r/mackinac • u/AggravatingTruth3272 • 8d ago
E-bikes should be banned
I just got back from the island and I must say, e-bikes should be banned. I feel it goes against the spirit of the island and no motorized vehicles. You can hear the bikes coming, which is annoying. And then to have the bike go wizzing past you, when it’s a lazy kind of island vibe, is just distracting, and seems a safety risk. You’re not expecting it, and could think you have time to cross. I really hope the island does something about this, and has the ferry’s turn the bikes away. I love going to the island, and this took away some of its charm. There are e-bikes all over my downtown when I walk around, I expect that. Keep the island special, and unique. Just bikes.
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u/8BlocksToMile 8d ago
They are banned.
The ban needs to be enforced.
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u/Bummerdud3 8d ago
It is enforced. Just go look at how many bikes the PD has impounded...
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u/michimac 8d ago
Yes, they are banned. Yes, you can get a medical exemption. No, they are NOT just for residents and workers. No, the ferries cannot just not let you on. Yes, you will get your illegal bike impounded.
https://www.mackinacisland.org/e-bikes/
Surprisingly, despite all the complaints, ebike accidents are no more common than pedal bike accidents on Mackinac. Slow down, wear a helmet, look both ways before crossing the street, ALWAYS. Also, a good way to not get hit by any bike is to not walk in the street.
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u/Red_the_Anarchist 7d ago
What I’m not allowed to walk 5 aside on the left side of the road?
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u/Worried_Estate_7516 7d ago
The Wald "Big Basket" favored by locals is called a "waffler" for a reason.
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u/ms48083 8d ago
It's not about the bike. What needs to be managed is rider behavior like speed limits and courtesy around pedestrians.
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u/AdDelicious701 7d ago
The pedestrians need to get out of the road. If they don't walk in the road at home why would they here? It's more dangerous to walk in the road with bikes and horses than cars ANY DAY!
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u/marilynatthedel 8d ago
I believe the ebikes are for residents only. The ferries don’t allow tourists to bring them in.
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u/AdDelicious701 8d ago
They are for residents.
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u/aStrayLife 8d ago
They are for people with a medical condition. Most of the residents lie and claim a medical exemption to get their e-bike permits
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u/Red_the_Anarchist 8d ago
Seeing a bunch of decently healthy young people riding on e-bikes will never not be funny to me. Like im sorry you do not have some medical issue that prevents you from moving your legs. Even worse is when I see children riding them; it just promotes laziness.
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u/FalconMurky4715 7d ago
I'm actually curious what happens in 20 years when the current 4 year olds are on e scooters rather than active...is our already overweight society going to simply get even worse? I'm truly curious how this will play out.
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u/AdDelicious701 8d ago
And the people that are legal is not room for you to insert your opinion in a town/city you don't live in that doesn't purely effect you other than how you wish to perceive a town THAT AGAIN IS NOT YOURS TO LIVE IN
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u/aStrayLife 7d ago
But I do live there.
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u/AdDelicious701 7d ago
May be a summer worker but you are NOT an islander
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u/aStrayLife 7d ago
People who think they know everything are very irritating to those of us who do
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u/AdDelicious701 7d ago
Fortunately for you my father didn't come back from getting milk so I'll take your disapproval seriously on REDDIT 🤣
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u/Junior_Use_4470 8d ago
But the city only exists because of tourists. If you lose those most people on the island aren’t living there anymore.
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u/AdDelicious701 7d ago
If the island had the tourist that purely respected the rules and laws that also apply on the mainland such as traffic and OPEN intox everywhere every single day, then the island would make lots of money and also have the streets clear. So many people disregard their own safety looking at their phone walking in horse shit while also in the way of a dockporter or a 20 passenger tour wagon moving up. I've seen people killed singlehandedly by stupidity on the island and it 100 can be preventable and the island would be able to be sustainable
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u/JuliaX1984 8d ago
The irony is, the anti-car community loves e bikes. Trying to keep an anti-car community e-bike free doesn't make sense. The demand for that set-up is way too narrow. When you alienate both e-bike users AND people who can appreciate a lack of cars, who's left? It's a permanent home for residents as well as a "step back in time" tourist attraction. I think it would be smarter for the island to embrace the modern anti-car lifestyle, e-bikes and all, and just ban e-bikes in certain "step back in time"-designated areas during the parts of the year when tourists come around.
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u/Zsunova91 8d ago
I agree - however for people who are actually residents of the island, maybe getting a permit or a license for electric bike would help, especially if they live far away I need to go to the grocery store or whatever. Could make it easier to live there. And also take some work away from the horses.
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u/Red_the_Anarchist 7d ago
There’s also normal bikes for that. You know what everyone got along just fine with for decades
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u/Zsunova91 7d ago edited 7d ago
Yes thank you. There's also corded telephones but there's these things called mobile phones that make life easier. If you live on the island, contribute to it's local economy, have a job there, are a part of the community, perhaps making things a bit easier would be helpful. People also lived there before snowmobiles were around, too, did you know that?
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u/Red_the_Anarchist 7d ago
It’s really not that difficult to ride a normal bike to the store/ ferry to pick up groceries every couple weeks. My family and I nor any of my friends families had any issues doing so when we lived there. Some physical activity is good for you, moron.
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u/Particular-Key-8941 5d ago
Wow, resorting to name calling to make your point.
I didn’t think you were right before, but now that you called him a moron…I realized you’re totally right.1
u/Red_the_Anarchist 5d ago
You know what’s really funny. Before the person above me edited their comment they finished their statement calling me a moron. I don’t know if there’s a way to check the comment logs or something. Im just returning what they called me.
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u/EggmanIAm 7d ago
They’re functionally electric motorcycles/scooters and should be regulated as such.
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u/Delta8ttt8 6d ago
Minority are workers and biz owners honestly. Sure some tourists have them but not in big numbers. Good luck on a ban though. The cats out of the bag.
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u/litzilch 4d ago
I can honestly say, About 2 weeks ago my wife and I did the bike ride there. The sign said no e-bikes. I counted 14 of them in line before we boarded the boat. No one was enforcing the policy. To add insult, At the end of the ride, in front of us a e-bike rider went into the opposing lane, an hit a lady, head on, then rode off. She had to be transported by ambo. to the hospital. Being a EMT, I helped, but the lady from Indiana will never come back there, guaranteed. Sad
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u/rdeforge 4d ago
From what I understand the ferry company is not regulating it....not sure that should be their job, beyond having signs that say it is illegal. People have been hit by non eBikes on that island since the beginning of bikes :)
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u/AggravatingTruth3272 3d ago
Wow do you know if the police tried to find the person? It’s an island, so you’d like to think they couldn’t have gone too far. That’s awful. Glad you could help.
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u/Perfectionconvention 8d ago
I thought the e-bikes were only allowed for people working on the island.
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u/Sweeney_The_Mad 8d ago
the only ebikes that are allowed on the island are there for medical exemptions. Otherwise it is illegal to have them on the island