One of the items that is close to me is the Electric Bicycle.  Not confused
with the Scooter, Moped or Motorcycle.

The first thing we need to do is to define a "Bicycle".  That's easy.  The
requirements are not done by a State since the Consumer Protection Safety
Commission already has that on the law books.
16 CFR Part 1512
cpsc_bicycle_requirements

All Bicyles must be built to these specification or they can't be imported
or commercially manufactured as Bicycles.  This is pretty cut and dried.  So
give it a read.

Next, what is an electric bicycle.  What makes it different than a Scooter,
Moped or Motorcycle?  Again, that is covered in a subsection of the same as
what defines a Bicycle.  It was ammended in August 2004.

HR 727  Was passed by the House of Representatives
S. 1156 Federal Law was passed by the US Senate which both of these caused
the

-mmendment to  16 CFR Part 1512 to Public Law which is now 107-319.  While
the house and senate bills happened after 107-319, they were a clear
indictation to the States that the electric Bicycle was a legal
"NON-Motorized" vehicle and was a Bicycle and not a Motor Vehicle.   Many of
the states were clamoring with some pretty cute wording to undermine this.

My favorite is "Motorized Bicycle".  Now that is just getting too cute with
wording.  Anything Motorized falls under the DOT and not the Safety
departments.  107-319 specifically states that the Electric Bicycle is NOT a
motorized vehicle.  By attempting to class anything with an "Engine "
(notice the word there) with 2 or three wheels as a Motorized Bicycle can be
misinterpreted (is is constantly by Law Enforcement) to encompass even the
legal electric bicycle.

One of the problems I have seen is that some of the "So called" Bicycle
clubs just don't wish to share.  Looking underneath, some aren't bicycle
clubs at all; they are Lobbyists Organizations.  When the first thing that
pops up is "Send Money, it's Tax Deductable" beware, they may not be looking
out for your best interest.  Now, if they sort of leave that part out or
it's fairly buried in their info then they will "Probably" a Bicycle Club.

As for sharing, what is there to share?  The way I see it, the more
different types of Bicycles we have out there the more we can condition the
4 wheel drivers into acceptance of all of us. Plus, it gives more targets
with a higher chance of getting through (grin).  Plus, we can all work
together to get the badly needed bike paths.

I used to think Bike Paths weren't that important.  If there is a bike path
on a busy road that I would have to be completely out of my everluvin mind
to ride in the traffic then the bike path is very important if nothing else,
my well being.  If there is a Bike Path and the traffic is backed up, I can
beat a car to a short destination on a Bike or arrive close enough behind
him that I can park and lock the bike while He/She is parking the car and
meet them at the front door.  This is without going crazy with speed which
would also be unsafe.

Now, if I am riding an Electric Bicycle on the way to work, I will get there
not needing a shower.  Not to say that you won't be peddling, you will.
It's best to help the motor get it up to cruise speed by pedal assisting.
Or, if you are going up a hill, pedal, you may not make it otherwise or you
will put enough drain on the battery you will be pedalling later anyway.

I am in my late 50s with a bad right knee.  If I don't ride a bike
(pedalling) my knees start to get painful and I have trouble even climbing
short stairs to my house.  If I pedal too much the same starts to happen.
The Electric Bike is a godsend for folks like me.  I can pedal until my
knees start troubling me then go electric giving the knees the rest they
need and resume pedalling.  Why would anyone wish to sit in front of a TV
and pedal a stationary bike when you can do it outside and get enjoyment out
of it.  But pedaling for some when you are talking about a few miles a trip
is not a real option. But we have to do it anyway which is less unhealthy
than not doing it but can be detrimental, nonetheless. The Electric Bicycle
is the answer.

The problem is, the State of Colorado has such a stupid wording in it's laws
governing "Motorized Bicycles".  Even though it only talks about CCs and not
Watts, requires you to be able to maintain 30mph, etc. many of the Law
Enforcement takes that to mean either that the rider needs to be licensed
and/or the vehicle must be registered.  Or, it's consider an Electric Toy
that cannot be operated on ANY public property and carries an automatic fine
of $42.00.  You might wish to read one of the stupidist laws written.

Pertains to Motorized Bicycles, Electric Toy Vehicles and Neighborhood
Electric Vehicles (must have 4 wheels)

http://198.187.128.12/colorado/lpext.dll?f=FifLink&t=document-frame.htm&l=jump&i
id=COCODE&d=42-2-103&sid=5d02bd72.1ee9a5ae.0.0#JD_42-2-103

http://198.187.128.12/colorado/lpext.dll/Infobase4/6208f/62b24/62b26/62f72/630ce
?f=hitlist&q=42-3-144&x=Advanced&opt=&skc=80000003000630CF&c=curr&gh=1&2.0#LPHit
1

http://198.187.128.12/colorado/lpext.dll/Infobase4/6208f/630d9/630db/631f8/6327a
?f=hitlist&q=motorized%20toy&x=Advanced&opt=&skc=800000030006327B&c=curr&gh=1&2.
0#LPHit1

http://198.187.128.12/colorado/lpext.dll/Infobase4/6208f/630d9/630db/631f8/63296
?f=hitlist&q=Neighborhood%20Electric&x=Advanced&opt=&skc=8000000300063297&c=curr
&gh=1&2.0#LPHit1

Or you can go to http://i70west.com/electricbicycle/index.html for the links
if the above links are too long.

Give this some thought.  We really are in this together no matter how your
Bicycle is powered.