Neighbor Complained About My eBike - Now What?
This is kind of a weird situation. I've been riding my eBike (Rad Power RadRover 6) around my neighborhood for the past six months without any issues. Yesterday, my neighbor knocked on my door and complained that my eBike is "too loud" and "sounds like a motorcycle."
I was honestly shocked because I don't think my bike is particularly loud. It's a 750W hub motor and yeah, there's some motor noise, but it's nowhere near as loud as a gas-powered anything. I've ridden past people on the sidewalk and they don't even turn their heads.
My neighbor said he can hear me coming down the street from inside his house and it's disturbing his work-from-home setup. He asked me to "find another route" or "ride it somewhere else."
Here's the thing - this is a public street in a residential neighborhood. I'm not speeding, I'm following all traffic laws, and I'm not riding at weird hours (usually between 9am-6pm). I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, but I also don't want to be a jerk neighbor.
Has anyone else dealt with eBike complaints from neighbors? Is my bike actually too loud and I just don't notice it? Should I try to accommodate him or just keep riding my normal route?
For context, the neighborhood has plenty of cars, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, etc. I don't understand why my eBike is the problem.
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