Electric scooters and the law

Lmg80 · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:13

So back to work, I'm on the lookout for an electric scooter. I used to have a kick scooter, but the pricing on an electric options makes it an attractive alternative as I have a up hill jaunt!

I'm a little lost with the remit of the law, any ideas what's required where you can ride them etc, where to get insurance etc?

My route will be on a bike lane/I have a driver's license.

Thx

touch · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:29

They're not legal to ride on a road or cycle path (or pavement, or anywhere really except private land with landowner's permission).

I think there's some trial exceptions in London but that might just be specifically for the hire ones there?

Lmg80 · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:31

I was in Cardiff and they were everywhere.
Might need to explore fold up bike instead for now

UTmaniac · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:39

Only hire e-scooters are road legal iirc.

Problem is like for many other law breaking issues, the Tories have obliterated the size of the police force over the last ~10 years, so enforcing the e-scooter law isn't likely to happen.

dlockers · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:41

Illegal unless private space. The ones you can rent are exempt/being trialled/insured.

Eurofighter · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:44

They are illegal for some stupid reason, a drain on police resources. Get an eBike?

mysticsniper · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:53

Nottingham Council are running a trial on those e-scooters. Seen loads of them, very popular with the students

https://www.transportnottingham.com/projects/escooters/

Nasher · 23 Aug 2021 at 20:57

Not legal to use your own anywhere public, but people do anyway and the cops turn a blind eye. Injure someone though and you will be in deep **** and no one will insure it (because it isn't legal).

In my town people fly out in the road on them like traffic doesn't exist.

drakulton · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:00

e-scooters are only for fat kids.

Hades · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:03

If you do get one then don't forget to ride one at night without any form of lights, dressed head to toe in black, driving on the wrong side of the road. That seems to be what everyone around here does.

Lmg80 · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:13

drakulton said:
e-scooters are only for fat kids.

I'm not fat, just big boned

.

In all seriousness, my own googling has come to same conclusion thanks all.

Any recommendations on am electric bike that can fold up. Budget about £500

Delvis · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:27

Illegal unless you use your own on private property.

Or, if there are rentals ones in your town / city, you can use those.

I do keep seeing police posts about how they're illegal die to needing to be insured etc.etc., so not sure if it's a case of that.

b0rn2sk8 · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:39

Lmg80 said:
Any recommendations on am electric bike that can fold up. Budget about £500

No chance of buying anything worth owning at that price point. You'd be lucky to get a half decent regular bike for £500 at the moment, there is a worldwide shortage of bikes.

The gold standard folding bike is a Brompton which start at north of £1k. Their electric version is about 3 grand. It's quite hard for anyone who isn't Brompton to make a compact, light weight folding bike because of their patents.

Most other folding bikes are either, low quality, not very compact, heavy or just not very good. A lot of the time they are all of the above.

chroniclard · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:39

Hired one in Bournemouth, quite good fun bezzing around.

Malevolence · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:43

drakulton · 23 Aug 2021 at 21:57

chroniclard said:
Hired one in Bournemouth, quite good fun bezzing around.

bezzing??? is that like e-buzzing?

ubersonic · 23 Aug 2021 at 22:47

The big problem with Electric scooters is that people hear the term and assume they're similar to the kick along things children used to ride just with a weak electric motor attached, but in reality they're an electrified version of the 50cc Lambretta scooters from the 60's. Not something that should be anywhere near a footpath or a cycle path.

IMO the government should clear up the confusion and make them road legal but require riders to be 16 years old, have insurance and either a CBT or a driving licence. It should be made clear these things aren't toys.

Cooler running · 23 Aug 2021 at 23:04

As others have said, they're illegal for public use on pavements, as it's treated the same way as an electric motorbike.

Many cops simply don't care mind you, but use at your own risk.

MatsyLR · 23 Aug 2021 at 23:18

Should be treated exactly the same way as electric bikes but they are not.

Minusorange · 23 Aug 2021 at 23:24

What happened to the massive thread on them we had in here because that "10 reasons why...." girl died on her e scooter before she could do a 10 reasons why you shouldn't ride an e scooter ?