E-bikers fined in Amsterdam for having vehicles that are too fast
Around five people were issued a fine on Wednesday in Amsterdam-Oost because they were driving a souped-up electric vehicle, a police spokesperson shares. The police tried out the new chassis dynamometer that, in addition to the existing speed control of mopeds and scooters, can now also determine whether electric bicycles, speed pedelecs, and fat bikes are going faster than permitted.
The spokesperson says they checked around twenty electronic vehicles in two hours on the Stephensonstraat. About a quarter received a fine of 290 euros because the pedal assistance did not stop at the permitted 25 kilometers per hour. "That means that they have tampered with the electric vehicle so that it helps them to cycle, for example, at a speed of 35 kilometers per hour." Pedal assistance is permitted up to 45 kilometers per hour for speed pedelecs.
The spokesperson says the people were shocked by the fee of the fine. If someone is caught once more with a souped-up electronic vehicle, there would be another fine of 290 euros. The Electronic two-wheeler can be taken away if they are caught a third time.
In total, 247 of these new so-called chassis dynamometers are spread out over the country. The spokesperson has said that the plan is for these to be used everywhere from April or May. The new chassis dynamometer will replace the old ones, which have been in use for over fifteen years. They were overdue an upgrade, according to the spokesperson. But it was also necessary to anticipate the increase in severe accidents among cyclists, which, according to the police, is linked to the rise in the number of electric vehicles.
Reporting by ANP