Han Ximin

A SIMPLE hit-and-run accident Oct. 3 had Nanshan traffic police officers scratching their heads. At 6:20 a.m., the city’s 120 emergency service received a phone call, saying a man had been knocked down in an accident near Xinwu Village in Nanshan District.

When police arrived at the scene, they found only a small amount of blood on the ground without a trace of a vehicle. The victim had been taken to hospital by ambulance and later died.

Police visited residents in the neighborhood and checked video footage at a nearby police station, but failed to find any clues over the following two days.

On Oct. 6, police confirmed the identity of a suspect, a man named Yu, through neighborhood investigations.

Yu turned himself in to police later that day, 72 hours after the accident. He called 120 after knocking Huo down, but then fled the scene.

This was the latest fatal accident to have involved an electric bike.

Police records showed a total of 105 people were killed and 557 others were injured in 468 electric bike accidents between 2007 and the first half of 2009.

Nanshan alone reported more than 100 electric bike accidents, with dozens of fatalities.

Of these accidents, most bike riders fled the scene as they had no license plates or insurance. Those injured in such accidents are unlikely to be compensated.

Complicating the situation still further, many electric bike owners in the city operate illegal and highly dangerous “bike taxi” services.

Rampant illegal operation of electric bikes has been fuelled by an inadequate public transport network, citizens have complained.

In densely populated areas like Shangsha in Futian District and Baishizhou in Nanshan District, which are far away from bus stops, residents have no choice but to take an electric bike, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

On May 17, Yuan Anwen, a migrant worker from Hunan, was knocked down by a truck while taking a bike taxi near Guangsheng Hospital in Fuyong, Bao’an District. The accident put Yuan in a coma for 42 days, leaving his 18-month-old daughter at home. The driver of the bike disappeared after the accident, leaving Yuan’s family deeply in debt.

In an operation Sept. 29, police checked more than 100 electric bikes within two hours in Baishizhou, Nanshan District. Most riders were fined 200 yuan, and those who couldn’t provide receipts for their vehicles had their bikes confiscated.

According to Chinese regulations, electric bikes are not classified as vehicles as they are not motor-powered. Therefore, operators of illegal taxi services can only be punished under minor statutes such as carrying passengers, running red lights or driving on the wrong side of the road.

According to State regulations, electric bikes should be able to go no faster than 20 kilometers per hour and should weigh no more than 40 kgs. Electric bike motors are restricted to less than 204 watts and bikes should be able to be peddled.

While it is hard to estimate the number of electric bikes in the city, police say there has been an undoubted increase in the number of accidents involving them in recent years.

“There are no laws applicable to offenses by electric bikes, and it is hard for officers to collect evidence and distinguish which electric bikes are up to State standards and which are not,” said Xu Wei, spokesman for the Shenzhen Traffic Police Bureau.

Some electric bikes can reach speeds of 50 kilometers per hour.

“Electric bikes have no mileage or speedometers and, though it is obvious that most electric bikes exceed the legal limit in terms of speed and power output, the production certificates show they meet State standards. This causes disputes when officers impose punishment,” Xu said.

Police are helping to draft regulations imposing controls on electric vehicles, and hope detailed regulations on electric bike offenses will be introduced soon, according to Xu.