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Young E-Cyclists in Israeli Cities: a Characterization of Typical Behaviours and Risk Factors Based on Field Observations

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Young E-Cyclists in Israeli Cities: a Characterization of Typical Behaviours and Risk Factors Based on Field Observations Transactions on Transport Sciences | Peer-Reviewed Open Access Journal ToTS Volume 9, Issue 1: pg58–pg72 DOI: 10.5507/tots.2018.007 Palacky University in Olomouc Young e-cyclists in Israeli cities: a characterization of typical behaviours and risk factors based on field observations Victoria Gitelman a, Anna Korchatov a, Roby Carmel a, Wafa Eliasb a Transportation Research Institute, Technion City, Haifa, Israel 32000 b Shamoon College of Engineering, Jabotinsky str. 84, Ashdod, Israel 77245 This paper was presented at ICTCT workshop. ABSTRACT: Electric power-assisted bicycles endanger them on sidewalks, but also disturb vehi- (e-bicycles) provide a convenient form of mobility cle traffic and endanger themselves while riding on in urban areas, being an attractive alternative to the road. A wider application of bicycle infrastruc- private cars, usual cycling and walking. However, ture, with better separation between the sidewalks, there is a growing concern of their associated in- roadways and bicycle paths, would lead to a safer in- juries, resulting from the increasing exposure and tegration of e-bicycles in Israeli cities. Additionally, apparently higher speeds. Unlike other countries, road safety education and training of teen e-cyclists in Israel, a growing use of e-bicycles by youngsters supported by stronger enforcement of traffic regula- (below 18) is observed, in many towns, accompa- tions are required. nied by a substantial increase in the number of re- lated injuries. In this study, an observational survey KEYWORDS: Urban settings; e-bicycles; young- of young e-cyclists was undertaken in Israeli towns sters; behaviours aiming to characterize their behaviours at typical urban settings and then to consider measures need- ed for their safe integration in the urban space. The observational survey was focused on teen e-cyclists’ 1. INTRODUCTION behaviours during their trips to and from school and during leisure hours. The data were collected Recently, a rapid increase is observed in the use by means of dynamic video-recording, at five types of electric power-assisted bicycles (known as e-bi- of urban settings: signalized and un-signalized in- cycles, e-bikes or pedelec) throughout the world tersections; roundabouts; street sections with and and in Israel. According to the Free Import Order without bicycle-paths. The survey covered 225 lo- (2011) in Israel, electric bicycles are defined as bicy- cations in 15 cities, including 150 sites near high- cles with two-wheels composed one after the other schools and 75 in city centers. In total, over 2000 and fitted with an electric engine. They have three video-films were collected and their contents were groups of components: bike parts, the engine and coded for statistical analyses. The results showed the battery. In general, there are models in which that at all types of sites, most teenager e-cyclists the engine operates with a switch or throttle and were males, older than 16 and not wearing a hel- provides power assistance without any pedal action met, despite the traffic law demands. High shares of (powered bicycles) and models in which the power them rode on sidewalks and crossed at crosswalks, assistance is only provided when the rider is ped- violating the law that prohibits using pedestrian fa- aling (power-assisted bicycles or pedelec) (Rose, cilities for riding. At signalized intersections, sub- 2012). The definitions and regulations concerning stantial shares crossed on red, both on the roadway electric bicycles typically involve restrictions on and on crosswalks, thus violating the traffic law and the maximum power of the engine and a maximum increasing accident risk. At various urban settings, speed the bicycle can reach, however, they differ young e-cyclists demonstrated a wide range of risky among the countries (Rose, 2012; MacArthur and manoeuvres. They move faster than pedestrians and Kobel, 2014). Young e-cyclists in Israeli cities: a characterization of typical behaviours Page 61 of 72 and risk factors based on field observations ToTS Volume 9, Issue 1: pg58–pg72 In the European Union, as electric bicycles are de- idly rising in Europe: between years 2011-2015 the fined only such which satisfy the following conditions: total amount of sales increased by 88% (Fishman and the engine power is limited to 250 watts, speed - up to Cherry, 2016). In countries, such as Austria and Ger- 25 kph, and obligatory pedaling (EN 15194, 2009). many, the sales of e-bicycles have doubled from 2010 Bicycles that meet these requirements do not need to 2012, while in Switzerland the sales increased by a driving license, insurance and vehicle license. They 50% and in Italy and France by 20% (Dozza et al., can move on bicycle lanes and roads, like