E-scooters

I think the problem is that studies in places that have introduced escooters show they don't replace cars, they replace walking and cycling.

Irresponsible behaviour in the kind of news story that we'll see become a regular feature if they continue down the path of legalising e-scooter use on the public highway, or in parks, as in this case. Healing wishes to the poor dog.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/e-scooter-dog-broken-leg-drunk-owner-b533459.html

Seen growing numbers of them in Glasgow, looks like they will take over from bikes as most hated form of road user.

Inevitably, a drunken scooter rider:

While in custody he “defaced his cell with excrement”, police said.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/drunk-electric-scooter-brixton-banned-b458061.html

I like that the scooter is (correctly, I think) called an 'e-bike' in the article.

A driving ban for drunk e-scooter rider.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/19021288.hampshire-woman-first-banned-drink-driving-e-scooter/

There's an interesting bit at the bottom of the article.

Residents wishing to use the scooters download an app, input their driving licence details and set off.

so no go if you don't have a driving licence.

Apparently "It's a legal requirement to hold a driving licence valid for use in the UK when riding a Beryl e-scooter."

https://help-bikes.beryl.cc/en/articles/4664116-isle-of-wight-how-to-validate-your-driving-license-for-riding-e-scooters

Yeah I wasn't aware of it at all, it hadn't been covered in any of the news stories I'd read in relation to these trials. I guess it makes sense in some respect to excise some control on users. but equally it stops a large number potential users and its a bit of a contradiction to how e-bikes are handled.

I think it's just a provisional you need. So there's no prior skills or knowledge required.

I'm not clear from this ...

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legalising-rental-e-scooter-trials-defining-e-scooters-and-rules-for-their-use/legalising-rental-e-scooter-trials

... whether the trials have been enabled using new secondary legislation, or whether they think they can simply enable them by classing them as having to follow the requirements for motor vehicles.

Either way, trialling and possibly allowing them is simply a misjudgement. E-scooters should not be legalised.

For the time being, they are being treated in trials as motor vehicles, with the insurance requirement resting on the provider, and they want to treat them like electrically-assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) later.

During trials, e-scooters will continue to be classed as motor vehicles, meaning requirements to have insurance and the correct type of driving licence will continue to apply. In the future following trials, we may look to amend the law to treat e-scooters more like EAPCs.

E-scooters should not be legalised.

I disagree Oliver. They should, and it's inevitable. It's also good.

To fess up I'm working on e-scooter training materials ahead of the London Trials due to happen soon. For this work I have been given an e-scooter to use, and have made many trips on it over the past 3 months. Obviously, riding it like I would a cycle in terms of road positioning, awareness, communication and the Highway Code.

It's been interesting work and changed completely my view of them.

I have had not one negative interaction with drivers or other road users. Generally quite the opposite -though since I ride in the manner I do communication is clear with the usual smile and thank you waves as necessary.

It is not an inactive mode (which surprised me), I ride it like people ride a snowboard (so they tell me), using 'ankling' to turn, and leaning After a longish scoot I feel it in my calves and thighs, and core.

I have found it replaces some trips I would usually cycle, avoiding the faff of locking my cycle. Seems shopkeepers have no issue with me bringing in the shop, unfolded.

The diversity of people who I have noticed as fellow scooters in terms of ethnicity, age and gender is noticeable. Many who wouldn't consider cycling as thing.

In terms of road danger reduction, I'm sure you'll agree that scooter riders are not likely to cause much harm compared to motor drivers (Speed capping and weight- low momentum), even though the usual nergers will be waiving their fists at the occasional pavement scooting and rljing. In fact adding these riders to the mix on streets, another vulnerable-looking road user could have the effect of making drivers much more careful when sharing such modally mixed roads.

Finally the looks and attention, questions and comments I have had are indicative of a huge appetite for this simple transport solution with no local emissions - and if the batteries can be charged from renewable sources, then what not to like?

Fully agree with this. If it gets people out of their cars.

FUCK THE CARS.

IMO @greenhell feels like a good target demographic for this, he vapes.

I fell they need to come with a pamphlet discussing some rudimentary physics. There are a lot of young people around here on them, and I am in favour of them, to be clear. But the speed that some of them are going, I can't help but think that you can't just come to a dead stop without some kind of arse over tit scenario. One guy was on some kind of uber-powerful one and passed me on Church Road going at least 50. I really wanted a go on that one, but my middle aged parent brain kicked in.

he vapes.

i ruddy don't!

tho i wouldn't say no to an e-scooter. i have a lot of edgy, niche stickers looking for a good home.

get one! so I can try after rona

how good are they at hills?

big, fuck off hills?

Muswell hill would be the test,
in London anyway

Does it though?

I would expect the overwhelming majority of scooterists are using them instead of public transport or bikes.

laughs in Sydenham Hill.

i fucking hate hills. why don't they just grade the whole of london? hills ruin my view of the sea!

laughs in Sydenham Hill

I've been riding that for most of my life, reps on Muswell are definitely tougher

Edit. Even if you start reps from FH station or the old Harvester

I would expect the overwhelming majority of scooterists are using them instead of public transport or bikes.

most people i saw on them (pre-'rona) were taking them on the train and then using them to get from the train to the office, either that or taking kids on them to school.

in both cases these people would have been walking otherwise.

i think the case where it's 'last mile' transport where it replaces that last part of the journey rather than walking is the worst thing about them, and i think that's where a lot of the uptake will come from

Doesn't look safe having little kids on the front of these

A load of London public transport is (or at least was) almost at capacity though so getting people off public transport is also a positive.

If an e-scooter can replace a car as aspirational ownership or if anti-social e-scooter riding is happening instead of anti-social car driving then I see them absolutely as a positive thing. If anti-social e-scootering replaces anti-social cycling, then there's no new anti-social transport taking place, merely a displacement to a different form of transport.

Until public transport becomes aspirational, there will always be a quest for a better form of quick, cost-effective, convenient and low effort transport.

A friend had an e scooter a few years ago, battery didn’t last long. He was going to chuck it but I persuaded him to buy a new battery that I helped him to fit. Wasn’t that simple.

Tldr; will most of them end up in land fill when they break? This worries me. There are enough dead bicycles in the world without adding more stuff