Australians have rejoiced after a rule-breaking cyclist was fined more than $1,500 in two separate incidents on New South Wales roads.
The man was inundated with comments from cocky drivers after NSW Police issued him two penalty notices for $772 on December 23.
One of the fines was for using an “unregistered motor vehicle” and the other for using an “uninsured motor vehicle” on the highway.
Despite being fined $1,544, the cyclist received little sympathy from Australians after the notices were shared on Facebook.
“It is illegal to ride a fully electric vehicle (without pedal assist) in New South Wales, ignorance is no defence,” one person responded.
“It’s surprising how many people think ignorance is a reasonable excuse,” wrote a second.
‘That’s a lot of deliveries to pay for that! “I guess I should have done the right thing,” a third person commented.
It’s unclear whether the man was riding a pedal-assist or electric-assist electric bike at the time, both come with strict rules.
Australians have rejoiced after an e-bike user caught breaking the rules was fined more than $1,500 in two separate incidents on New South Wales roads (file image)
One of the fines was for using an ‘unregistered and registrable’ motor vehicle and the other was for using an ‘uninsured motor vehicle’ on the highway (fines shown in photo)
Woman caught on electric bike with child without seat belt
Meanwhile, a Sydney woman was hit with more than $2,500 in fines on Monday after she was allegedly caught riding an electric bike with a child without a seat belt.
She was detained by Liverpool Highway Patrol officers who issued her four separate fines totaling $2,575 for various alleged offenses.
The woman was cited for using an unregistered and registrable Class A motor vehicle, not having a license, using an uninsured motor vehicle on the highway and traveling with a passenger under the age of eight who was not in a sidecar was the other violation. .
New South Wales Police shared photographs of the incident on Facebook, warning the public about the dangers of riding e-bikes unsafely.
Some social media users praised the police for arresting the woman.
“These electric bikes are a vehicle, many forget,” one person wrote.
Others said the fines were further evidence that New South Wales was a “nanny state”, and said the woman should have been shown leniency.
A Sydney woman was fined more than $2,500 on Monday after she was allegedly caught riding an e-bike with an unbelted child (her e-bike is pictured).
What are the rules for e-cyclists in New South Wales?
Pedal-assist bicycles and electrically assisted bicycles must be primarily propelled by the user, according to Transport for NSW.
‘An engine cannot be the only source of propulsion. The motor should only assist the cyclist, such as when going uphill or in strong winds,” the rules state.
A pedal-assisted bicycle can have a maximum power of 200 watts, cannot be propelled solely by the motor, has a height-adjustable seat and weighs 50 kg.
Electrically assisted bicycles must have a maximum power of 500 watts, which is progressively reduced as the bicycle speed exceeds 6 km/hour.
The power should be cut off when the bicycle reaches a speed of 25 km/h or the cyclist exceeds a speed of 6 km/h when he stops pedaling.
Gasoline-powered bicycles or other motorized bicycles that do not meet state requirements for electric bicycles are illegal and may only be used on private property.