a regular bi- 2013). Germany and the Netherlands are the lead- cycle. By contrast, vehicles that exceed these require- ing e-bicycle markets, accounting for 44% and 21%, ments belong to a category of scooters/motorcycles, respectively, of the total European Union sales (Fish- with an obligation of licensing and insurance. A simi- man and Cherry, 2016). lar approach was adopted in Israel. According to Traf- Fishman and Cherry (2016) state that electric fic regulations (2016), an electric bicycle (e-bicycle) bicycles represent the largest and the most rapid is defined as a bicycle having an electric motor and uptake of alternatively fueled vehicles in the history satisfying the following conditions: (1) The engine’s of motorization. MacArthur et al. (2014) estimated maximum power does not exceed 250 watts; (2) The that the worldwide sales of e-bikes are expected to electric motor is powered by bicycle pedals; (3) The be 47.6 million by 2018. Hurst and Gartner (2013) engine power decreases with speed increasing and presented a forecast scenario of the e-bike growth by stops the operation when bicycle speed exceeds world regions, and suggested that the annual e-bike 25 km/h. To ride such e-bicycles there is no need for sales in the world (excluding China) will approach a vehicle license or a driving license. The permissions 4 million in 2020 and may be even higher according and prohibitions for such e-bicycles are identical to an aggressive forecast. to those of conventional bicycles. Figure 1 presents The estimates reported in Israel - a country with a common type of e-bicycles in Israel, which is char- a population of 8.5 million inhabitants and no long acterized by relatively small wheels of 20 inch in size. tradition of cycling, indicate a rapid growth in electric The battery and engine are the two main components bicycles sales: in 2013, 32,851 units were imported to enabling to visually distinguish between an e-bicycle Israel, in 2014 - additional 72,602 units and year 2015 and a conventional bicycle. ended with an addition of 100,000 units (Morgenstein, 2016). This means that over 200,000 electric bicycles were sold in Israel in a period of three years. The electric assistance to the rider reduces the physical efforts required for riding an e-bicycle. Battery Therefore, e-bikes are associated with a potential to expand the role of cycling in urban transport (Rose, 2012). E-bicycles may provide a convenient form of mobility in urban areas, being an attractive alterna- Engine on the tive to private cars, usual cycling and walking. Studies rear axis show that the durations and distances of travels per- formed by electric bicycle riders increase compared to Figure 1. A typical e-bicycle in Israel. Source: http://qbicy- travels on conventional bicycles and that e-bikes often cle.co.il/product. replace private car travels for daily purposes (Cherry and Cervero, 2007; Jonhson and Rose, 2013; Fyhri and Fearnley, 2015). In addition, electric bicycles are 2. THE TRENDS IN USING ELECTRIC BICYCLES useful for people who are not able to ride conventional AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS ON URBAN MOBIL- bicycles due to physical limitations or ageing (MacAr- ITY AND SAFETY thur et al., 2014; Boele-Vos et al., 2017). However, there is a growing concern of e-cyclists’ According to global estimates, the electric bicycle injury, resulting from the increasing exposure and sales in the world were over 40 million units in 2015, apparently higher speeds. Empirical studies showed of which 36.8 million (91.9%) were sold in China that electric bicycle riders usually rode faster than and over 2.3 million (5.8%) in Europe (Fishman and conventional bicycle riders, yet, the speed differences Cherry, 2016). The number of electric bicycles is rap- are not big. For example, in the naturalistic cycling Young e-cyclists in Israeli cities: a characterization of typical behaviours Page 62 of 72 and risk factors based on field observations ToTS Volume 9, Issue 1: pg58–pg72 studies conducted in Tennessee, USA, and Ger- younger than 16 years. Young e-bicycle riders can be many, the mean speeds of e-bicycles were higher by met on sidewalks, roads, bicycle routes and junctions 2-3 km/h compared to regular bicycles (Langford et of towns, especially in the hours of going to and from al., 2015; Schleinitz et al., 2017). Research findings school, where some of them ride at seemingly high from Sweden and Germany indicate that the chance speeds. of e-bicycle riders to be involved in conflicts with According to Traffic regulations (2016) in Israel, other road users is higher compared to conventional only people aged 16 and above are allowed to ride bicyclists and that the risk to be involved in a conflict electric bicycles. Previously, before May 2016, a per- increases at intersections, in the proximity of cross- son over the age of 14 was permitted to ride an e-bi- walks and with an increase in riding speeds (Dozza cycle but on bicycle lanes only, whereas a person over et al., 2016; Petzoldt et al., 2017).
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