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Image description:
Text: Amazon's electric cargo bikes have arrived in DC.
Image: A four-wheeled vehicle that appears to be a cross between a bicycle, a go-cart, and a mini-truck
Response text from high t alpha shemale @gluetaster: that's not a cargo bike man that's a loopholemobile
I don't think these are a problem. They deliver mail and parcels with kind of similar vehicles here in Finland, though I grant that ours are a little bit smaller.
If there's a problem with these, it's that legislation doesn't properly recognize a class of vehicle smaller than a car but bigger than a bicycle. That's not to say these vehicles shouldn't exist, and stuff like this rightfully shouldn't have to follow the same rules cars do (because, well, it's a lot smaller, lighter, quieter and slower).
NZ Post has somewhat similar Paxsters, but they have full roadgoing registrations and license plates. I think they might have their own categorisation or exemption to allow them to legally be driven on footpaths like posties on motorbikes. Not used for parcel service, only letter mail
The mistake is looking at this through the eyes of not being American, not having to work for Amazon, and a postal service vs whatever Amazon deliveries is.
This is Amazon, looking for loopholes to use cheaper vehicles. That's it. Minimum, if any, safety for the driver while they're going around major roadways with vehicles that outweigh that thing.
So to recalibrate.... think of the most evil person you can. Cool, now double it. That's Amazon as a company. They can and will do anything they can legally get away with or if profits outweigh the fine(s).
Still doesn't make these vehicles a problem per se. And it definitely isn't a problem that should be addressed specifically. Instead tune the laws and regulations for e-(cargo-)bikes accordingly to benefit all ebikes and other future ideas to exploit loopholes.