E-scooters to be allowed on public roads

[marzjennings]

Rental e-scooters to be made legal on UK roads from Saturday
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53219331

So what's the thinking in not allowing privately owned scooters?

Enjoy the chaos of randomly dumped scooters everywhere. They may be restricted to travel on the road, but they'll be parked, dumped and thrown everywhere. We went to Stockholm last year and they were just left everywhere.

 

[johnnyb47]

Surely It's going to be difficult to police which scooters are rental and which are private. With hundreds of these little machines wizzing past without obvious identities the private ones will easily slip through the net.

 

[sotal]

It seems madness that rental ones will be legal from Saturday but private ones won't.

Only any use for inner city use. Could be quite useful for my 2 mile commute but I'm guessing the nearest rental place would be in the nearest big town/city which is 10 miles away making it pointless.

 

[DaveReading]

What's so difficult about a human powered adult scooter - they are quite fun.

The thread isn't about those.

 

[Dave7]

On the seafront of Pollenca (Majorca) last year there were lots of them (it probably seemed to be more than there actually was). Some of the users seemed mental cases, the speed they went along the cycle paths.
I foresee lots of accidents ahead.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Surely It's going to be difficult to police which scooters are rental and which are private. With hundreds of these little machines wizzing past without obvious identities the private ones will easily slip through the net.

I have been going on about this for about a year now. Bloke I've seen numerous times on the B2B cyclepath has an unrestricted model, goes about the same speed as a car. In case folk think I'm wrongly identifying things, this one is bigger, has a bigger motor housing, fatter wheels and boy, does it go fast. I googled the top range ones - they can do up to 50mph. So yes, utterly pointless this 'rental only' crap, people parting with £500 a shot for something that's not legal clearly don't give a toss. And it'll never be policed.

So thanks Boris you twat, you've effectively motorised the cyclepaths of the UK.

 

[mustang1]

I do not believe that electric scooters are illegal as long as they are limited to certain speed, probably similar to bikes.

That's weired that I wrote that. I probably meant:

I do not believe electric scooters should be illegal as long as they are limited to a certain speed, probably similar to bikes.

 

[mustang1]

I do not believe that electric scooters are illegal as long as they are limited to certain speed, probably similar to bikes.

That's weired that I wrote that. I probably meant:

I do not believe electric scooters should be illegal as long as they are limited to a certain speed, probably similar to bikes.

It seems madness that rental ones will be legal from Saturday but private ones won't.

Only any use for inner city use. Could be quite useful for my 2 mile commute but I'm guessing the nearest rental place would be in the nearest big town/city which is 10 miles away making it pointless.

I'm just guessing here (haven't looked into it as I just came across this news) but maybe the rental ones will be guaranteed with speed restrictions, whereas private ones could be modified.
Edit:
But I'd like to see private ones allowed too. In this age of coronavirus, privates ones are probably a safer option.

 

[captain nemo1701]

That's weired that I wrote that. I probably meant:

I do not believe electric scooters should be illegal as long as they are limited to a certain speed, probably similar to bikes.

I'm just guessing here (haven't looked into it as I just came across this news) but maybe the rental ones will be guaranteed with speed restrictions, whereas private ones could be modified.
Edit:
But I'd like to see private ones allowed too. In this age of coronavirus, privates ones are probably a safer option.

Restricted...that's bollox. Folk are quite prepared to fork out £500 or so on illegal models, so they won't probably adhere to any speed limits. Do we want this on cyclepahs? (I have already seen them!)
fast e scooter
The market, including shops flogging models you can't use on roads, is pushing our useless Tory Govt into submission. This is just a green light for the eventual use of fast scooters on cyclepaths. The cycle network of the UK is going to become a highway for fast motorised scooters. Kind of defeats the idea that there should be space for non-motorised traffic.

How are sites & shops allowed to sell these given that they aren't street legal??. Can't see anyone parting with a wad of cash is going to obey any rules.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Want one

 

[GM]

My boy has got one, it's a great piece of kit. Of coarse I had to have a go, down the road and back, still had the smile on my face an hour later!

 

[Drago]

I see people wishing to hire one as part of the trial will need a "driving licence", although the Beeb don't state of what class.

 

[tom73]

Guidelines for the trial have been published.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...rators#eligibility-and-dft-trial-requirements

It look's like they will be allowed in cycle lines and @Drago the licence requirement look's to be full or provisional driving licence AM, A1,2 A and B. Allowing them to ride cat Q vehicles.

 

[Red17]

Not sure that anyone will actually check licences, but in theory if a licence is required are they aiming to make any traffic offences endorsable?

 

[Drago]

Yes, it's a motor vehicle so any offences would be punishable as if it were a car or motorcycle.

If the hire firm dont check licences and let an unlicenced rider use one, they're guilty of "use, cause or permit" offences and the person that gave them the scooter risks being personally prosecuted for that, so we can be pretty sure they'll rigorously be checking peoples tickets.