? Last i checked 2 seconds ago the government are giving rebates to people who buy electric bikes. Tell me the difference between this and an E-bike? Why discriminate, this is my transportation. I cant store a e-bike in my tiny vancouver apartment. Would they rather me buy a car and burn fossil fuels?
It's Illegal to ride electric bikes that don't have pedals.
Then it would be more apt to compare these to electric scooters under the pilot program.
Most of these wheels would exceed the power limits set for scooters but it’s not impossible for some of them to be limited to 32 km/h after the fact, no? The only catch is that they may need a higher wattage limit as power is safety on self-balancing vehicles but top speed can be enforced with a large backward tilt the wheel can force itself.
Especially this EV should be insured. It is very risky for pedestrians, which is much more dangerous on the road, too, because of its high speed & single wheel design.
@@surenkv6461 Nope. you clearly have not been on an EUC..
@@surenkv6461 EUCs are actually much safer than similarly powered escooters. I know it sounds weird, but it's true. EUCs are controlled in a natural manner with your body and they integrate into your nervous system just like ice skating or running on a forest path would. EUCs are not meant to be driven on sidewalks, they belong on the road or bike path.
EUCs electronics are much more robust than on ebikes or escooters. Cut-outs are very rare (7000kms on my EUC and no cutouts ever) compared to escooters with which cutouts happen on every ride.
City councils do this and wonder why they fail to make their city sustainable 😂
To capitalists, "sustainable" just means "can profit from it long enough to dump the costs onto someone else"
@@prophetzarquon1922You live in a capitalist society. If you don't like it perhaps go try living in a communist one and see which you prefer. I'm guessing you'd come right back to a capitalist one.
$600 is wrong (AKA BS). I think they're really neat to see on the road. One of the most intriguing personal transportation device available today. Where's a good attorney when you need one?
We have a guy on one of these in Bristol, UK. I followed him in one winter morning on my cycle commute to work. Never indicated where he was turning, no shoulder checks, jumped up onto the pavement to get around a red light, in fact, he was all over the pavement....like escooters, a menace.
That's a law enforcement issue. I ride a bicycle and never run red lights, however I have seen plenty of cars do it while I'm out driving/riding. Police need do some policing.
just like you cyclist
@@JaneTheDoe-id2vx I don't ride my bike on pavements and stop at red. These wheels, along with escooters are motorised traffic and should not be on pavements or cyclepaths. In the UK, private escooters are illegal to ride in public....for good reason, they are a menace for pedestrians and so are these wheels, no matter how cool-looking people think they are.
Shut up mark
@@Digit0wL No, I won't :)
EUC are the future. what an amazing and clean way to transport!!
They're great until you try to carry your grocery bags home on one.
@@shauny2285 I have a very cheap e bike for that/with rack
@@shauny2285 I ride an electric scooter and I just wear a backpack.
@@shauny2285 pffft...I've carried far heavier items on an EUC before. Or wear a backpack
Yeah I got an inexpensive food delivery bag for larger grocery runs. I can put up to about 30lbs. of stuff and still ride just fine. If I have to get anything really big I still have to drive my car though.
If they focused on ticketing the drivers who constantly park/ idle in bike lane, this wouldn't be nearly as much of an issue...
What does parking in a bike lane have to do with these EUCs?
@@e-curb do they not use bike lanes in BC? Where I live, these guys generally do so, I assume it was the same there. But maybe I'm wrong.
@@jimbo1637 I don't see cars in the bike lanes here. Many of them are separated so cars can't get into the bike lanes.
I think the type of person that will double park is the type of person who'll park in a bike lane. Double parking isn't common here.
@@e-curb damn, I wish that was the case where I live. It's extremely common to have drivers park in bike lanes here.
@@jimbo1637 Where's that? Could be partly the fault of city planners. Near where I live is a main east-west commuter road. 3 lanes each way. I never see bikes on it because running parallel to it from ancient times was the railroad. The tracks are gone now, replaced by the elevated transit tracks. Underneath is the generously wide bike/pedestrian lane. Long distances can be pedaled in complete safety.
in other parts of the city, they will designate a parallel running residential side street as the bike route. It results in bikes not around commuters.
0:25 he's turning it around... That you cannot get an insurance does not mean that your insurance obligation is gone. It means that you cannot and shouldn't ride that thing until you can insure it.
It's a bad argument/justification sure, but there are other arguments, like how people aren't being asked to insure bicycles, or even if all of these small vehicles do need to be insured _why_ should it need to be like that?
