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Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Tuesday, November 21, 2023

We hop in the car to get groceries or drop kids at school. But while the car is convenient, these short trips add up in terms of emissions, pollution, and petrol cost.

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... So what's the best solution? You might think switching to an electric vehicle is the natural step. In fact, for short trips, an electric bike or moped might be better for you"and for the planet. That's because these forms of transport -- collectively known as electric micromobility -- are cheaper to buy and run.

But it's more than that -- they are actually displacing four times as much demand for oil as all the world's electric cars at present, due to their staggering uptake in China and other nations where mopeds are a common form of transport. ...


#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2023-11-20 07:13 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

A little moped would be okay in Europe but not on the road with F150s.

Golf cart is a better fit for America.

#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2023-11-20 07:26 PM | Reply

@#2

Yeah, I do not disagree.

When I used to visit The Netherlands on business a couple decades ago, one thing i noticed was the large number of bicycles used for what we use cars for. Though, I also noted (as a cyclist myself) just how flat The Netherlands is.

Around here, riding a bicycle is an uphill excursion.

But to your point, yeah the other users of the road may not be most gracious in sharing that road. Indeed, I had a discussion with a person here, I held the view that bicycles are legally allowed on the road, the other person said that otherwise.

So, yeah, we have a ling way, such a long way, to go here in the US befre we allow the roads tha everyone pays for to be used by everyone.


#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2023-11-20 07:36 PM | Reply

I've put over 5,000mi on my e-bikes in the last three yrs.

Almost exclusively MTB trails, entertainment only.

#4 | Posted by Angrydad at 2023-11-21 07:40 AM | Reply

Always enjoyed riding bikes -- and it was good exercise; not so much with an e-bike.

#5 | Posted by MSgt at 2023-11-21 12:02 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

#4 | POSTED BY ANGRYDAD AT 2023-11-21 07:40 AM | FLAG:

Imagine the co2 savings you could have had if you didn't need the battery help.

#6 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2023-11-21 12:09 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Lemme see..e-bike, plugged into a solar powered house....
Nope, not seeing it...

#7 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2023-11-21 12:23 PM | Reply

Been looking into the EV scooter market and the EV motorcycle market
for a little over a year now. Several nice options, but most lack in
one or two areas. Either they have low cost and speed/power, or they
have low cost and range. Seldom if ever both. Waiting for about a 300 mile
range, and min speed of 70 mph if motorcycle, and 50 mph if scooter...
oh, and reasonable cost....10k or less. I'm hoping to use this kind of
vehicle in retirement during the spring/summer/early fall for hoping to the
store and back for a bag or two of groceries.

#8 | Posted by earthmuse at 2023-11-21 01:49 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

oops...low cost and no range...

#9 | Posted by earthmuse at 2023-11-21 01:49 PM | Reply

#5 | Posted by MSgt

As usual, you post from a position of complete ignorance.

#10 | Posted by Angrydad at 2023-11-21 02:17 PM | Reply

#9 | POSTED BY EARTHMUSE AT 2023-11-21 01:49 PM | REPLY

Halfway there. A 300 mile range bike with performance $20k ish. You won't get the range if you use the performance, but that's the price of hypermiling to hit the advertised ranges.

#11 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2023-11-21 02:52 PM | Reply

My Gary Fisher mountain bike is working great.

IMO, electric bikes defeat the purpose of riding a bike; pleasant exercise.

#12 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2023-11-21 03:28 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

If your city has good bike infrastructure e-bike is the way. I think they are super fun. Turning the pedal-assit all the way up makes you feel like superman. It's like the way sailboats make it seem like you are zooming along at a breakneck pace when you're actually moving at 6 knots because it's silent speed.
We probably need to get ahead of the laws, though. Most of the e-bikes you see are jail-broken, operating with no license, registration or insurance.

#13 | Posted by BluSky at 2023-11-21 03:32 PM | Reply | Funny: 2

#12 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY

Clearly, you do not ride where trails are steep.

#14 | Posted by Angrydad at 2023-11-21 03:39 PM | Reply

Kinda misleading as most Chinese ebikers can't afford cars anyway.

#15 | Posted by northguy3 at 2023-11-21 03:45 PM | Reply

"on the road with F150s.

Golf cart is a better fit"

Yeah, fit right unda there...

#16 | Posted by humanimal at 2023-11-21 04:27 PM | Reply

Dangerous by Design

Mar 11, 2023Last week's blaze joined the more than 200 fires in New York City last year caused by batteries from e-bikes, electric scooters and similar devices.

Mar 23, 2023"Destructive and deadly fires from lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes have reached a crisis level. The tragic loss of life from battery fires is heartbreaking and preventable,"

Jul 11, 2023"Mom and two kids killed in fire caused by e-bike battery"; "4 dead, 2 critically injured in NYC e-bike store fire"; "FDNY says e-bike fires on pace to double this year."

