E-bikes are not the real problem

Jun 3, 2026
Jun 3, 2026
12

Editor,

Papan and others keep on panicking of e-bikes. These are not the problem.

(12) comments

Terence Y Jun 3, 2026 8:31am

Here we go again with the illogical comparison between cars and e-bikes/e-motos/bikes. Hey Mr. Carlini, how are you going to lug 10 bags of groceries or a case of bottled water on any type of bike? How long will it take millions to commute to their jobs, drop off kids, pick up kids, run errands, etc? Let’s top trying to waste money to discriminate against, say 400,000 cars, to benefit 100 e-bikes/e-motos/bikes which are mostly used for recreation. I wouldn’t mind seeing e-bikes/e-motos/bikes registration fees so they pay their fair share.

easygerd Jun 3, 2026 8:49am

TBot old friend. We are all glad you are rich, who can afford 10 bags of groceries these days? With this kind of inflation due to the failed white house policies, with all the tax increases, and all these foreign oil wars going on. Heck, who can still afford driving?

Let's put this another way. USA has never spent one dollar or sacrificed even one American soldier to fight wars to allow for cheap bicycling. We are spending millions and sacrificed thousands for oil wars to sponsor cheap driving.

Terence Y Jun 4, 2026 8:39am

eGerd – TBot here. There you go with the fake news and lies… More folks have more money thanks to stock market returns well above the current inflation rate. Tax increases are happening because of failed CA policies, not federal. Gas taxes in CA make it less affordable to drive, not federal. And were you complaining about affordability when incompetent Biden’s policies increased our inflation rates to over 9%? Meanwhile, you don’t seem to understand we don’t need oil from anyone else, the USA doesn’t need to import oil. It is a choice by California to import oil from other countries because of their foolish efforts to continue the green new scam. BTW, oil isn’t only used for cheap driving, it is used for cheap everything because fossil fuels is what makes the world go around – regardless of those peddling fake news and lies would like you to believe.

easygerd Jun 4, 2026 2:17pm

TBot, don't you know, tax increases are now called "tariffs" and they come from the other side.

Thanks to AAA we know it cost some 80 cent per mile to drive a car, CA gas taxes is a measly 3 cents.

There is also a simple way to avoid paying less of that tax or none at all:

it's called, the Cargo E-bike. It can go 28mph, carry 10 grocery bags, makes you healthier saves on your health care bills ... and most importantly, you never have to pay for gas tax ever again.

PS.: I don't know who that Biden guy is you keep talking about, so I asked my friend ChatGPT about him. And it seems like that Biden guy hasn't been in charge for a long time. ChatGPT also said, we can now blame the GOP for everything that is going wrong in this country. My friend also mentioned a rampant and viral fossil fuel addiction within the GOP. Only vaccinations would help.

Dirk van Ulden Jun 4, 2026 5:06pm

Terence - please inform easygerd that our gasoline tax is $.79/gal. Most of it is State tax. I believe that Newscum just added another penny. It states right there on each pump!.

Terence Y Jun 5, 2026 8:30am

eGerd – TBot here. As expected, you’ve resorted to tossing what you can think of against the wall and hoping something sticks. It doesn’t. It costs 80 cents per mile to drive a car? Regardless of what kind of car? Ferrari vs. Yugo? And CA gas taxes are 3 cents of what fuel cost in the 80 cents? 10 cents? So 30%?

A Cargo E-bike makes you healthier when it’s an E-bike? Why not a regular bike? More healthy, right? And where are the kiddoes and their backpacks/sports equipment/etc. going to be sitting? On the handlebars? And never paying for a gas tax? Then how would roads be built? How would bike lanes be striped? How would cyclists get their free ride, pun intended?

As for this Biden guy, I’m sure plenty of folks, especially Dems would like to forget him but how can anyone forget the worst president in the history of the USA? Biden may not be in charge (thank God) but his disastrous policies continue to loom large.

