For content, here in California we do have ebike classifications that are a little more detailed than pedals means bicycle. There are three classes, and the fastest (class 3) are not legal for middle school ages. We even have a law on the books that makes it illegal to sell ebikes that can be software/app changes into a different class.

This really is a push to outlaw all ebikes, especially since the resp is from Orinda. They hate bikes there, even regular push bikes.

Being dark isn’t a choice. People, dogs, cats, birds, etc are born that way.

Even clothing sometimes isn’t a choice. It’s pretty common in work attire to require black shoes and slacks. Formal attire also leans dark.

Walking and biking are great. I highly recommend trying one out and there are adult classes if you’d like help learning how to ride and operate a bicycle. A good, used bike with a bike rack can do wonders carrying things around. As a bonus they’re cheap to maintain and safe to work on, completely unlike wrenching underneath a heavy car.

Depending on your situation, you may want to consider a moped. They’re generally easy to get licensed for, often don’t require insurance, and costs about the same as a good e-bike. They require the same skills as riding a bike (knowing the road laws, understanding how to stop effectively, counter-leaning, etc). The bonus is you’ll be able to get up to speed on frontage and other roads that may not be safe to ride a pedal bike on (e.g. roads without any shoulder). Of course you can always do both, like starting with a pedal bike to get a feeling of how to ride a two-wheeled device.

The driver was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. That’s a special section of law for killing by car, and it’s far too lenient. North Carolina has laws on involuntary manslaughter they’re not charged with.

The problem with explaining away the light sentence is that we have laws to make accidental killing by car OK, but accidental killing by any other method is not. That’s not justice as it’s neither fair nor equitable.

This driver should be in jail for 1 to 3 years as laid out in North Carolina’s involuntary manslaughter code.