How would anyone ever survive without the government to tell them what they can and cannot do?!?!
Oof. So sorry to see my hometown doing this to fellow EUC riders. 😢
If they run into a car, they'll do $600 in damage or more.
Do the sellers inform the buyers of the law?
running into an expensive car is still the cheap option. running into a pedestrian can go 1000x more expensive pretty easy
That's not true, you don't know what you're talking about
what do you mean@@chronometer9931
You can still run into a car on f’in foot, on a bicycle on a motorcycle, etc. Stop trying to make excuses
So I have to insure a bicycle? Do I need general liability to walk around anywhere?
The cops just see a guy who has money.
If you can't insure it, then why is this going on your Driver's Licence Record?!!!
Because ANY driving of an off road vehicle driven on public roads goes against your drivers license. That is why the fines are specified as operating an uninsured vehicle on a public road
@@DeTransAllianceCanada Realy dumb because if you don't have a licence nothing goes on record..
Because the silly fool gave the cop his driver's licence! Really dumb.
Everyone who is in BC has a drivers license of sorts, since the services card is on the same system.
It's a commonwealth country where they think they can do anything to truckers or others that have done nothing wrong. This is why Americans got rid of Great Britain hundreds of years ago.
thank you for sharing. E-NJOY THE E-MOTION the same I do after 9 years of riding and 70K km on my EUCs
Bradley Spence just released a video on getting tickets in Vancouver. Says there's three officers you need to watch out for, but that's it.
Honestly, I can see why municipalities are getting fed up. Here in Southern Nevada, they ride E-Anything, ie E-Bikes, E-Scooters, E-unicylces etc down sidewalks and in front of business doors at 30 mph and some go way faster than that.
I had one riding an E-Scooter against the flow of traffic, at least 40mph, and when I looked to my right in the car saw nothing, so looked left and started to make a right around a corner, and here he came, cursing at me... I didn't break the law, period. I wasn't speeding, didn't fail to stop at the red and look at the corner etc. He's the one that came up the wrong side, like the proverbial bat out of hell... Cursing and road raging at me.
I admit not all of them ride that way, but here in Nevada, I can say safely that most of them do... So people are getting fed up with the "it's not a car, truck or motorcycle, so the law doesn't apply to me... " attitude.
saw a dude running around in this on a busy street and it's too dangerous for the rider
Do you need to have insurance on an ebike in Vancouver? A license and registration too?
For an emoto, yes.
(Commuter EUCs like the one seen in this video, all output _thousands_ of Watts, & the top selling models go 50 MPH. _Ebikes don't do that;_ emotos do.)
It all depends on the speed of the electric mode of transportation. I have a full size electric moped that looks kind of like a small motorcycle. The speed is governed at 32 km/h and has pedals that are integrated into the driving mechanics to help classify the unit as an “electric bicycle.” With that classification it does not require a license or insurance and is to be operated/treated as a bicycle. The only major rules allotted to it are that anyone on the scooter (driving it or passenger) must be 16+ years old and it’s not allowed on the Sea Wall around Stanley Park for public safety as that bike path gets insanely busy with other pedestrians/cyclists. Otherwise, it must stick to bike lanes as much as possible. It’s quite nice because I can literally park it anywhere since it is classified as a bicycle. So, I don’t have to pay for gas, for insurance, or for parking. AND, I get the best parking spots available (right near the front door of wherever I am visiting, against the building - as long as it isn’t blocking any sidewalks or doors). 😎
Are Segways also illegal in Canada? EUC are essentially one wheeled Segways as that is how they came to be and how they function.
Segways are too slow to bother anyone.
Segways were designed to be a replacement to walking. EUCs are made in various shapes/sizes, but are mostly an alternative to biking.
Yes they are
Yes, segways were made illegal almost immediately - the motor vehicle act moves fast when the old folks home in Victoria doesn't like something.
@@brushlessmotoring Segways are surprisingly dangerous because they are so slow. Surprisingly slow and surprises in traffic kill people.
If you get a ticket riding one of these, you need to fight it in court and file a countersuit. If there is no regulation specific to unicycles then the ticket should be dismissed. If it is not dismissed, you can appeal it. Just don't let the government railroad your freedoms. It is through registrations that the state has jurisdiction. The courts lack subject matter jurisdiction over unicycles because there are no statutes related to their regulation. Think of it this way, do you need to register a horse?
There was mention a few years ago that motorized wheelchairs should be insured - unfortunately, some riders of these make it necessary.
