A car without any of the nonsense.
Electric Scooters could soon be legal...
- Thread starter Lethal`
- Start date
A car without any of the nonsense.
To go from a car to a go kart is very much diving into the nonsense.
Which you have to register, insure, apply to speed limits and regulations.
In fact, save yourself the bother. It's already been done.
http://greencarsite.co.uk/carsforsale/01005 Gazelle road legal off road buggy.htm
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As mentioned in other threads, I've got two Xiaomi M365 scooters (for the kids), these are surprisingly good to ride around on, and ridden like any cycle, I support legalising them and then hammering people if not wearing helmets and observing the highway code.
I agree with all the idiots abusing them, but I don't see why they shouldn't be subjected to the same rules cycles are and expect people to be any different..
I enjoy flying around on the kids scooters, stable enough, and the 12-15 mph max is a nice speed, not too fast, but not too slow..
I agree with all the idiots abusing them, but I don't see why they shouldn't be subjected to the same rules cycles are and expect people to be any different..
I enjoy flying around on the kids scooters, stable enough, and the 12-15 mph max is a nice speed, not too fast, but not too slow..
Electric bicycles must provide no assistance at speeds above 15.5mph and cannot exceed 28 watts in power.
E-scooters are currently deemed "powered transport" or "mechanically powered vehicles" and are thus regulated as a car or motorcycle would be - tax, insurance, roadworthiness certificate, all technical safety standards etc. They are not bicycles. I don't think it has anything to do with "leftie green hypocritical laws", they are just currently seen as different.
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Besides Lopez's post another important factor is the throttle.
Laws since 2016 only allow a throttle to get you to 3.7mph and then you have to start pedaling to get the extra power and then the motor should cut off at 15.5 mph.
Both my throttles work under Grandfather rules so mine do get me up to 15.5mph without me pedaling.
The throttle ‘dilemma’
Harmonisation with EU law has had an important effect on electric bikes with ‘twist and go’ throttles that can take the bike to full speed without any pedalling at all.
From January 1 2016, the only throttles legal within the UK’s EAPC legislation are those that assist the rider without pedalling up to a maximum speed of 6 km/h (3.7 mph) – i.e. starting assistance only.
If the rider is rolling – but not pedalling – faster than 6km/h, the throttle cuts off. If the cyclist pedals at the same time then the throttle can still assist up to the general limit of 15.5mph.
If you bought an ebike with a full-speed throttle before January 1 2016, don’t panic: those sold prior to this date are still considered as EAPC and do not require a registration or taxed. Practically, you could still buy one a ‘twist and go’ and not be fined, but it would have to have been produced or imported before January 1.
Seeing as they do not effectively enforce cycle laws, ie riding on pavements, jumping red lights and the general bad behaviour that are the minority yet still common place. I think that a few electric scooters are the least of our worries.
We are being taxed and legislated in every mode of transit due to green policies.
Are not electric scooters part of the solution? They fold down well and are light to transport.
Even as a taxi driver I am all in favour of solutions. The nonsense journeys need to be addressed as some are truly crazy in time and distance.
We are being taxed and legislated in every mode of transit due to green policies.
Are not electric scooters part of the solution? They fold down well and are light to transport.
Even as a taxi driver I am all in favour of solutions. The nonsense journeys need to be addressed as some are truly crazy in time and distance.
Fair points. Has it been proven that typical cycling helmets are effective in high speed impacts vs motor vehicles?
Upload the dashcam footage from today? (or if that has been overwritten tomorrow's footage should do fine).Also the ones I see jumping red lights at the end of my road every single morning
Been a few near misses but I haven't seen anyone get hit yet. Will upload dashcam footage if I do lol
Cool story, low speed crashes can also end in spilled brains.
Molly coddled generation, for wearing helmets? Ok boomer! What absolute nonsense you spout.
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Part of my job is dealing with Inquests and Post Mortems and in many cases the none wearing of a helmet was a contributory factor to death.
I've had two bad accidents where I know 100% I would have either died or had brain damage if I didn't have a helmet on because I hit the floor so hard.
