If this story doesn't show you how frustrating local government can be, we don't know what will.

NJ Man Cant Get Green Light to Ride E-Bike
Jason Kirk/Newsmakers
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One would think with all the time and money spent on telling NJ residents how we need to go "greener" and save the environment, the government would be doing cartwheels when someone reaches out to them asking how they could go about riding an e-bike.

But then we remember, this is New Jersey where nothing is easy. and the response one NJ resident received about riding an e-bike below will make you shake your head. The response is dripping with bureaucracy and provides no answer any normal person could decipher. Read it and see if you can read between the lines to come to the conclusion that they used a lot of words to say "we don't know, ask someone else."

It is advisable to contact your local authorities to determine if the municipality has passed ordinances allowing the use of the vehicle, and the requirements for such usage, within the municipality. If they have not, the following established state statutes prevail. The vehicle is not a moped, so the moped laws do not apply. The vehicle does fit into the statute (39:1-1) as a motorcycle-type vehicle; therefore, if the vehicle met federal standards to allow the registration of said vehicle, the operator of the vehicle would be required to have a motorcycle license (39:3-10) to operate the vehicle legally. Since the vehicle has two wheels and has either a gas or electric motor attached, it would be required to meet all federal and state motorcycle standards in order to be legally registered (39:3-4) and operated on public roads or highways. If the vehicle meets DOT and NHTSA standards, it must have a cubic inch displacement of at least 50CC’s. As with other motorized vehicles that cannot be operated on public roadways, the vehicle would be restricted to use on private property provided the owner of the property consented to such use. Any motorized vehicle operated on a public road or highway must be insured (39:6B-1). Driving a mini motorcycle on the sidewalk would be prohibited under Title 39:4-71, which prohibits the use of a motorized vehicle on a sidewalk. As stated under Title 39:3-40, No person whose driving privilege has been suspended or revoked shall personally operate a motor vehicle during the period of suspension or revocation. We hope this information is helpful to you.

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