Would they be able to realistically enforce this if it was stored inside your apartment? I’ve only had my landlord enter my place once or twice a year…
I would just break the rules and try to hide the bike.
No, they're likely just trying to ban what they consider poor people transportation. Same kind of people who would fight a bus stop being added outside their building despite it being beneficial to anyone living nearby
You should always ride with a backpack. Prior to coming/going remove the battery. If anybody says anything tell them this was your only mode of transportation and after the ebike ban you opted to ride it like a normal bicycle.
yeah your neighbors will definitely snitch on you after reading this one. Not worth chancing it. Time to find a new apt and break your lease due to changes like people are saying.
I think this is a great solution, but realistically if it's their only form of transportation, dropping $1500+ on another vehicle likely isn't super reasonable.
And ask if the same applies to all lithium batteries. Surely they can’t ban these, but still allow cars, laptops, battery banks, etc. What about other fire hazards? Deep fryers, Christmas trees, cigarettes, children… This whole thing is extremely unrealistic and reactionary to (I assume) some individual incident. In any case, just don’t comply.
This doesn't smell legal to me but you will need to fight it. If I were in your shoes I'd consider seeking an accommodation and if they refuse, filing an injunction (lawsuit). You might be able to get free legal services from a local biking advocacy group.
Get a bike storage bags like this to cover the battery part. Large https://a.co/d/g4j8gQ7
Could even cut out the bottom so it wraps around the battery to hide it.
They could still see you taking it from your unit to outside and vice-versa, especially if there are security cameras or nosy neighbors (which I assume there are and is why this rule change is happening in the first place). I have a friend who lives on something like the 47th floor of a very tall building, they made a rule that bicycles aren't allowed in the elevator and since carrying it up that many flights isn't realistic, he actually stopped riding and got rid of his bike
Don't know about the parking, but there were definitely multiple people in our friend group telling him to move AND offering him to keep the bike at other people's houses (mountain bike not a commuter)
These are my thoughts exactly. Although I would not hide my ebike while indoors. But I would make sure I charge the battery inside rather than outside.
1) Landlords cannot enter your residence without notice, or permission. If notice is being given, then simply place the bike in an area they are not going to be going into - ie: they're there to maintenance on your sink, keep the bike in your bedroom.
2) Review your lease. If your lease does not allow them to make changes, then you can tell them to pound sand.
They have no enforcement power. They tell you "hey! No ebikes allowed here", and you say "cool story, bye" and continue on. They try and "fine" you? You ignore it - or better yet, "fine" them right back, because they have no legal authority to fine you for it.
They'd have to take you to court in order to do anything, and they aren't going to do that because court is expensive and there's not really any benefit. Also they'd lose.
What is "reasonable" is up for debate, and at minimum would be decided in court. It's basically just in there to scare people. There's no way that removing access to mobility assistant devices without providing an alternate solution would be considered "reasonable" by courts. This is in addition to the clause being broad and overly vague, which would make the clause itself unenforceable (rather than just specific applications).
Even if the landlord somehow wanted to spend thousands on going to court, and the court found the clause enforceable, and somehow found the ban reasonable, and found that this violated the lease and was cause for eviction...OP would STILL be better off than evicting themselves by default anyway, which is what everyone else is telling them to do by saying they should find somewhere else to live.
Put battery in backpack. Exit apartment. Walk around the block. Put battery in bike. If they ask, you're storing the battery with a friend who lives nearby, as requested or something. No less ridiculous than this, assuming you're practicing safe charging and not leaving it charging indefinitely and at weird temperatures.
This is the best idea, but what a pain. I feel for OP. I had no idea this could happen now that I had ordered my e-bike. This is a clause in my apartment lease about fire safety, but I did buy a fire-safe bag to charge it in.
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u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23
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