#17 | Posted by humanimal at 2023-11-21 04:31 PM | Reply

Do you believe we should outlaw lithium ion batteries, animal?
If we all ride donkeys there wont be any battery fires. Cell phones and laptops, they are useless anyway.
Ima go load up on abacus and sundial stocks.

#18 | Posted by BluSky at 2023-11-21 04:47 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Dangerous by Design
Mar 11, 2023Last week's blaze joined the more than 200 fires in New York City last year caused by batteries from e-bikes, electric scooters and similar devices.
Mar 23, 2023"Destructive and deadly fires from lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes have reached a crisis level. The tragic loss of life from battery fires is heartbreaking and preventable,"
Jul 11, 2023"Mom and two kids killed in fire caused by e-bike battery"; "4 dead, 2 critically injured in NYC e-bike store fire"; "FDNY says e-bike fires on pace to double this year."

#17 | POSTED BY HUMANIMAL

Now do cars.

#19 | Posted by Sycophant at 2023-11-21 04:52 PM | Reply

Now do cars.

#19 | Posted by Sycophant

LOL!

Or gas appliances.

Or four wheelers.

Or guns.

Or Boaz.

#20 | Posted by Angrydad at 2023-11-21 05:43 PM | Reply

Or Boaz.

My ---- doesnt start fires.

Puts them out maybe..

#21 | Posted by boaz at 2023-11-21 08:22 PM | Reply

I still say the answer is hybrid cars.

Everything liberals think of is one person use only. Bikes, walking, etc.

I have a family and need a car and I like the solitary nature of driving a car. I dont always want to be around bums on a bus.

#22 | Posted by boaz at 2023-11-21 08:24 PM | Reply

Or Boaz.
My ---- doesnt start fires.
Puts them out maybe..

#21 | POSTED BY BOAZ

Your wife can attest to that every time you get naked in front of her

#23 | Posted by truthhurts at 2023-11-21 10:14 PM | Reply

My ---- doesnt start fires.
Burns a little maybe..

#21 | POSTED BY BOAZ

Fixed it.

#24 | Posted by Sycophant at 2023-11-22 02:45 AM | Reply

from above...

Dangerous by Design
Mar 11, 2023Last week's blaze joined the more than 200 fires in New York City last year caused by batteries from e-bikes, electric scooters and similar devices.
Mar 23, 2023"Destructive and deadly fires from lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes have reached a crisis level. The tragic loss of life from battery fires is heartbreaking and preventable,"
Jul 11, 2023"Mom and two kids killed in fire caused by e-bike battery"; "4 dead, 2 critically injured in NYC e-bike store fire"; "FDNY says e-bike fires on pace to double this year."
#17 | POSTED BY HUMANIMAL

'Dangerous by Design'. What is that? A disinformation mag put out
by Oil Execs to sit around and----------- to?

Sounds like your typical rightwing mag/journal created for the sole purpose
of spreading disinformation and clouding the issue of new technology adoption.

#25 | Posted by earthmuse at 2023-11-22 06:44 AM | Reply

IMO, electric bikes defeat the purpose of riding a bike; pleasant exercise.

#12 | POSTED BY AMERICANUNITY AT 2023-11-21 03:28 PM | REPLY

After 40 hills aren't all that pleasant without battery assistance.

#26 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2023-11-22 08:52 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Most of us aren't exactly juiced to the max Tour riders.

#27 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2023-11-22 08:53 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

They're too expensive right now.

Building a good one (gotta build because otherwise they're speed limited and even more expensive) would cost me a couple thousand dollars. My 1100cc motorcycle was cheaper, and it'll do 0-60 in under 4 seconds and tops out at nearly 150.

And they don't really work for most of my use case anyway, if I'm going to the grocery I'm getting more than I'd feel comfortable carrying on a bike. It makes more sense for me to use the plug-in hybrid car, uses no gas and much easier to transport the groceries. Now, it might make sense when I've got a client downtown if purchase cost was cheaper, it's easier to park a bicycle than a car or motorcycle. But free bicycle parking for a couple thousand dollar e-bike vs parking fees I can bill to the client isn't great, and anywhere but downtown and I'm still gonna have to take the car.

If it wasn't so hilly here I'd probably use the regular bicycle more. But I don't do uphill and I'm not 25 any more, I don't think I could beat cars off the line and treat the speed limit as a minimum like I did in grad school.

#28 | Posted by DarkVader at 2023-11-22 11:15 AM | Reply

#12 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY

Clearly, you do not ride where trails are steep.

#14 | Posted by Angrydad

I do. Had a bike paper route for 5 years as a kids, so my legs developed well to handle about any kind of terrain. I've done bike journeys hundreds of miles long. Street riding is hilly around here too.

#29 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2023-11-22 01:47 PM | Reply

I'm not ruling out getting an electric bike one day. I just don't need one now.

