E-scooters to be allowed on public roads

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OP
OP
captain nemo1701

captain nemo1701

Space cadet. Deck 42 Main Engineering.
Location
Bristol
Tier escooters don't have as many ID markings as Voi. Teeny weeny little number plate that's hard to read as they shoot past unless your name is Clark Kent:blush:. I've seen a few bikers who pull that trick on motorbikes, surely for motorised traffic there's a minimum legal size?. New colour - green - same issues eg poor riding, on pavements, being left all over the shop etc.
 

Squirrel Chaser

Well-Known Member
Yes there is a legal size. Quite a few people, especially bikers, get the vehicle MOTd with a legal size number plate on and then just swap it for a smaller one because it looks "cooler"
Well if I run a bike over in the lorry with an illegal size number plate does that mean it's not my fault 😂
After all I could say didn't see it ..
 

BoldonLad

Not part of the Elite
Location
South Tyneside
Tier escooters don't have as many ID markings as Voi. Teeny weeny little number plate that's hard to read as they shoot past unless your name is Clark Kent:blush:. I've seen a few bikers who pull that trick on motorbikes, surely for motorised traffic there's a minimum legal size?. New colour - green - same issues eg poor riding, on pavements, being left all over the shop etc.

Indeed there is https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/rules-number-plates, but, without enforcement, that is meaningless
 
OP
OP
captain nemo1701

captain nemo1701

Space cadet. Deck 42 Main Engineering.
Location
Bristol
Yes there is a legal size. Quite a few people, especially bikers, get the vehicle MOTd with a legal size number plate on and then just swap it for a smaller one because it looks "cooler"

I once was cycling home in 2001 at night and a biker 'joined' me in the ASL, pulling slightly ahead. His reg plate was about 4 x 2 inches and he'd put in rub-on letraset letters over the top 'The Tarmac Terrorist'. Oddly, it was just after September 11th.
 
OP
OP
captain nemo1701

captain nemo1701

Space cadet. Deck 42 Main Engineering.
Location
Bristol
And to cap it all off its has today been revealed that a Voi escooter was used by a 15 year old local lad to ride to town where he committed a murder, and then used the device to make good his escape. Charming.

Meanwhile, near me recently in Bristol:

Escooter stabbing

Escooters are apparently becoming the muggers choice of vehicle, fast, silent, better than stolen mopeds which victims can hear coming.
 

BoldonLad

Not part of the Elite
Location
South Tyneside
A confession.. I was watching day time TV today, yes, I am ashamed 😊

The was a Sinclair C5. This prompted me to resort to google. It would appear it is legal to use one, on a public road, in UK, without “road tax”, insurance or licence. I haven’t found or read the actual legislation, but, alledgedly, it applies to electrically powered vehicles with less that 4 wheels. Wouldn’t that cover electric scooters too?
 

Drago

Legendary Member
No, because scooters are electric powered.

The C5 is, by the standards of the legislation at that time, electrically assisted.

Were the C5 made in the same form today it would not be legal, the assistance would need to be in he manner of ebikes we know and love, whereas the original C5 could, barely, propel itself on leccy alone. As it stands though they're governed by the legislation at the time of their manufacture, just as pre 2016 ebikes are.

But a fair question.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
A confession.. I was watching day time TV today, yes, I am ashamed 😊

The was a Sinclair C5. This prompted me to resort to google. It would appear it is legal to use one, on a public road, in UK, without “road tax”, insurance or licence. I haven’t found or read the actual legislation, but, alledgedly, it applies to electrically powered vehicles with less that 4 wheels. Wouldn’t that cover electric scooters too?
Legally classed at its time of entry onto the market as pedal cycle. It did have pedals fitted, but you hurt your knees knocking them on the bodywork.
He had plans for a four wheeled version, but that would have fallen under motor vehicle regulations. I think two four-wheeled versions were built.

Three wheels was the limit under the old regulations, four under the regulations since 2016.
 

BoldonLad

Not part of the Elite
Location
South Tyneside
No, because scooters are electric powered.

The C5 is, by the standards of the legislation at that time, electrically assisted.

Were the C5 made in the same form today it would not be legal, the assistance would need to be in he manner of ebikes we know and love, whereas the original C5 could, barely, propel itself on leccy alone. As it stands though they're governed by the legislation at the time of their manufacture, just as pre 2016 ebikes are.

But a fair question.

Legally classed at its time of entry onto the market as pedal cycle. It did have pedals fitted, but you hurt your knees knocking them on the bodywork.
He had plans for a four wheeled version, but that would have fallen under motor vehicle regulations. I think two four-wheeled versions were built.

Three wheels was the limit under the old regulations, four under the regulations since 2016.

Bearing in mind that I have not searched out the actual legislation (no time/too idle, you choose):

are you implying that the legislation was C5 specific?

or

the legislation was superseded by later legislation which said something to the effect "electrically assisted pedal cycles manufactured after (say) 2009 ?

It is all a bit academic really, since I have no intention of riding in (on?) a C5, and, I do have a "legal" e-Bike.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Bearing in mind that I have not searched out the actual legislation (no time/too idle, you choose):

are you implying that the legislation was C5 specific?

or

the legislation was superseded by later legislation which said something to the effect "electrically assisted pedal cycles manufactured after (say) 2009 ?

It is all a bit academic really, since I have no intention of riding in (on?) a C5, and, I do have a "legal" e-Bike.
It was built to meet the regulations in place at the time.
Three wheels was the limit at the time it appeared on the market, for e-assist pedal cycles. Pedalling one was awkward, and could be painful on the knees.

If you were to rebuild one, using current batteries and motors, then the range would be a lot better. Top speed, on battery power alone would be well over the 15.6mph limit.
One was rebuilt on a vintage electric TV program, which I saw.
 

Alex321

Guru
Location
South Wales
C5...escooters...all this technology purely to avoid physical exercise :blush: . No wonder obesity is a problem.

I don't think that was the intention of the C5 at all, when it was developed.

It was intended as a replacement for city cars, and was also intended to be the precursor to a larger range of electric vehicles, which never got anywhere when the reaction to and sales of the C5 were so poor.
 
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