My EBike Hunting Rig

[J_T]

Don't mean to come across as confrontational. Great set up by the way. However, I have had this discussion quite a bit with CO's and with the people responsible for writing and interpreting the regs. I would be cautious about using an ebike in a road closure area. Just saying. I know in R4, if you bump into a CO while on an eBike, in a road closure area, I know how they will view it.

[quadrakid]

Cool bike and setup. I know personally if i was an hour into a hike in a motorized vehicle closed area and somebody passed me on a bike and they were not pedaling i would be unhappy.These bikes make access easier which goes against the reason the closure is in place.Somebody with money to spare is going to have an advantage over everyday joe in the closed areas. Is that fair?

[mod7rem]

Your interpretation is just that...yours.
Been on the phone with a few contacts within wildlife that reached out to me.
It is obvious that a clear definition is needed for ebikes, their various features and benefits, as interpreted by wildlife enforcement.
After just speaking with several parties within wildlife there is obvious confusion.

I have a feeling that once a clear definition is figured out for the regulations, that these types of Ebikes will also be not allowed in motor vehicle closures for hunting. The reason I think this is because these bikes still go against the intent of the “motor vehicle closures for hunting” that was talked about by the Regulations Analyst in post #15. Really what’s the difference between running into a quad every couple kms or running into an Ebike every couple kms.

[russm86]

E bikes are good to go in restricted areas deemed closed for motorized vehicles.
Period.

Negative, motor vehicle act means nothing, by definition in the hunting regs they are still designed to be or capable of being self propelled, good luck convincing a CO or judge otherwise. The fact it CAN be human powered is irrelevant and for this to be arguable you would likely have to disconnect the battery (not just a switch), similar to disconnecting a fuel line and raising the leg on a power boat to be considered unpowered/inoperable.

Also, there are different reasons for vehicle closures, habitat sensitivity / rehabilitation and just access itself. I feel some may consider e-bikes counter productive to either of those intentions as tires can certainly be harder on the terrain than feet, you can always tell pedal bike trails (even downhill where they aren't even pedaling) over foot trails and there are some areas around Kamloops specifically prohibiting bikes as well as motor vehicles.

I've asked several COs here about it after seeing advertisements on the hunting shows, including Jim Shockey (Quiet Cat), and they have all said they would charge a person.

Lastly, I don't doubt that you've asked RCMP, but they don't know the laws from their a**. Look how many of them actually know any firearms laws, constantly hear cases of them arresting people or giving people a hard time over perfectly legal things. Heck, some of the local RCMP here were being educated on the new marijuana laws and half of them stated "they'd still arrest people" and the government agent in charge just asked "On what grounds?". RCMP also have no clue about the wildlife act or hunting regs. Again, motor vehicle act is completely irrelevant here.

[wideopenthrottle]

there were mopeds around 40 years ago...there should be some sort of precedence based on those?????????

[Bugle M In]

Don't mean to come across as confrontational. Great set up by the way. However, I have had this discussion quite a bit with CO's and with the people responsible for writing and interpreting the regs. I would be cautious about using an ebike in a road closure area. Just saying. I know in R4, if you bump into a CO while on an eBike, in a road closure area, I know how they will view it.

Just had a member pm me yesterday inquiring about the set up for a bike for hunting etc.
I had passed along the info about these pedal assist bikes.
Obviously, they do have a motor of some type, mechanical or electrical, to help "assist" while peddling.
I also feel that depending which CO you get, you are going to get "ticketed".
Not a risk I want to run.

What is needed, and again I have made this complaint before.
Is come to a decision on these bikes, and "put it in the REGS!" as to if they are a violation or not.
They have to keep up!, and by putting them in the regs, removes all confusion and debate.

[twoSevenO]

- People use powered boats in electric only areas
- People use 50hp boats in 10hp restricted lakes (tunkwa)
- People take quads off road in reg 8 above 1700m
- People take quads above 1920m in reg 3

I'm sure there are already those using ebikes for accessing closed areas and i'm sure they haven't been busted either.

[Bugle M In]

- People use powered boats in electric only areas
- People use 50hp boats in 10hp restricted lakes (tunkwa)
- People take quads off road in reg 8 above 1700m
- People take quads above 1920m in reg 3

I'm sure there are already those using ebikes for accessing closed areas and i'm sure they haven't been busted either.

True, never a shortage of those people around.
Just a shortage of CO's to regulate.

[twoSevenO]

Just had a member pm me yesterday inquiring about the set up for a bike for hunting etc.
I had passed along the info about these pedal assist bikes.
Obviously, they do have a motor of some type, mechanical or electrical, to help "assist" while peddling.
I also feel that depending which CO you get, you are going to get "ticketed".
Not a risk I want to run.

What is needed, and again I have made this complaint before.
Is come to a decision on these bikes, and "put it in the REGS!" as to if they are a violation or not.
They have to keep up!, and by putting them in the regs, removes all confusion and debate.

x2 .... They have already updated the regs to make it an offence to operate, or be in possession of a drone (while on a hunting trip) which is a fairly "new thing". No reason why next years shouldn't have an "ebike" section that explains the CO will treat an ebike just like any other motorized vehicle and all of the same rules apply to it.

[HighCountryBC]

Don't mean to come across as confrontational. Great set up by the way. However, I have had this discussion quite a bit with CO's and with the people responsible for writing and interpreting the regs. I would be cautious about using an ebike in a road closure area. Just saying. I know in R4, if you bump into a CO while on an eBike, in a road closure area, I know how they will view it.

There is no grey area for pedal-assist bikes. The CO’s can view it however they want. As Ourea said, take it to court for a slam dunk win. I certainly know how one of the R4 CO’s who rode into a road closure (yes, on an E-bike) hunting elk with one of my partners this past season feels.