Electric Scooters could soon be legal...

b0rn2sk8 · 22 Sep 2020 at 09:24

No one pays road tax...

Every household pays council tax and they are largely responsible for the maintenance of most roads and pretty much all those you would cycle on...

Em3bbs · 22 Sep 2020 at 09:26

b0rn2sk8 said:
No one pays road tax...

Every household pays council tax and they are largely responsible for the maintenance of most roads and pretty much all those you would cycle on...

Oh you learn something new every day! If only someone would put this info in their sig.

Freakbro · 22 Sep 2020 at 09:30

I saw a guy going along on a powered unicycle on the main road yesterday (with a helmet on

)

I'm assuming that's against the law?

Dis86 · 22 Sep 2020 at 09:51

Freakbro said:
I saw a guy going along on a powered unicycle on the main road yesterday (with a helmet on )

I'm assuming that's against the law?

@Junglist You at it again?

Junglist · 22 Sep 2020 at 10:12

Dis86 said:
@Junglist You at it again?

Haha wasn't me this time!

SexyGreyFox · 22 Sep 2020 at 10:46

Em3bbs said:
Oh you learn something new every day! If only someone would put this info in their sig.

jpaul · 5 Oct 2020 at 14:59

new 2oct govt report E-scooters: pavement nuisance or transport innovation?

Enforcement
96.Several witnesses highlighted that robust enforcement will be needed to prevent users riding e-scooters on pavements.169 However, there were concerns about how successful this would be in practice, and whether authorities and police would have the capacity to enforce pavement use effectively.170 The Bicycle Association noted that there was a lack of clarity on the offences that apply to illegal use of e-scooters, and the AA questioned how strictly the e-scooter trials would be enforced.171 The Local Government Association told us that councils will require additional funding to enforce e-scooter safety restrictions.172 The RNIB wanted a Government publicity campaign on e-scooters, with clear messaging not to use them on pavements.173

97.E-scooter operators told us about some of the technical tools available to identify whether a user has ridden on the pavement. Lime told us that they can retrospectively identify if a user has ridden on the pavement by comparing the data from users’ journeys. It is then possible to penalize a user retrospectively.174 Voi said “where people try to break the law, there are ways in which we can stop them. If we know that someone is reported with GPS, we will know who that person was and when they did it. We can enforce that later.” Voi also said that over time, with improvements in technology, it may be possible to more proactively identify e-scooter users riding illegally on pavements.175 There remain wider concerns about enforcing the use of privately owned e-scooters, which are not part of the trials, as they are not subject to restrictions and penalties by an operator in the same way rental ones are.

98.In its guidance for e-scooter operators and local authorities, the Department said that prior to approving a trial scheme, the operator and local authority must demonstrate that they have considered enforcement issues with the relevant authorities, and that the e-scooter vehicles they plan to deploy can be made visible and distinct from privately owned e-scooters.176 The Minister told us “we would not authorise any trial to go ahead unless it had evidence that it had engaged with the law enforcement agencies in its local area and had constructed a robust and realistic enforcement plan.” The Minister clarified the offences for illegal e-scooter use: “users can be fined up to £300. They can have six points put on their driving licence, and the e-scooter can be impounded. There are also offences under the Road Traffic Act related to drunk driving and careless driving. They would also apply to e-scooter users.”

adam cool dude · 5 Oct 2020 at 15:59

What is the major pro with an e-scooter if they cannot use the pavement? A moped does exactly the same thing and costs peanuts to run.

SexyGreyFox · 5 Oct 2020 at 16:11

adam cool dude said:
What is the major pro with an e-scooter if they cannot use the pavement? A moped does exactly the same thing and costs peanuts to run.

That's why it's best to get a decent second hand bike and convert it to electric for around £400.
That way you can go on paths that mopeds can't.
About 90% of my commute can be done on paths/cycle lanes but to do on a moped I'd have to go a completely different route and be stuck in traffic.

Nasher · 5 Oct 2020 at 17:52

adam cool dude said:
What is the major pro with an e-scooter if they cannot use the pavement? A moped does exactly the same thing and costs peanuts to run.

