Escooter trial to start

[Manc33]

They are illegal? I see someone on one every time I go on a bike ride, especially around shopping areas.

I'm sure some people in this thread are talking about scooters you sit on that look like a motorbike and the ones you stand up on? A scooter you stand up on must weigh less than half what an eBike weighs so why are the scooters allowed 350W and eBikes are only allowed 250W? Maybe it's to get up hills.

Why do they have tiny little wheels? Who remembers those scooters in the 1980's that had small BMX wheels, BMX handlebars and proper brakes front and rear? I think some even had suspension. If those existed in the past, why aren't the electric versions of today like that? Far better.

[Jdsk]

...
Why do they have tiny little wheels? Who remembers those scooters in the 1980's that had small BMX wheels, BMX handlebars and proper brakes front and rear? I think some even had suspension. If those existed in the past, why aren't the electric versions of today like that? Far better.

My emboldening.

Does that avoid the need for inflatable tyres? Or is it simply cheaper?

Jonathan

[Manc33]

Does that avoid the need for inflatable tyres? Or is it simply cheaper?

Both, but it gives the scooter a harsh ride. It's just amusing to me that they could get it right in the 1980's, but not today.

[simonhill]

Wrong?

Maybe it's more to do with size and portability.. Most private e-scooters fold into a fairly small flattish package. Easy to carry and store.

For some reason my news feed often show e-scooters with bigger wheels, etc and speeds of over 60 mph. Essentially a different beast.

[Stevek76]

An update to this topic is my perception that the usage of Voi scooters here in Bristol looks like it's changing. No data here but my sense was that the folks using Voi scooters used to look like the folks I think were expected to use them, ie teenagers over 18, students, the young people who might have bought a car but thought they'd try a Voi instead.
For some months, I've seen a different group starting to use them, that looks like it's made up of kids that are way younger than late teens. More users seem to be ignoring the rules too, with many more scooters running on pavements, ridden two - sometimes three! up. Helmets are rarely seen and Vois are very popular with folks going home after the pub... wobble wobble!
Over in Birmingham we learnt to day that a youngster had got round the age limit of 18 by a relatively simple procedure, carried out by his friend. Sadly the poor kid suffered a fatal accident, which in fairness may have little to do with his age directly. However, judging by the number of youngsters I see on Vois in my home town, the same hack or ones like it appear readily done. The younger the pilot, the less likely they are to have the necessary experience or judgement to travel safely. Or indeed, incentive to stick to the guidelines, via their licence details, they being too young to have one.

]My perception is also that there's been a change – but the opposite way! Instead of young people, I'm seeing more middle-aged people using them, some clearly commuting and others looking like they're going shopping or other social trips.

They've certainly continued to increase in popularity in my experience. I'm not entirely sure what the concern about children using them is though given we're fine with children on bikes and the average healthy teenager can happily output more watts than a trial legal scooter. Key issue there, and particularly in Bristol, is abject lack of inclusive cycling infrastructure, no thanks due to the motorist vote petrified idiot who's been in power the last 7 years.

Also on the topic of Bristol, Voi has lost the contract to TIER who will also be offering ebikes and cargo ebikes. Going to be interesting to see if the cycles part do better than previous efforts.

[Bmblbzzz]

All too true about the lack of infrastructure. And while I happen to agree with you about this aspect of our current mayor, it will be interesting to see how this changes under the new system next year.

As for Tier, I'd never heard of them before the local announcement but apparently they're a big name in the micro-mobility business. I'm kind of looking forward to trying out an electric cargo-bike, assuming the hire charge is reasonable, but the best news IMO is that they will – apparently – be using parking docks.

[UpWrong]

Another death involving illegal use of an eScooter, https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2023- ... h-with-car

[Bmblbzzz]

Would be worth asking about the use of the car in that collision.

[UpWrong]

Would be worth asking about the use of the car in that collision.

Why? No suggestion of speeding or driving under the influence. A scooter on the road illegally at 10pm in the dark.

[Stevek76]

Cars have headlights, if someone is crashing into human sized objects on the road at night they are clearly not paying sufficient attention and should have their license removed.

The legality of the scooter on this is irrelevant, that could just have easily been a pedestrian crossing the road.

[UpWrong]

Cars have headlights, if someone is crashing into human sized objects on the road at night they are clearly not paying sufficient attention and should have their license removed.

The legality of the scooter on this is irrelevant, that could just have easily been a pedestrian crossing the road.

If they were a pedestrian crossing then they wouldn't have crossed with oncoming traffic. Not being there, we don't know the details. We do know the eScooter was an illegal use of a vehicle at night, and problably an unlit vehicle at that.

[simonineaston]

News here of a single local council using Public Spaces Protection Order legislation to fine users of illegal e-devices...

The report found that councils are creating broad-brush laws that ban people from doing anything that potentially annoys any other person. For example, Southend-on-Sea banned people from “using bikes in a way that has a negative effect for others”.

Not sure how effective that sounds... I'm trying to imgine the council representative catching up with and ticking off the sort of 30-something lads that I've seen using e-scooters at high speed, spliff shoved firmly in kisser, dubstep booming, flashing past at 20mph and more !
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... y-offences

[Jdsk]

Geofencing etc in Melbourne:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... mayor-says

Jonathan

[al_yrpal]

Paris voted to loose scooters. Supposed to come into effect 1st September.

We have hire scooters here in Taunton. Mostly used by student aged youngsters with no noticeable problems. Lots of unofficial ones too, many ridden by young children who often ride dangerously on pavements. You never see police or PSOs here so it just continues.

Al

[Jdsk]

Paris voted to loose scooters. Supposed to come into effect 1st September.
...

The decision in Paris is to ban rented/ publicly shared scooters.
https://www.themayor.eu/en/a/view/what- ... nned-12008

Jonathan