eBikes and speed

[some seeing eye]

Over on the journal, Charlie, chief of operations, updates Burners on eBikes.

https://journal.burningman.org/2023/07/ ... c/e-bikes/

The usual burner complaints are erupting, and, on playa people are practicing that: "No rules for me."

Physics applies to everyone including "No rules for me" participants and keyboard warriors.

Have you ever heard the phrase "speed kills?" In physics talk, that is velocity kills.

In physics, the energy of a collision is kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is 1/2 mass times velocity squared. There are many online calcuators like https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculat ... inetic.php where you can vary the mass of the bike and rider and their speed = velocity. Physics is the reason speed kills, and on-playa it is proven speed injures.

I have seen ebikes stolen in BRC. 2023 there was a pickup collecting them on our outer street. If you are traveling as a pair lock 2 together. In your camp get them out of sight. Obviously beacon your bike for places bikes gather in a sea. Don't allow any situation where your bike becomes DPW's abandoned bike problem.

[Papa Bear]

I think you picked up the wrong link - that one goes to the ill-considered 2023 missive that caused all sorts of confusion.

This is the 2024 update: https://journal.burningman.org/2024/07/ ... or-e-bike/

[Token]

Bring super loud megaphone.

Every time you see a speeding e-bike:

“ FASTER “!!!

You gotta cull the herd somehow.

[FlyingMonkey]

Speed activated pop up ramps.

[JoyceUmith]

Over on the journal, Charlie, chief of operations, updates Burners on eBikes.

https://journal.burningman.org/2023/07/ ... c/e-bikes/ Moto X3M

The usual burner complaints are erupting, and, on playa people are practicing that: "No rules for me."

Physics applies to everyone including "No rules for me" participants and keyboard warriors.

Have you ever heard the phrase "speed kills?" In physics talk, that is velocity kills.

In physics, the energy of a collision is kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is 1/2 mass times velocity squared. There are many online calcuators like https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculat ... inetic.php where you can vary the mass of the bike and rider and their speed = velocity. Physics is the reason speed kills, and on-playa it is proven speed injures.

I have seen ebikes stolen in BRC. 2023 there was a pickup collecting them on our outer street. If you are traveling as a pair lock 2 together. In your camp get them out of sight. Obviously beacon your bike for places bikes gather in a sea. Don't allow any situation where your bike becomes DPW's abandoned bike problem.

Interesting topic! Electric bikes are definitely changing urban commuting. The added speed boost is fantastic for hills and headwinds.

[some seeing eye]

In the real world, ebikes are resulting in a lot of injuries. If playa ebikers bring bad habits from their street and trail riding, we will have more injuries as described by medical people in this article.

The Shocking Crash That Led One County to Reckon With the Dangers of E-Bikes
Unregulated e-bikes are a growing danger on American streets. In one Bay Area town, a terrible accident finally led to reform.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/maga ... =url-share

Many of the rules in BRC are because a burner was stupid, resulting in injury or death.