#30 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2023-11-22 01:48 PM | Reply

"Sounds like your typical rightwing mag/journal created for the sole purpose
of spreading disinformation and clouding the issue of new technology adoption."

typical rightwing mag/journal

https://www.npr.org 2023 03 11 1162732820 e-bike-scooter-lithium-ion-battery-fires
How to keep yourself safe from e-bike and scooter battery fires - NPR
Mar 11, 2023"Destructive and deadly fires from lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes have reached a crisis level. The tragic loss of life from battery fires is heartbreaking and preventable,"

https://www.npr.org 2022 10 30 1130239008 fires-from-exploding-e-bike-batteries-multiply-in-nyc-sometimes-fatally
NYC is seeing more fires caused by e-bike batteries : NPR
Oct 30, 2022NEW YORK " Four times a week on average, an e-bike or e-scooter battery catches fire in New York City. Sometimes, it does so on the street, but more often, it happens when the owner is...

https://www.npr.org 2023 04 11 1169169634 fatal-e-bike-fires
2 youths died in a fire blamed on an e-bike in New York City : NPR
Apr 11, 2023NEW YORK " An electric bicycle powered by a lithium ion battery is being blamed for a fatal fire on Monday in New York City that killed two youths, marking the latest in a string of...

https://www.npr.org 2022 11 24 1139167787 officials-search-for-solutions-to-exploding-electric-bike-batteries
Officials search for solutions to exploding electric bike batteries - NPR
Nov 24, 2022November 24, 20224:25 PM ET Heard on All Things Considered By Matthew Schuerman 3-Minute Listen Playlist Electric bikes are catching on. But damaged or improperly charged batteries can explode...

https://one.npr.org ?sharedMediaId=1130239008:1132658634?sharedMediaId=1130239008:1132658634
Fires from exploding e-bike batteries multiply in NYC - NPR One
Fires from exploding e-bike batteries multiply in NYC " sometimes fatally : NPR One New York City is on track this year to record twice as many fires caused by e-bike and e-scooter...

#31 | Posted by humanimal at 2023-11-22 04:50 PM | Reply

typical rightwing mag/journal

https://www.nytimes.com 2023 11 13 nyregion nyc-ebike-fires-battery.html
F.D.N.Y. Commissioner Blames E-Commerce Giants in ... - The New York Times
Nov 14, 2023So far this year, 17 people have died in fires related to electric vehicle batteries in New York City, the Fire Department commissioner said. Jos A. Alvarado Jr. for The New York Times.

https://www.nytimes.com 2023 04 10 nyregion e-bike-fire-queens-fatal.html
Two Young People Killed in E-Bike Fire in Queens - The New York Times
Apr 10, 2023April 10, 2023. Two young people were killed in "an explosion of fire" caused by an e-bike that was being charged near the front door of an apartment building in the Astoria neighborhood in ...

https://www.nytimes.com 2023 04 10 nyregion e-bike-fire-queens-fatal.html
Two Young People Killed in E-Bike Fire in Queens - The New York Times
Apr 10, 2023Five people have been killed this year by fires started by the lithium ion batteries that power micro-mobility devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters. That is up from a total of six deaths in ...

#32 | Posted by humanimal at 2023-11-22 04:54 PM | Reply

typical rightwing mag/journal

https://www.msn.com en-us autos news explosive-e-bike-fires-have-killed-17-in-new-york-in-2023 ar-AA1k5QnG
'Explosive' E-Bike Fires Have Killed 17 In New York In 2023 - MSN
6 days agoA spate of battery fires has rocked New York City this year after they were started by electric bikes charging in tightly-packed apartment buildings. So far, the fires have claimed 17 lives in ...

https://www.msn.com en-us news technology everything-you-need-to-know-about-e-bike-battery-fires ar-AA1dJCgC
Everything you need to know about e-bike battery fires - MSN
As of July 3 2023, there have been 114 investigations into lithium ion fires, 74 injuries and 13 deaths. That's 13 deaths this year as a result of lithium batteries, compared to six in 2022 and ...

https://www.msn.com en-us news us when-will-nyc-do-something-about-the-staggering-number-of-e-bike-fire-deaths ar-AA1kcDfW
When will NYC do something about the 'staggering' number of e-bike fire ...
3 days ago375 114 New York Post Follow When will NYC do something about the 'staggering' number of e-bike fire deaths? Story by Nicole Gelinas 19h Eric Adams ran for office on a public-safety platform...

https://www.msn.com en-us news us as-e-bike-battery-fires-spike-experts-sound-the-alarm ar-AA15RR6t
As e-bike battery fires spike, experts sound the alarm - MSN
Jan 1, 2023As e-bike battery fires spike, experts sound the alarm. The growing popularity of e-bikes in the United States in recent years has led to a rise in fires and other hazards, local and federal ...

#33 | Posted by humanimal at 2023-11-22 04:55 PM | Reply

My answer to the $5 a gallon gasoline prices was to buy a motorcycle. For hopping around town for a quick item or two, it's far cheaper than a vehicle. Going to the post office, is a quick task. Having to go to city hall to pay the water bill, is also an easy chore. Far easier than having a vehicle, there is always a parking space for a motorcycle.

#34 | Posted by BBQ at 2023-11-22 09:34 PM | Reply

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