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Prince Charles rode an electric bike at an event at Clarence House last night but was surprised it had to be pedalled: like many people, he expected an electric bike to be self-propelled, like a moped.
Ross Lydall of the Evening Standard said: "After a bit of a wobble, [Prince Charles] parted the VIP and media scrum and rode up and down the garden – albeit with a bit of a detour on to the grass."
The bike he rode at the media launch of the Start Eco Festival was a £1895 Spencer Ivy, equipped with a Brooks saddle.
"Are they still going?" HRH asked, pointing to the leather saddle.
Va Hua of Spencer Ivy said: "He [Charles] thought it would go like a scooter – that is a common misconception. The great thing about the electric bike is that it’s classified as a standard bike, so you don’t need insurance or road tax."
Not that Prince Charles pays ‘road tax’ mind. One, it doesn’t exist. Two, as a member of the Royal family, Prince Charles is exempt from paying for car tax (like millions of other ‘road tax dodgers’, including disabled drivers, Band A car owners and American soliders stationed in Britain).
For the record, Va Hua said it wasn’t he who said ‘road tax’, it was Ross Lydall who heard ‘vehicle excise duty’ and transcribed it as ‘road tax’.
