I think the fundamental issue with ebikes in urban traffic is that they're some of the most unpredictable vehicles on the road. Here in Cambridge MA some people on these electric vehicles storm through gridlocked traffic like it's a slalom course.
Unlike normal bicycles, these things can have considerable acceleration, so my typical habit to keep tabs on cyclist traffic out the corner of my eye before turning sometimes deceives me. It's very disruptive to have vehicles passing on the right at much higher speeds than the rest of traffic. It only takes one inattentive driver to splat them.
Unlike normal bicycles, these things can have considerable acceleration, so my typical habit to keep tabs on cyclist traffic out the corner of my eye before turning sometimes deceives me. It's very disruptive to have vehicles passing on the right at much higher speeds than the rest of traffic. It only takes one inattentive driver to splat them.