The honeymoon period for Sydney’s illegal e-bike riders is officially over. After years of delivery riders treating footpaths like a private drag strip and the recent chaos on the Harbour Bridge, the NSW government has finally stopped sending polite warnings. They have brought out the heavy machinery. Like old men in Lycra, teens on e-bikes are a menace to society.
For anyone who has walked through the CBD recently, the silent menace is a daily reality. High-powered, throttle-driven bikes, often completely illegal under current NSW road laws, swarm the streets. These machines pose a significant danger to pedestrians and law-abiding commuters alike.
Wondering why I am harping on about it like an old moll at a bake-off? I’ve been swept off my feet more than once, and not in a good way. Twice, scooters ridden by adults have clipped my elbows when leaving our local shops, and an e-bike travelling at least five times walking speed knocked me off my feet. Each time, this was on a footpath. One has the right to feel safe on a footpath, and each of these violent incidents happened when the vehicle was approaching from behind. I recently came close to wiping out an e-bike rider on the Harbour Bridge off-ramp when the delivery rider approached me travelling in the opposite direction. He was on the wrong side of the road, darting in and out of afternoon traffic.
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The government’s new Lost-In-Space-Esque “crush, kill, destroy” policy is a direct response to a community that has simply had enough of the footpath carnage. Frankly, so have I. I feel that I have a personal stake, and it seems I am not alone. Further swarms of tantrumous teens have terrorised towns across the country. The real question is why, if they cannot be tamed with existing laws, are the high-powered throttle controlled conveyances allowed to be sold here in the first place?
But is a literal death sentence for the machinery the right move, or is it a heavy-handed stunt to distract from a lack of proper infrastructure? We have seen the footage of bikes being flattened into scrap metal, and the reactions are split right down the middle. Some see justice, while others see a waste of perfectly good components that could be repurposed. We say they can be repurposed, with all components able to be recycled. If the existing laws worked, surely the police would already have rid the streets of this menace.
Regular readers know that I have had folding e-bikes for a decade, and you can see my MOOV8 and Leitner reviews below. I use bike lanes where possible and obey the road rules always. I can still lose points on my licence, but a teen who isn’t a licence holder escapes any consequence. Nothing short of a good spanking seems to be getting through to them, so crushing their bikes, as hoons’ cars are similarly dispatched, seems logical.
E-bikes are an essential part of future mobility solutions, but has registration become the only way to ensure compliance?
The Big Question Is the NSW government doing the right thing by crushing these bikes, or is this overreach? Are the fines enough? Should they be doubled, or tripled? We want to know where the community stands on the e-mobility crackdown. Should we be penalising the riders with fines, or is the total destruction of the bike the only way to send a message that sticks?
Cast your vote in our live poll here https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxPL2jALPP3ctER9EbChs9FQixLT2KpLIu
The results will be used for our upcoming deep dive into the legality of e-mobility in Australia. If you missed our previous breakdown of the current NSW e-bike fines and legislation, make sure you catch up so you know exactly what is legal and what will get your bike turned into a paperweight.
Don’t let the delivery lobby have the only say, get your vote in now and let us know if you want to see more of the crusher or more common sense.
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Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.
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