Electric Bikes Now Banned At The Fort

[Stratman50th]

Are you saying they had people riding around in golf carts asking people walking around outside to pull up their masks? With no one around either? That's crazy. Even at the height worst of this here in NY most people I know did not wear masks outside unless in a crowded line or something and it was not forced. Now if in a very crowded area where you were very close to another, one might out of respect pull it up for the moment you were near but then mask came off.

I was saying that the castmembers were stationed at intersections in golf carts telling people, mostly in golf carts to pull up their masks. I assume if people were on foot they would remind them as well, but I didn't observe anyone on foot personally. Now outside the walls of mouse here in Florida there wasn't a state wide mask mandate. Some local jurisdictions and some private establishments asked that you wear a mask.

 

[crystaltink111]

I was saying that the castmembers were stationed at intersections in golf carts telling people, mostly in golf carts to pull up their masks. I assume if people were on foot they would remind them as well, but I didn't observe anyone on foot personally. Now outside the walls of mouse here in Florida there wasn't a state wide mask mandate. Some local jurisdictions and some private establishments asked that you wear a mask.

Crazy. I can understand maybe indoors but not outdoors in a golf cart.

 

[crystaltink111]

Interestingly enough, DH just bought an eBike. Here in Calif the model he has requires that he have a motorcycle license (which he does). Because its top speed exceeds 20 MPH, it's classed as a 'moped'.

It can be ridden in purely 'manual mode' so he's planning on taking it with us since he'll get a lot of use out of it on our first stop (near Lookout Mtn). It will be interesting to see if he's stopped or questioned about it when we're at Ft W. I'll be renting a 'regular' bike!


He asked me if I wanted to try it but it is not only too big for me, it scares the bejeebers out of me as our eldest son was recently the victim of a hit and run when he was on his ebike. It's been a scary few weeks here as he was originally given only a 2% chance of survival. But thanks be to God and medical science, he has beaten the odds and is now recovering at home. But it's put me off ebikes for good!

Glad your son is doing better, that is terrible.

 

[crystaltink111]

I am actually not mad about this. Kids were riding around everywhere on ebikes and scooters. They are fast, dangerous, and completely unsupervised while making laps around the loops.

They really are NOT for kids, that is the problem. I see kids doing same with golf carts, do they ban them? No of course not. We have them and have for years, ride them slower than most any bike rider out there lol. We just use assist when needed up hills, or when really tired out, they would be perfect for the Fort. But I wouldn't let a kid ride mine, there should be a minimal age recommendation at least and if abused, then they are told at the Fort to not ride them anymore. Would be the same if you saw someone speeding along on a golf cart and kids riding gc's haphazardly which I see all the time at campgrounds that allow golf carts.

 

[StormyCA]

Glad your son is doing better, that is terrible. We own small folding ebikes, have for many years now before they even became the thing they are now and ride them slowly, honestly regular bikers pass us lol, responsibly and also responsibly care for them and do not let them charge unattended also. Never had an issue. I do feel there should be a minimal age limit on them tho. There is a case brought against one of the ebike companies where a young teen died on one after crashing. Of course this is not what I am saying happened with your son when he was not the person responsible for a hit and run. But for young kids, these are not toys and I would not let a kid ride one personally or even younger teens. We ride ours mostly as a regular bike with a slight or the smallest amount of assist when needed. But if you do not know what you are doing you can get hurt. I t hink there could be a minimum age requirement. I see young kids riding golf carts too in so many campgrounds that are much worse than any ebike I've seen personally.

Thanks. He's exceeding the Dr's expectations in his recovery.

I can see a point in an age limit. Maybe better would be to say 'must be age 18 and possess a valid driver's license', the same as is required to operate a golf cart. I know licenses aren't required for (most/some) eBikes but as far as I know they aren't required for golf carts either, but Disney still requires one.

 

[MonBam]

They really are NOT for kids, that is the problem. I see kids doing same with golf carts, do they ban them? No of course not. We have them and have for years, ride them slower than most any bike rider out there lol. We just use assist when needed up hills, or when really tired out, they would be perfect for the Fort. But I wouldn't let a kid ride mine, there should be a minimal age recommendation at least and if abused, then they are told at the Fort to not ride them anymore. Would be the same if you saw someone speeding along on a golf cart and kids riding gc's haphazardly which I see all the time at campgrounds that allow golf carts.

Absolutely agree! I can't understand why their parents don't worry about that.

 

[AlexLap]

And I don't get why kids should ride exactly e-bikes. There are good road and offroad bikes out there. We all grew up riding bicycles and it was fun and exciting. So many great memories!
And I agree that it is the responsibility of parents on what their children ride. Also, it is crucial to teach kids how to ride a bike safely. Moreover, there is a great number of useful sources like this one https://www.bikertricks.com/how-to-ride-a-bike/ that might help and ease the process.

 

[JETS70]

I am at the Fort now and can say that electric bikes are not scarce. We were at the Settlement golf cart parking and there were 3 people on E-bikes telling a group of people how light they were and that top speed for them was around 12 to 13 mph. I then followed them out of the Settlement. They were on the pedestrian path and I was on the cart path. And yes, there were people walking on the pedestrian path.

Steve

 

[Sjm9911]

I am at the Fort now and can say that electric bikes are not scarce. We were at the Settlement golf cart parking and there were 3 people on E-bikes telling a group of people how light they were and that top speed for them was around 12 to 13 mph. I then followed them out of the Settlement. They were on the pedestrian path and I was on the cart path. And yes, there were people walking on the pedestrian path.

