eBike Drones and eBikes!

[Erik Timmerman]

How are they alike? Well, for one thing, people hate both of them for no good reason! Also, they are in their infancy with a fast growing technology and people that don't really understand them trying to legislate how they should be used. My local trails still don't really have a policy. Actually, we have two policies and depending upon the parcels we are on, they may or may not conflict. I won't get into the specifics, but for the most part we are still punting on policy. As i rode past one of our "No Motorized Vehicles" signs today, I realized how drones could help us. We could use their geo-fencing technology to regulate eBikes. You'd need a GPS chip in your eBike, and yearly (?) firmware updates that would include a geo-fence map. In wide open places the bike could be unrestricted. In places where regulations are in effect the motor power or top speed assist speed could be restricted. Our local trail system goes through a large parcel owned by a major retro-grouch, he has called Strave to have his entire property fenced, and has put up "no Strave" signs. He is not into the idea of eBikes. If they were geo-fenced, you'd ride onto his property and your bike would shut down until you left the fenced area. You'd be pedaling a 50 pound brick, but you'd still be able to go through.

That's my brainstorm for the day, tell me how I am wrong!

 

[cantunamunch]

You haven't provided individual incentive to purchase a bike like that instead of an unlimited, unchipped* one.


*Not an accidental allusion: geofencing pet collars have been around longer than drones. Most pet owners don't buy one.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

The incentive would be that you are not banned from the trails. Yeah, I don't think an individual would choose chipped over unshipped. You'd just lobby the bike makers to include the geo fence chip as part of Class 1 certification.

 

[cantunamunch]

The incentive would be that you are not banned from the trails..

Yeh, collective incentive every one of those chipped bikes would be tunnel-hacked* with a cut up coke can in a matter of ...hours if that.

*Take a bike somewhere that isn't geofenced. Sticky tape conductive material over the antenna.

 

[luliski]

Strave to have his entire property fenced, and has put up "no Strave" signs.

Did you mean "Strava?"

 

[cantunamunch]

Did you mean "Strava?"

LOL, I'd put chances about even that @epic typed the sign exactly as posted and observed.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Did you mean "Strava?"

Yeah, Strava, I have no idea what autocorrect thinks that "strave" means. I just had to retype strave because it autocorrected that to starve.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Yeh, collective incentive every one of those chipped bikes would be tunnel-hacked* with a cut up coke can in a matter of ...hours if that.

*Take a bike somewhere that isn't geofenced. Sticky tape conductive material over the antenna.

I'm sure some people would hack them. I know that if you don't update DJI firmware, your drone will ground itself until you do. People probably have figured out how to hack that too.

 

[luliski]

people hate both of them for no good reason!

Maybe drones have some utility, but I hate them because I like natural sounds in nature, and drones are intrusive. I have been in situations where I have hiked out to a beach (accessible only by foot or bike, and part of a National Recreation Area) and found people flying drones over the cove for fun. Another time I hiked to an overlook over Lake Tahoe, and a group was flying a drone there. For me, the noise pollution is a big downside.

 

[luliski]

Yeah, Strava, I have no idea what autocorrect thinks that "strave" means. I just had to retype strave because it autocorrected that to starve.

So he doesn't want his property map to show up on Strava feeds?

 

[cantunamunch]

If they were Zeppelin-quiet I think people would be even more spooked,

So he doesn't want his property map to show up on Strava feeds?

Or on segment plans.

 

[luliski]

I think that people just need to be more considerate when using them in recreational areas. Some of us need to get away from all the noise.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

That is correct. It's a good bunch of acreage right in the middle of town. He also calls Trailforks, etc. whenever trails show up on their maps. Our organization is allowed to build and maintain trails there, but not to map them. It's strange, but better than being banned.

 

[cantunamunch]

. Our organization is allowed to build and maintain trails there, but not to map them. It's strange, but better than being banned.

It's kind of interesting...in a Euro right-to-roam way.

 

[luliski]

I guess he doesn't want too many people to know about his trails, but he's cool with locals using them?

 

[cantunamunch]

I guess he doesn't want too many people to know about his trails, but he's cool with locals using them?

...and he doesn't want people to go speeding through trying to improve/renew their segment rankings, labeling features, focusing traffic, using his property for a mileage total, or any of a dozen other things related to mapping.

I won't even begin to guess how many property owners wished they were that protective when Pokemon Go came out.

 

[KevinF]

Maybe drones have some utility, but I hate them because I like natural sounds in nature, and drones are intrusive. I have been in situations where I have hiked out to a beach (accessible only by foot or bike, and part of a National Recreation Area) and found people flying drones over the cove for fun. Another time I hiked to an overlook over Lake Tahoe, and a group was flying a drone there. For me, the noise pollution is a big downside.

This. x1000 this. I've hiked to remote peaks in New Hampshire (ok, remote for New Hampshire) and people have been flying drones. What?

Don't get me started with people who have their bluetooth or whatever speakers blasting out tunes from their backpack.



In other news, I am officially "old" now apparently.

 

[Core2]

I do not understand drone hate. It is almost like it became a trendy thing to do. Drones are not very loud, once they get up high you can't even hear the new ones. Unless some drone is chilling over my swimming pool I do not have a slight care to give about them. Let people have fun outdoors however they want to unless it is destructive to the environment.

 

[luliski]

I could definitely hear the drones near me. I wanted to hear the waves and the wind, not the buzzing of a drone. I don't have a quiet swimming pool where I can keep out noise, that's why I retreat to the mountains or coast.

 

[Philpug]

I have yet to personally see misuse of drones...but I have heard of all too many instances where there has been issues with interference in air traffic and fire fighting. As far as the ebikes, I met up with one of the Tahoe area trail designers and the subject of e's came up. He mentioned that while there is some push back now, we feels that we will see pretty much total acceptance in the near future and there will still be some traditionalists riding analog bikes, ebikes will be the vast majority on the trails. We will find the "yeah buts..." that some are so concerned with like hacking them for more power or being a menace and flying up trails at 20+MPH just will not be the case. We also talked about enforcement on trails, he said with staffing cut backs and simple cost aspects, there is very little chance it will be enforced and as long as someone isn't doing damage or belligerent or abusive, it won't be an issue.