Hello First Minister
Today Tues 12/5/2026 I sent you this tweet
The reason I bought the e-bike is at my age with COPD using a push bike was becoming hard work. And as I didn't want to remain house bound or restricted to just using my bus pass to get out and about, I bought one.
I explained to the officers, that this e-bike was a God send to me, I even begged them to let me reconvert it back to the thumb means of driving the motor, rather than the throttle I'd had it converted to. But nope the Law was the Law and they were taking it, and they were going to get it crushed.
Like the tweet to South Wales Police states, I would like to appeal that 'Legalized theft' under the 2010 Equality Act and the right to a reasonable adjustment, and also for Health and safety reasons.
I feel more secure on that bike knowing that my right hand thumb is 95% of the time engaged with gripping the handlebars. Not with my thumb pressing a lever so that only my palm and four fingers are holding onto it. What with all the pot hole on the roads, and the state of the lane that runs parallel with Whitchurch Road, a good grip on those handlebars is a necessity not a luxury. I'm pretty certain that your health and safety executive would come to the same conclusion that I have, that the throttle means of propulsion is by far the safer option.
The Officer didn't appear to like the fact that with a throttle you have instant go juice, well at things like intersections and roundabouts at peak times, having that instant reaction means being able to glide smoothly into the traffic flow. Another feel good factor that the thumb means of engaging the motor doesn't have.
Do you remember this from days of yore Rhun?
We look at this image in amazement at peoples stupidity. The same regulations that prohibit the throttle means of driving an e-bike to my mind, are as equally ludicrous as the ones that demanded a man waving a red flag walk in front of a car.
I had also used cheat codes to over-ride the 15mph limit. When officers check for this they lift the wheel and turn the throttle. We had a disagreement on what the maximum readout showed with him saying ''25mph'' and me saying ''No it was 23.71mph''. I should have really made him do it again, just to say ''See, told ya''. What the Officers don't take into account is Newtons Law of Motion and that with friction and a 10 stone body on top that MPH is reduced. The maximum speed I ever got out of it was 21.63mph going down Wedal Road, going up it 19.3mph that clever Mr Newton knew that would happen.
You allow 17yr old to drive a car up to 70mph, but you refuse to allow them to ride an e-bike at 21.63mph, why is that Rhun? So I did a little research and this makes for interesting reading.
Here are some stats on the Tour de France. I asked the question of google 'What is the average speed of Tour de France riders' it's reply.
Modern winners averaging 25 to 26.7mph. So I thought I'd ask 'What is the maximum speed on the Tour de France. This is the reply.
One hell of a lot faster than me poodling along at 21.63mph, eh First Minister? Yet you don't hear of anyone demanding those bikes get crushed do you? I must admit those fellas have got balls of steal, yes sir! And do you think that British competitors don't practice for such speeds on British roads?
Which brings me to the moratorium part of this letter. The legislation regarding e-bikes, has I should imaging been made by people who've never ridden a push bike let alone an e-bike. So how about if you ask for the services of Geraint Thomas and a few of his cycling buddies to do a comparison test of riding a 'legal' 250W motor e-bike thumb driven, to that of a deregulated throttle one, and give you some feedback. I'm pretty certain they will come back to you with 'The Law is an Ass'.
E-bikes are not combustion engines, they are electric motors and whether it's engaged by the thumb or throttle the output will be identical. With the latter having better performance outcomes for the rider as well as the safety concerns already outlined. I'm sure Geraint and his buddies have already ridden e-bikes but if not, I would recommend when making a standing start at a roundabout using the throttle drive, that they put it in the number 3 position for smoother entry into the traffic flow.
After they've done that can you let them also trial a 1000W motor with throttle drive, and give you feedback on those too, because I have been lucky enough to have ridden one of those and they are delightful.
The Officer also said that I would be prosecuted for no insurance, due to it being throttle driven rather than thumb? It's just two different mechanism to drive the same motor, why in Gods name penalize the one over the other? Are peloton riders going to have to pay insurance cos they ride faster than my e-bike goes, throttle or thumb driven.
I manage the arthritic pain in my hands with daily Turmeric supplementation, it works well but I am sure there are others not so fortunate, but who also would like the freedom having an e-bike brings. Not having to stretch their thumb, and only relying on their palm and four fingers to hold the handlebars would be a blessing to them to ride with a throttle version.
I realize that e-bike riders have a bad press, I try my best to offset that image especially when out on the Taff trail, always thanking those who make way for me. The scare stories you hear in the media are far from the reality for the kind of e-bike mentioned here.
Another thing that has irked me about all this is. I was offered no paper work of it's impounding and stupidly I did not ask for the officers numbers. So as far as I am concerned when they stashed it in the van. Did they drive to one of their buddies who specializes in e-bike, convert it back to a 'legal' one, with the intention of selling it and splitting the proceeds? After all it's less than a10 minute job to those who know what they are doing, and I would be non the wiser now would I.
The E-bike cost me £450 if the police do take me to court over 'no insurance' I will use this open letter as evidence in my defence. And if they have crushed it and the Welsh Assembly agree with me that indeed 'Having a throttle is a reasonable adjustment under the 2010 Equality Act', can I be reimbursed that by SW Police? Plus damages for the sleepless nights I have had since it's impounding?
I've been riding push bikes since I was 10 yrs old Rhun, in my past I have driven 7.5 Ton trucks for a living. Do we listen to our elderly any more in Wales, or are their years of experience wasted? I hope that you take onboard what has been outlined here, and put a stop to any more seizures of 250W E-bikes by Welsh Police that are throttle driven and that they can reach their maximum potential of 21.63mph laden speed. And that red flag man mentality with regards these E-bikes is consigned to history.
Thank you for your consideration and I trust I shall hear from you soon.
Yours David Gabriel.