Darwinism is the major pro.

johnny6 · 5 Oct 2020 at 21:59

adam cool dude said:
What is the major pro with an e-scooter if they cannot use the pavement? A moped does exactly the same thing and costs peanuts to run.

round here it seems to be the ability of the individual to ride on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.

Lethal` · 11 Oct 2020 at 11:57

adam cool dude said:
What is the major pro with an e-scooter if they cannot use the pavement? A moped does exactly the same thing and costs peanuts to run.

Can't take your moped into your destination and in many places it'll get nicked if left alone.

Bug One · 15 Nov 2020 at 09:03

Just had a thought about this whole illegal to use your own but legal to use a hire scooter nonsense.

Surely, the best thing to do at the moment if you want to own an e-scooter, is to buy one similar to what the local hire scooters are, and paint /sticker it up so your scooter looks the same.

Bug One · 15 Nov 2020 at 09:08

Nasher said:
Crashing on a bike is different though. On a scooter you are going face first in every situation.

Bikes have also had quite a lot of money spent on improving safety, these scooters are basically scaled up kids toys.

I fell off mine at 30mph. Didn't hit my face, but lost a lot of skin on my hands, elbows and knees and broke an elbow. Don't think it was any different to if I'd have come off a bike at the same speed. I was wearing the same gear as I would have if it was cycling.

SexyGreyFox · 15 Nov 2020 at 11:08

Bug One said:
Just had a thought about this whole illegal to use your own but legal to use a hire scooter nonsense.

Surely, the best thing to do at the moment if you want to own an e-scooter, is to buy one similar to what the local hire scooters are, and paint /sticker it up so your scooter looks the same.

The ones in Stoke/Newcastle turn off if you ride off the designated areas so that wouldn't work on ours.
They have been a total flop.
My work mate lives and works between two stations - he walks 100 yards where he can pick one up and then ride a mile to a station just across from the hospital, there have never been any there for him to use so he could never depend on hiring one to get him to work and back.
The difference will come is if you can hire one and keep it in your possession for a cheap rental hire.

b0rn2sk8 · 15 Nov 2020 at 11:48

Might as well just buy one at that point, there less than £400 for a decent one. It would pay for itself in less than a year for any city dwellers who use public transport a lot.

I think that is what annoys me the most, they are so accessible and reasonably environmentally friendly form of personal transport. Just get on with it like most other European countries!

Bug One · 15 Nov 2020 at 12:58

b0rn2sk8 said:
Might as well just buy one at that point, there less than £400 for a decent one. It would pay for itself in less than a year for any city dwellers who use public transport a lot.

I think that is what annoys me the most, they are so accessible and reasonably environmentally friendly form of personal transport. Just get on with it like most other European countries!

I've used one for over 4 years now. Not been stopped once or had anyone complain.

I don't ride like a tool, mostly use cycle paths and avoid any areas where the police are looking to make examples.

jpaul · 15 Nov 2020 at 14:41

Hadn't realised the trials were unsuccessful, I suppose covid impacted it, but it had also seemed expensive £1+10p/min;
if you were sane, you have to be prepared with gloves+helmet too, women might need a shoe change.

I haven't seen many in Cambridge, but if it ramped up, the police would be more attentive too.
Don't the legitimate ones have a bar-code, or bluetooth/wireless, so police could check, phone app ?

SexyGreyFox · 15 Nov 2020 at 15:20

jpaul said:
Hadn't realised the trials were unsuccessful, I suppose covid impacted it, but it had also seemed expensive £1+10p/min;

It's nothing to do with Covid, it's to do with availability and the only thing people were using them for was for having a laugh.
There would need to be 1000s of them so you could get one anywhere.

b0rn2sk8 · 15 Nov 2020 at 15:58

That’s how they are ever where else that I have seen them deployed. In the centre of Paris you can pick one up on most of the Main Street corners, transit stations etc. with hundreds of them also in use. People seemed to me managing on the cobbles just fine.