Electric bicycle? - update Post 6

[debthaven]

Does anyone have one? Can you tell me about it?

DD (23YO) just got a reception job in a very nice hotel. She works day/evening shifts, but no night shifts. She works either early morning to mid afternoon, or mid afternoon to late evening.

The hotel is just 10 min away by car, but 45 min away by bus and train ... when the buses are running. But very often there are no buses that early or late.

She just started getting her license but it will probably take 4-6 months (because that's just how it is here). We all need for her to be autonomous so we were thinking about an electric bicycle. 

We were initially thinking about a scooter but a scooter license is over 500 euros, and then you have to buy the scooter. An electric bicycle is 750 euros. She would probably only use the electric bicycle regularly until she gets her DL, at which point she would get a car. 

She is living at home. We are fine with that but we need her to be autonomous.

One question I have about the electric bike is, if it takes 25 min to bike to her hotel on a regular bike (which is what The Internet says), will an electric bike be faster, or only easier? The route is flat except for one hill, which is downhill TO work, and uphill FROM work.  

Thanks!

ETA: For a regular bike, the Internet says it's 5.6 km / 3.5 miles / 23 minutes. 

[Works4me]

Your situation has been on my mind and I am just going to ask his straight up - what are the areas like as far as personal safety? Also driver safety is an important consideration. What are the chances of her being hit by another vehicle on those roads, especially after night?

I am a firm believer in personal independence for young adults, especially women, but I am also very much of a realist. IMHO the scooter would be safer on all fronts. 

Is she able to get rides, especially home, from a co-worker? My other bought is that if you do indeed have to drive her, I would charge her a lot and in cash - like $20. This would be to make sure it was quite costly for her to depend on you and increasing her independence is important right now.

You have done such a great job raising her and seeing that she has an education. Kudos to you.

ETA - wondering about using some type of car service or even Uber or a taxi. Transportation is both a cost be consideration of being a working adult and that is something that she needs to learn. IMHO, if it takes 45 minutes on the bus, that might make her more willing to get her DL in a timely manner.

Another question - what about parking? Do they charge and if so how much? I remember getting a real job in a law office in downtown San Jose while living with my parents and in addition to learning about commute traffic, I had to pay a huge percentage of my income for parking. I remember complaining about it but as a young working adult it was my problem to solve. 

What are the laws for France? Here is a quick summary from Wikipedia:

European Union definition
European Union directive 2002/24/EC exempts vehicles with the following definition from type approval: "Cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kW, of which the output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25 km/h (16 mph) or if the cyclist stops pedaling.” This is the de facto definition of an electrically assisted pedal cycle in the EU. As with all EU directives, individual member countries of the EU are left to implement the requirements in national legislation.

European product safety standard EN 15194 was published in 2009. The aim of EN 15194 is "to provide a standard for the assessment of electrically powered cycles of a type which are excluded from type approval by Directive 2002/24/EC".

[debthaven]

Sarah, to answer your questions:

The roads are relatively quiet and safe. 

Taxi is 25 euros, way too much. Uber is illegal here now.

I DO NOT WANT US TO HAVE TO PICK HER UP ANYMORE. Not even for $100   a ride. I get up at 6 many days, do DS3's 7 am bus run, start teaching at 8. I DO NOT WANT US TO HAVE TO PICK DD UP AT 10.15 PM. Or at least not on any sort of regular basis. 

Parking is not a problem. Large suburban hotel = plenty of free parking. 

ETA: She WILL get her DL in time, she's already signed up, it's paid, and she goes. But we still need her to be autonomous until she does, because it will take months. 

[debthaven]

Also, getting soaking wet on a bike (electric or normal) will definitely light a fire under her butt as far as getting her DL goes. 

ETA: Personal safety: she was flashed yesterday on her way to the train station (across the street from the police station!!!). That's one reason I want this issue resolved ASAP, I don't want her walking to the train station anymore (no buses there at that hour).  

[Works4me]

Electric bike sounds great for her.
Is any type of license required?
Also, I am curious, what is required for a DL there? 

Imho, you have done a great job raising your DD and seeing that she got an education. Young adulthood is such a difficult thing. All I have to offer is some very good Canadian whiskey - mixed with the real sugar Coke it is very good and very smooth.

[Sam_2.0]

Why doesnt she start with a regular bike? Seems easiest, and exercise would be good. And would light a fire under her bum even more she could walk it up the hill if needed at first.

[debthaven]

Sam ... if you don't use the assistance, it IS a regular bike. :-)

Sarah - no license required for an electric bike

Anyway, done! We got DD got an electric bike this afternoon, DH got a regular bike (his was stolen a few months ago). They both rode back together from the mall, which is nearly the same distance from home as DD's hotel. 

And because of DH's store card, he got 10% off!

DD is thrilled!

ETA: Thank you Sarah. :-)

[debthaven]

Also, there was another safety issue we only found out about after DD got home from work today, ie after we had basically decided to check out those bikes.

The hotel has a "guest house" for employees that need it. It has 4 bedrooms. DD had asked if she could sleep there tonight because there are ZERO buses on Sun am. They said yes, but then the night auditor told her she would be sharing it with 3 male workers that weren't regular hotel employees, and that he really, really didn't think it was safe for DD, and if she could find any other solution, it would be much better. DD told him, no I don't have any other solution. So he told DD he'd try to give DD a room in the hotel on the sly. And he told her if she did have to stay in the house, she should take the bedroom nearest the front door!

DD was both touched and horrified at his offer ... she said, that's all I need, for the night auditor to lose his job, and me to lose mine.

We had already decided to go to the mall today and look at those bikes before we heard that this afternoon. Once we heard that, that was it! Obviously we could have (and would have!) just driven DD to work tomorrow (at 6.30). But the same issues would come up again and again and again, until she gets her DL. We had to find a solution SOON, and I'm so happy we found one!