The Minister launches a campaign against tuning fat bikes: 'From pedaling hard to getting a criminal record'.
Speeding down the road on a tuned-up electric bike at speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour sounds like an adrenaline rush, but it is extremely dangerous and illegal. A new campaign, launched today by Minister Barry Madlener (Infrastructure and Water Management), explicitly points out the dangers and consequences of tuning electric bikes. The campaign, with the telling title 't kan hard gaan, is mainly aimed at young people and their parents.
“You hear more and more often about accidents with tuned-up electric bicycles, which sometimes race through traffic at absurd speeds. That is extremely dangerous, and it is not prohibited for nothing,” emphasizes Minister Madlener during the kick-off in Rotterdam. The message of the campaign is twofold: on the one hand, the legal rules are brought back into focus, and on the other hand, the risks of this dangerous behavior are highlighted. “In the event of an accident, you are not insured, and the costs can run into thousands of euros. So that can really go fast,” warns the minister.
strict rules
The rules regarding the use of electric bicycles are clear. Electric bicycles may reach a maximum speed of 25 kilometres per hour with pedal assistance and the engine power may not exceed 250 watts. Furthermore, it is prohibited to have a throttle that can increase the speed above 6 kilometres per hour without pedalling. If a bicycle does not meet these requirements, the vehicle is classified as a moped and must be approved by the Dutch Vehicle Authority (RDW). This means that additional rules apply, such as the helmet requirement, a minimum age and a driving licence requirement.
Anyone who does not comply with these rules and still rides a tuned electric bike runs great risks. The fines are not to be sneezed at: for the first offense, a fine of 310 euros can be imposed. For a second offense, not only will a new fine follow, but the bike will also be confiscated. In addition, anyone over the age of 12 can get a criminal record for this. Another major risk is the lack of insurance: riders of tuned bikes are not insured. This means that in the event of an accident, the damage and any medical expenses will have to be paid out of their own pocket. In some cases, this can amount to tens of thousands of euros, which can have disastrous financial consequences for many young people and their families.
Minister Madlener's message is clear: "We really need to ensure safety on the roads, for everyone. This kind of dangerous behaviour has no place in that, and we will do everything we can to stop it."
De campaign it can go fast is specifically aimed at young people, a group that, according to the minister, is most often tempted to tune up their electric bicycles. “Tuning up bicycles may seem innocent, but the consequences are major. Young people are often not aware of this,” says minister Madlener. The ministry is trying to reach this group and their parents through radio commercials, social media and posters. The posters will be displayed throughout the Netherlands, from bus shelters to schools, and municipalities and educational institutions can also request them themselves.
During the launch in Rotterdam, there is a collaboration with TeamAlert, an organization that focuses on traffic safety for young people. Madlener will personally talk to young people on the street who cycle past on their electric bicycles, while the police actively check in the background whether the bicycles meet the legal requirements.
tackle ramping up
However, the campaign is only part of a broader plan of attack by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to combat the tuning of electric bicycles. For example, new legislation is being worked on that should make it more difficult to illegally tune bicycles. At the moment, it is still relatively easy to circumvent speed limiters using hardware and software, but the ministry wants to put an end to this. Legislation is being prepared that will make the use and sale of such software and equipment punishable.
In addition, prevention through education is also being focused on. A lesson package has been developed for secondary schools in which young people are informed about the dangers of tuned electric bicycles and the consequences of reckless driving. This lesson package will be rolled out nationwide in the coming months. Enforcement will also be tightened: the police and the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) will check more intensively for illegal electric bicycles and enforce the regulations more strictly.