Steve

Old rules stated they had to be on the pedestrian paths. Your right they should be on the roads. We had the same delema with our electric scooters, they said on the paths, but it was safer on the roads.

 

[bama_ed]

Old rules stated they had to be on the pedestrian paths. Your right they should be on the roads. We had the same delema with our electric scooters, they said on the paths, but it was safer on the roads.

So Disney will cover my insurance if I run over somebody with an eBike on the pedestrian paths.

Kewl.

Seriously, anybody who sez the 10mph delta is no big deal (12mph eBike vs walking 2mph delta) needs to line up on the pavement in the dark and let somebody overtake them from behind with no warning. I hope they have a LOT of money to pay when their insurance doesn't. Very simple concept.

Disney does not enforce any rules. This is an easily established fact.

Until they feel the heat. Then they are trying to catch up from behind. Losers But I repeat myself.

Don't follow followers. Follow any leaders who lead (even just a little). The rest are losers. It's rocket science, easily.

<rocket science> Easy for a thinking person.

Ed

 

[StormyCA]

It's a hard thing. Should Disney continue the current total ban on ebikes OR should they say OK, but they can only be ridden in manual mode? I DO agree on a 100% ban on ebikes under a certain age (15-16?) or a requirement to have a driver's license even if one can't use power.

So I guess part of the enforcement problem is that unless a rider is going h**l bent for leather there's really no way to tell if they're pedaling manually or using their lowest power assist. But sounds like they aren't enforcing the ban anyway.

DH has an ebike and I'm thinking about it. If we took them to FtW we'd ride ONLY using manual power.

'Rules of the road' are that bikes belong in the street, not on sidewalks. It's always sort of surprised me that the Fort rents bikes but doesn't have bike lanes or paths.

 

[bama_ed]

It's a hard thing. Should Disney continue the current total ban on ebikes OR should they say OK, but they can only be ridden in manual mode? I DO agree on a 100% ban on ebikes under a certain age (15-16?) or a requirement to have a driver's license even if one can't use power.



'Rules of the road' are that bikes belong in the street, not on sidewalks. It's always sort of surprised me that the Fort rents bikes but doesn't have bike lanes or paths.

I get frustrated when Disney makes new Fort rules because they join a long list of other rules which sound reasonable but then go unenforced.

I like riding bikes at the Fort; however, the roads are getting clogged with personal cars, internal busses, golf carts, and Cast Member vehicles that make the sidewalks appear inviting to me as a biker because they are generally more clear.

ED

 

[jimmymc]

I'm just reading the official rules now, and I can only guess they ban eBikes because they are required to be on paths and sidewalks, as opposed to the road. Carts have a 20 mph speed limit, and an average adult cyclist can easily hit 15 mph, so it makes a lot more sense to me if they use the roads. Scooters are supposedly banned, but using them on roads to get from your site to the boat seems like a reasonable use to me. Like mentioned earlier, each rule seems reactionary, and they don't have a good system in place to accommodate everyone.

 

[Sjm9911]

They really need me to make the rules, lol. If you are 5 mph or slower, take the sidewalk. 20 ( should be 15) and under the roads. See easy. So if you 4 year old is on a tricycle, they stay on the sidewalk. Your 8 year old on a bike gets to use the road. Its not hard.

 

[Titanium]

I'm just reading the official rules now, and I can only guess they ban eBikes because they are required to be on paths and sidewalks, as opposed to the road. Carts have a 20 mph speed limit, and an average adult cyclist can easily hit 15 mph, so it makes a lot more sense to me if they use the roads. Scooters are supposedly banned, but using them on roads to get from your site to the boat seems like a reasonable use to me. Like mentioned earlier, each rule seems reactionary, and they don't have a good system in place to accommodate everyone.

 

[Titanium]

I just re-read the rules and tried to understand in light of the e-bike rule.

It says electric scooters and EPMDS are restricted to bike paths.

Then below the rule states gas powered scooters and dirt bikes are prohibited but there's no prohibition against a touring, street or cruiser motorcycles, I guess those are more like cars and trucks in Disney's eyes.

 

[jimmymc]

I just re-read the rules and tried to understand in light of the e-bike rule.

It says electric scooters and EPMDS are restricted to bike paths.

Then below the rule states gas powered scooters and dirt bikes are prohibited but there's no prohibition against a touring, street or cruiser motorcycles, I guess those are more like cars and trucks in Disney's eyes.

I believe motorcycles are good for the road, while smaller vehicles should stay on paths. Vehicles in-between, like mopeds, gas scooters, or dirtbikes, aren't allowed at all.

 

[jkh36619]

So take it for what it's worth. Was speaking with a fellow camper at The Fort who had become friends with a CM who worked at The Fort. Says they are not actively enforcing the e bike ban as long as:
1. You are peddling.
2 Not going over the speed limit.
Says it was an enforcement nightmare as people would just say they were not powered on and we are using them as a normal bike. Which I know most ebikes are geared like standard bicycles.

I own an ebike that I use for my beach trips but I carry my regular bike to The Fort because its not that much peddling to the front or back and they are just easier to transport.

Again, This is 2nd hand info.

 

[mco65]

Other than pure envy, i have no issues with e-bikers!

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

There are a lot of them in the RV world. I saw plenty of them at the Fort in February. Fewer issues with them than the kids driving golf carts.
I still have nothing but contempt for the "Rangers" They continue to amaze me but not in a good way. Makes me wonder if Disney HR really understands what that job entails when they post for hiring's ?