crazy perhaps but would this be legal?
Discussion
Riding a regular push bike but with a paramotor strapped to your back (see recent Tucker Gott youtube video where he does this)
Can hit speeds of 40+mph
The bike itself is not powered by or connected to any motor so technically not a motor vehicle?
If this would be illegal what laws would be broken?
Can hit speeds of 40+mph
The bike itself is not powered by or connected to any motor so technically not a motor vehicle?
If this would be illegal what laws would be broken?
If the bike is being propelled mechanically then IMO it falls within the definition of a motor vehicle under the road traffic act.
“motor cycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms”
It doesn’t state that the motor has to be directly fixed to the bike for it to be a motorcycle; it’s the method of propulsion that matters.
“motor cycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms”
It doesn’t state that the motor has to be directly fixed to the bike for it to be a motorcycle; it’s the method of propulsion that matters.
smokey mow said:
If the bike is being propelled mechanically then IMO it falls within the definition of a motor vehicle under the road traffic act.
“motor cycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms”
It doesn’t state that the motor has to be directly fixed to the bike for it to be a motorcycle; it’s the method of propulsion that matters.
If you are on a bicycle and hold onto a car as its going along would you need to be registered as a motor vehicle ?“motor cycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms”
It doesn’t state that the motor has to be directly fixed to the bike for it to be a motorcycle; it’s the method of propulsion that matters.
smokey mow said:
If the bike is being propelled mechanically then IMO it falls within the definition of a motor vehicle under the road traffic act.
“motor cycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms”
It doesn’t state that the motor has to be directly fixed to the bike for it to be a motorcycle; it’s the method of propulsion that matters.
Interesting “motor cycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms”
It doesn’t state that the motor has to be directly fixed to the bike for it to be a motorcycle; it’s the method of propulsion that matters.
I gave chatGPT the legal definition of a mechanically propelled vehicle and ask if this applied here and it said
According to the law you provided, a "motor vehicle" is defined as a "mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads." While a bicycle itself isn't typically considered a "motor vehicle," adding a paramotor could possibly change this status, as a paramotor is a mechanical device intended to propel.
However, one aspect that could be disputed is whether a bicycle with a paramotor attached could be considered as "adapted for use on roads." If one could argue that the bicycle remains primarily intended for human propulsion (with the paramotor merely providing an assistance), it might be possible to maintain that it's not a "motor vehicle."
Keep in mind that other factors could also be relevant in making this determination, such as how often the paramotor is used when the bicycle is being ridden, whether the paramotor could be easily removed, and so forth.
djneils98 said:
Riding a regular push bike but with a paramotor strapped to your back (see recent Tucker Gott youtube video where he does this)
Can hit speeds of 40+mph
The bike itself is not powered by or connected to any motor so technically not a motor vehicle?
If this would be illegal what laws would be broken?
Surely it's still being propelled by the paramotor. If not then what's propelling it?Can hit speeds of 40+mph
The bike itself is not powered by or connected to any motor so technically not a motor vehicle?
If this would be illegal what laws would be broken?
You are the connection between the motor and the bike.
98elise said:
Surely it's still being propelled by the paramotor. If not then what's propelling it?
You are the connection between the motor and the bike.
Interesting. You are the connection between the motor and the bike.
The legal definition of a mechanically propelled vehicle is a "mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads." and although as you argue the bike is being propelled, the bike has no adaptations so it might not legally qualify.
If it did then (as someone else has said) would your bike become illegal if you held on to the side of a car for a distance?
djneils98 said:
98elise said:
Surely it's still being propelled by the paramotor. If not then what's propelling it?
You are the connection between the motor and the bike.
Interesting. You are the connection between the motor and the bike.
The legal definition of a mechanically propelled vehicle is a "mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads." and although as you argue the bike is being propelled, the bike has no adaptations so it might not legally qualify.
If it did then (as someone else has said) would your bike become illegal if you held on to the side of a car for a distance?
If you hung onto a car then surely that's a seperate vehicle?
With a paramotor it's mounted on the bike via your body.
This is just my uninformed take on it though!
Alex Z said:
ChatGPT has done a pretty good job there I reckon.
A copper *would* pull you over and report you, and it’s then down to the court to decide whether it’s a mechanically propelled vehicle. I reckon it is.
Ok. A copper *would* pull you over and report you, and it’s then down to the court to decide whether it’s a mechanically propelled vehicle. I reckon it is.
What about someone with some powered prosthetic legs riding a pushbike? Or Steve Austin? By your definition it’s a mechanically propelled vehicle.
Alex Z said:
ChatGPT has done a pretty good job there I reckon.
A copper *would* pull you over and report you, and it’s then down to the court to decide whether it’s a mechanically propelled vehicle. I reckon it is.
You could probably get ChatGPT to discover a few spurious precedents where perpetrators had been found not guilty.A copper *would* pull you over and report you, and it’s then down to the court to decide whether it’s a mechanically propelled vehicle. I reckon it is.
98elise said:
If you hung onto a car then surely that's a separate vehicle?
With a paramotor it's mounted on the bike via your body.
The motor car is attached to the bike via your body and is providing the forward motion. It becomes a motor bike while attached ? With a paramotor it's mounted on the bike via your body.
Much like if you were to get off the bike and the paramotor got off with you because it was a backpack. (A jet pack also could work this way for anyone in a hurry.)
You could wear mechanically powered trousers that ran off a petrol engine that get off the bike when you did. Would they be a personal body modification or a bike modification ?
My non-expert view, IANAL, is that the bicycle and rider together would be considered 'the vehicle' since neither one on their own could propel themselves along the road. So if the rider was powered then the vehicle would be powered. I don't know if that makes it legal or not. Why not try it and see if you get stopped by the rozzers?
Sam Pilgrim did this recently - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CLCkq1tGww
Sam Pilgrim did this recently - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CLCkq1tGww
Getragdogleg said:
98elise said:
If you hung onto a car then surely that's a separate vehicle?
With a paramotor it's mounted on the bike via your body.
The motor car is attached to the bike via your body and is providing the forward motion. It becomes a motor bike while attached ? With a paramotor it's mounted on the bike via your body.
Much like if you were to get off the bike and the paramotor got off with you because it was a backpack. (A jet pack also could work this way for anyone in a hurry.)
You could wear mechanically powered trousers that ran off a petrol engine that get off the bike when you did. Would they be a personal body modification or a bike modification ?
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