This totally bites. The police need to be educated somewhat on the insurance side. this is a grey area, I ride one, an Inmotion V11, yet I have not been stopped in Ottawa. I try to follow the same rules as a e-bike or cyclist. This is a clean way to get around and always take precaution with wearing safety gear including wrist guards. I broke by arm last year which included surgical intervention. I got back on this year to ride again.I live and work in the downtown, it helps me get to places and avoid vehicle traffic. If only people would try these things and find out how much fun they are. just be safe and mind your surroundings while out for a ride.
You didn't make clear if you broke your arm riding it.
it's not a grey area, it's not allowed.
Police in BC does not need to be educated about insurance. There are no private insurers in BC for motorvehicles. There is only one - BC government corporation, ICBC. So if it does not insure e-unicycles, that's it for now.
How are these different from e-scooters (but they are allowed)?? Ticketing on technicality is stupid & money grabber...
e scooters have 250 watts, this has 2500. i understand having enough power to balance the rider is necessary in an euc, but this is something the police can't just glance over. laws need to change to add an exception, or the euc-s have to be neutered in software so they only go slow even despite the power they have
If it's not on the books, it cannot be charged for they cannot make one thing, another thing, just to get funds.
If you drive on the road without being insured, it means that you cant pay if you're involved in an accident.
You can’t win can you? “Don’t pollute the air with car fumes but you can ride a bicycle and risk getting hit by a car”
Old people in power moment.
Old people?
What, are you 12? 😂
@@J.D.Vision Bruh, politics is dominated by senile people who can barely operate a smart phone and remote controller for a TV.
If they at least tried to understand the modern world in stead of being stuck in their past. But no, OUT WITH THE OLD
absolutely correct
I'm 65 but I identified this problem years ago. It also seems to be a peculiarly people of English descent problem too.
"There should be a law against it" they chant
in deutschland gab es einachsige segways, ich habe allerdings seit jahren nur noch escooter gesehen
in germany there were segways with one axis, but in the last few years i have seen only escooters
Yes, that sounds like the Vancouver I left 30 years ago. Always 10-15 years behind other West Coast cities. I see unicycles all the time where I live, in California. The only danger is to the rider.
These cops need to look the other way when these are ridden responsibly. Vancouver has plenty of real traffic infractions going on. Kudos to all the cops who don't enforce antiquated laws and realize that personal electric transportation plays a key role in the livability of our city.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, ‘when ridden responsibly' to many are not ridden responsibly!
Some wondered how did defunding police got started, here is a prime example.
A horse is legal in America. You don't need to register it nor do you need a license to ride it.
@@brutusmaximus5380 a horse is not an electrical powered vehicle nor commonly ridden on public streets!
One big factor in any policing they do not like to admit, the most enforcement went to criminals that are easiest to grab and the biggest cash return. Cash return in US are called civil forfeiture. That is why speeding is a popular offense to charge, Maxwell get arrested Epstein get murdered while cartels that are much worse went untouched. Tommy Roberson get arrested and they leave JK Rowling alone.
The problem is there are idiots on theses unicycles ruining it for everyone else. The unicyclists and store owners should be fighting against the idiots who ride these unsafely, speeding, weaving etc. The problem is they let them be idiots. Eventually they will be banned altogether. These people are barking up the wrong tree
So, that's it: the insurance companies want to insure the devices, so the rules reflect that lack of business and profit.
Typical of government, say in one breath we need to use "green" transportation, then ticket us when we use it!
That’s messed up. In NYC, nobody gets a ticket for riding one of these. It’s better to encourage alternatives to cars.
Canada probably has little different laws from the US regarding these kind of vehicles
@@evanstonbalce9588 I don’t think it’s so much of a Canada vs US issue. I think it’s more about the approach that different municipalities take. Many cities in the US also have strict laws & enforcement regarding these types of vehicles...
i am in Ottawa Canada i being riding since 2019 never got probllem cops stop me to take pictures!!!
Yes but in USA they still have common sense 🙄
Yes in canada the government doesn't have clue
Ridiculous. We should be encouraging less cars on the road.
of couse. You`ll own nothing be happy. Stop this greenwashing bollocks.
What is stupid about this whole thing is it's either a motor vehicle or a non regulated mode of transportation.
I’m confused…. I thought these things were under the same regulations as E-bikes.
As for fighting it in court, you can’t get a ticket for not doing something that is literally impossible to do, so getting a ticket for not having insurance would be thrown out in court. The onus would be on the District Attourney to prove you CAN get insurance for them.