A homeowner shared their struggles with their HOA after it banned e-bikes and other forms of transportation.
In a popular post on the r/HOA subreddit, a user explained the conflict that their HOA has created for their commute.
"It's my only way to work," the user wrote in their caption.
"My condo association VP … lives across from me. He witnessed me walking with my new E-Board," the user wrote, referring to an electric skateboard. "And in a polite tone asked about the performance and specs of my board. I politely gave him the information he wanted thinking he was innocently genuinely interested/intrigued by my board."
Little did the user know that one board would take issue with another kind of board — the HOA met soon thereafter and promptly banned the gear.
The fine print of the HOA's notice justified the ban of "Electric Bikes, Electric Scooters, or any other comparable battery-powered devices" by citing the "potential hazards" of the items without explaining any further, according to the post.
E-bikes, e-scooters and e-boards have made headlines for being the cause of fires in some neighborhoods in recent years, especially when third-party replacement batteries are used in urban environments with poor storage options. But regulations could be written to account for safety instead of banning, following guidance like what Juiced Bikes put together on how to avoid e-bike battery fires.
"I currently have car issues beyond what I can afford to pay for the Repairs … I am saving up," the user wrote. "The deception of my neighbors has given me a cold wall to up around strangers now who act seemingly polite."
This HOA did not appear to be concerned about clean energy, as e-bikes and other electric vehicles have a much smaller impact on the environment than traditional gasoline-powered ones. Cars produce 3 billion tons of carbon emissions per year, according to Statista.
Users mocked the hypocrisy and the inconsistency of the HOA in the comment section.
"Also remind them lithium batteries are found in laptops and cell phones. They should ban those too," one user wrote.
"The way that email is written you're not allowed to have an electric or hybrid automobile, laptop computer, cell phone, handheld power tools, scooters, electric boards and E bikes. Bring a bucket to the next meeting and collect the phones," another user said.
"Could go buy a gas scooter instead and get around the E-bike ban," a third user commented.
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