Accidentally I've left the house in the past 7 years about 4 times without my helmet. I'm usually about a mile from home so like Bug One says, I just slow right down and take no chances.
I'm not happy but I have to endure it.
I also don't get those cyclists who have bad accidents but still refuse to wear one.
A woman in another department ended up in a two week coma from her head hitting the floor but when she came back 3 months later she still wouldn't wear a helmet.
She was told, just like in my two accidents, that if she had worn an helmet she would have had just a sore head and concussion like I did.
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I don't understand people who don't wear helmets. They clearly don't realise how easily a knock to the head can kill you. I likely wouldn't be alive, or at least functioning normally if I hadn't been wearing a helmet when I was younger. Ultimately the stones lodged in the helmet and the split would likely have been my skull. Grim thought.
I don't want to digress from the subject of the thread but I always find the helmet argument a bit baffling. Despite not having massive strong feelings with what people decide what to do with their lives, I can't understand really why you wouldn't wear one.
You might have said it partially in jest but this sort of over-simplification is typical of what i've heard people against helmets reply with. People must realise that there are shades of grey between a 70mph collision between a car and a cyclist and a low speed traffic knock? A car unexpectedly changing lane in traffic which causes a cyclist to knock their head into another car or the ground, isn't exactly a freak occurrence in the event of an accident? (The example i've given is pretty much from a personal experience, and i've witnessed another similar occurrence in town traffic before too)
I assume you are talking about a reasonably muted scooter, because there's no way the average person can keep up with an average bike, whilst jogging/running or even sprinting. I also imagine you don't run/jog in traffic/on the road, where the degree of risk is magnitudes higher?
I largely agree with your second point given I live in an scenic area. We commonly have issues with peletons from cycle clubs deliberately veering over the centre line to prevent overtakes, even though it's perfectly safe and the conditions are clear with good visibility.
Your former point however, whereas I agree with you in principle, as far as i'm aware there is no obligation (legal) for cyclists to use cycle lanes if provided, and i've certainly experienced lanes designed by idiots. An example being one here which is on a 3km stretch of road.
Rather than take a generous pavement back, they've put the cycle lane on the pavement, and for every estate/cul de sac on the road (loads), you have to come down and go back up onto the kerb which sits up to 2.5 inchs proud sometimes. You're also rolling down and up for each one, rather than being on a flat surface. No-one trying to keep any reasonable speed, especially on a racer, is going to use that cycle lane, and very few do.
Again, wearing a helmet is your prerogative, but especially since becoming a father, it's a no brainer (pardon the pun
) for me. Particularly if you've watched any of those street fight videos and heard the sound of a head hitting the concrete. Given the potential for that, or wearing my polystyrene and plastic bash hat and it taking the brunt of it - i'll take the latter every time.They may as well already be legal. I've been riding my Ninebot One S2 to work and back for the last 7 months or so and had no issues. Part of my commute consists mostly of cycle track but the last 1/3 is main roads and I ride past a police hangout area and I've never once had an issue. I think if you're riding like an idiot they'd stop you but the same could be said if you're on a bicycle.
Just passed 700 miles on mine and I think next year I'll probably get a Z10 as 15.5mph feels a bit restrictive and the Z10 can cruise along at 20mph (top speed of 28mph!) which would be much more comfortable.
I really recommend looking into electronic unicycles. The best bit is that they're relatively small compared the scooters so you can easily keep it under your desk at work. Plus I like having my hands free, even though at the moment they stay firmly in my pockets as it's cold!
Just passed 700 miles on mine and I think next year I'll probably get a Z10 as 15.5mph feels a bit restrictive and the Z10 can cruise along at 20mph (top speed of 28mph!) which would be much more comfortable.
I really recommend looking into electronic unicycles. The best bit is that they're relatively small compared the scooters so you can easily keep it under your desk at work. Plus I like having my hands free, even though at the moment they stay firmly in my pockets as it's cold!
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Racing bike is just a descriptive term for the type of bike rather than people "racing" on the road. They often have very skinny wheels/tyres and kerbs could well damage them, so the cycle lane is a little bit unsuitable to a lot of people that cycle.