We’ve all been there: On our commute home from work, a teenager flies by at seemingly ridiculous speeds. Of course, they’re on one of those e-bikes that resemble a classic motorcycle — a.k.a. a fat bike.
Officially, fat bikes are considered e-bikes with wider tyres, but many compare them to a moped or a scooter, of which you need a licence to ride.
The debate about these bikes, which has continued for a while, is ongoing — and more and more people in the Netherlands are calling for a ban on them.
What’s the issue with fat bikes?
RTL wanted to understand what people in the Netherlands really think of these two-wheeled monstrosities, so they conducted a survey.
The result? (Not shockingly), almost half of the participants (45%) reported being regularly annoyed by sharing the road with fat bikes.
Fatbikejeugd…. zucht pic.twitter.com/sg8Eo3yYDC— Dumpert (@dumpert) August 23, 2024
The research also suggests that 95% of people want the bikes to be banned entirely for those under 16, thinking this would reduce accidents dramatically.
Many also believe in enforcing helmet use, with 89% suggesting this would make a difference.
READ MORE | 5 reasons the Dutch cycle without bike helmets
Gijs Rademaker of RTL says, “When it comes to e-bikes [in general], the majority favour a ban for younger children and a helmet requirement.
So, should they be banned?
39% of people surveyed believe fat bikes should be banned altogether, with many believing they are just too dangerous.
This, unfortunately, gives all people who ride fat bikes a bad rep, as the bike has become a symbol of “misconduct in traffic”.
However, many people use fat bikes as a way of commuting or as an easier way of getting out on the bikes, with one user saying they “ride 40 or 50 kilometres every day” on it”.
Do you think fat bikes should be banned? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Yes, these should be banned in its entirety.
I’ve been tormented by groups of girls and boys on these bikes, hooted at and shouted at.
The worst part was in Amsterdam, a man on a fatbike was going so fast, he cut the corner and crashed into me, and continued by scolding me in his foreign language.
They are just too dangerous by nature. They do not belong side by side with regular bikes on regular bicycle lanes. They can (and do) cause serious accidents.
Fat bikes and other e-bikes ride the same speeds. It seems that people are irritated in general and it has nothing to do with the fat bikes really. Why take away a bike with fat wheels but an e-bike with city wheels are ok. No sense in that. Just seems common sense aren’t that common. And the comments steering towards “foreign” language just makes me wonder what has that got to do with anything. Racist much?! Stop looking for things to be sour about if you can’t afford having it.
I also want mopeds and anything with an electric engine to be banned on cycling paths