And I didn’t realize your friend thinks the GOP is the only group to use planes/trains/automobiles/any electric appliances, any of the thousands of items manufactured with fossil fuels, etc. Sounds like your friend is having another of many hallucinations. The bottom line is that fossil fuels make the world go around, no matter what anyone is fooled into believing. BTW, how about the recently announced $700 million big, beautiful coal investment?

easygerd Jun 5, 2026 9:54am

Dirk,

Let's not forget the price gouging of oil companies, which, even before the endless war, was often >$1 per gallon. Now, of course, even higher. Remember, the USA does not rely on the Middle East for its oil, so why is the gas price going up for us? We are currently paying $2-$3 per gallon above what US oil companies actually could charge if they loved "affordability".

You know I'm right on this. Chevron and Exxon will soon report massive windfalls and "hero-war" bonuses for all C-suite employees.

We are also paying billions for the "military-industrial complex", Ike Eisenhower warned us about.

What does a real Patriot rather use their well-earned money on? What would Ike Eisenhower do?

- $0.79 per gallon in taxes paying for crashing bridges and failing infrastructure?

- $3 per gallon in profits going to oil companies' C-suites and quickly disappearing in international tax havens?

AAA - the car lovers - tells us that driving costs on average some $80 cents per mile.

You can do your own math with your own vehicle.:

https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/drivingcosts/

A typical American car, like the successful F-150 Raptor, costs:

Total Driving Cost Per Year: $23,382.20

5-year Total: $116,911.00

Per Mile: $1.56

Only 5 cents of those $1.56 is the "outrageous" CA gasoline tax that pays for some streets. Btw. in order to pay for ALL CA streets, the tax would have to 10 to 20 cents, so you are getting a huge discount here. Newsom is giving you a huge discount.

joebob91 Jun 3, 2026 8:34am

Yes, well said.

CA Is Burning Jun 4, 2026 3:10pm

We don't need more regulations, because who is going to enforce them? The in abstentia San Mateo police department? There is zero parking enforcement, stop sign enforcement, speeding enforcement, red light running enforcement, July 4th fireworks war zone enforcement etc... so before more regulations are created, let's see if the SM police can start enforcing our existing laws and regulations. They can start on July 4th enforcing the fireworks ban by parking out on the first block of S Rochester and 2nd Ave and arresting the delinquents who are setting off bombs.

easygerd Jun 5, 2026 10:29am

TBot, are you telling me you are just as confused about e-bikes as San Mateo Democrat Diane Papan? She has an excuse, as she is getting old now. If she had been bicycling more in her youth, more oxygen would have gone to her brain, increasing the performance of those little brain cells later in life as well. She might have skipped out on those benefits, so now she is confusing bicycles with motorcycles and children with the Hells Angels. It happens - we call it 'Old Geezer Syndrome' ... Anyone, please check with your doctor if you see similar symptoms.

People still need to pedal with e-bikes. Research shows people are getting more, better, and healthier exercise with e-bikes than with regular bikes.

If you carry 10 grocery bags uphill, you can switch to a higher assist level on your electric Cargo Bike and still pay 0 cents for the "horrendously outrageous" CA gas tax.

ZERO CENTS for 10 grocery bags, heck, I bet I could do 20 and still beat you and your Lincoln Navigator in speed, price, and efficiency.

Terence Y Jun 6, 2026 8:27am

eGerd – TBot here. Per Mr. van Ulden’s request, I’m here to inform you that our gasoline tax is 79 cents/gallon with most of it being State tax. Although I believe Newsom just added 2 more pennies to the tax, not 1 penny. I’m not sure why you’re dreaming up the 3 cents/gallon gas tax and then later, up it to a 5 cents/gallon gas tax. Who knows, after 30 more comment submissions you’ll land on Dirk’s 79 cents/gallon gas tax number. Meanwhile, the wall remains clean after your latest toss of whatever you can think of, especially with your fuzzy math, because nothing is sticking.

People still need to pedal with e-bikes but they don’t need to pedal as much so they are getting more, better, and healthier exercise? With that logic, you'd get even more, better, and healthier exercise in driving a car. And you can lug 10 bags of groceries, a case of bottled water, kiddoes, and their backpacks/sports equipment.

Yosemite Says Jun 6, 2026 7:32am

You can't separate bike "advocates" from bike industry lobbyists with a crowbar.

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