Almost everyone wants to ban fatbikes for kids under 16

Almost everyone in the Netherlands agrees that kids under 16 should not ride a fatbike, RTL Nieuws found in a survey of over 19,000 members of its news panel. The vast majority of Netherlands residents think fatbikes are more of a scooter than a bicycle and should be subject to scooter rules.

Fatbikes are officially classified as electric bicycles with wide tires. 85 percent of respondents considered it more of a moped, speed pedelec, or scooter.

There is, therefore, broad support for applying scooter rules to fatbikes. 95 percent of Netherlands residents want to attach an age limit of 16 to the bike. 89 percent want a mandatory helmet. And 79 percent think that fatbike riders should get a special driver’s license for the bike.

Nearly half (45 percent) of respondents said that they regularly experience inconvenience caused by fatbikes in traffic. There’s a lot of irritation about the vehicle. “It seems as if fatbike users have completely forgotten traffic rules,” one participant said. “Young people, in particular, drive much too fast and cannot properly assess the situation. Or they are distracted by their phone, music, or friends.”

But many people also consider fatbikes a very valuable part of their mobility. Anneloes (50) and her 17-year-old daughter, Chris, live far from everything. For them, their fatbikes are indispensable. “I ride 40 or 50 kilometers every day,” Chris said. “I know I’m not doing anything wrong, so I don’t find riding a fatbike a problem.” But she is noticing increasing hostility from other road users.

Mother Anneloes says the biggest advantage of the fatbike is that she no longer arrives exhausted at appointments. And she feels safe on the fatbike. “It’s stable, it’s low, has a wide saddle. You can easily put your feet on the ground. I feel very safe on it, especially at night,” she told RTL Nieuws.