First e-scooter prang

[andrew_s]

So I met an e-scooter head on on blind bend on the cycle track this morning, each doing 13-15 mph.

Gratified to find that he came off worst
Him with a broken steerer (at ankle level), me with a brake lever and handlebars that needed realignment, plus a very minor loss of skin on the knuckle of my little finger.

[Postboxer]

Have you reported it to the police? They're illegal aren't they?

[Marcus Aurelius]

They are one of my biggest bug bears at the moment. It’s bad enough when some feral spawn of Satan child wobbles into your path, on an unpowered version, but when a grown adult does it on an electric version, it really really tries my patience.

[mjr]

They will soon learn they're going to come off worst in almost every collision with anything and settle down, I think. In fact, I suspect it's already happened around here.

Well, except for the idiots who are going to be idiots whatever wheeled object they use. At least the e scooters are less dangerous to others than the mini motos they used to abuse.

[freeflow]

Why did you think going around a blind bend at 13-15 mph was acceptable?

[foxyrider]

Why did you think going around a blind bend at 13-15 mph was acceptable?

The speed of the OP is rather irrelevant, the collision would have happened if he'd been doing 5mph, the scooter would still have been doing the higher speed. I almost came a cropper on a corner yesterday doing about 5mph when i was confronted by a pedestrian in similar circumstances, given he was travelling quite slowly i managed to avoid contact (i was not hugging the corner but a high hedge prevents any view around the corner).

E scooters, in this notw at least, seem to be the toy of a certain subset of the community who favour face masks (not for Covid safety)and base ball caps, to make their 'deliveries'. They are an f in menace, weaving through traffic on the roads then flipping to pavements all whilst doing 20-25mph, of course the cycle/shared paths form nice corridors away from the eyes of plod so they are a regular sight on urban sections of the Bristol & Bath for example.

[DevonDamo]

The OP said both him and the e-scooter were doing 13-15mph round a blind bend. Like freeflow, I'd say that was a daft thing to do. I'm not being holier than thou here, because I occasionally do something similar at a particular point on one of my regular routes, but whenever I get/give a fright, it's all 'whoops - sorry mate' - definitely not trying to blame it all on the other person.

[cycle tramp]

Why did you think going around a blind bend at 13-15 mph was acceptable?

The speed of the OP is rather irrelevant, the collision would have happened if he'd been doing 5mph, the scooter would still have been doing the higher speed. I almost came a cropper on a corner yesterday doing about 5mph when i was confronted by a pedestrian in similar circumstances, given he was travelling quite slowly i managed to avoid contact (i was not hugging the corner but a high hedge prevents any view around the corner).

Is it?
Should we be reminded of the statement 'only travel at a speed in which you know it is clear that you can stop'. We are after all expecting the motorised public to do the same when we are on the roads.
Is seems rather inconsistent [edited following advice] to expect others to do something that you yourself are prepared not to do.
There could have been anyone around that corner, like a family group with push chairs, a wheel chair user or someone who is registered blind. I have built and maintained cycle paths and walkways in the past and have done so for the enjoyment of everyone.
If you can't see around a bend them at least slow down and shout 'Hello'

[Jdsk]

Why did you think going around a blind bend at 13-15 mph was acceptable?

The speed of the OP is rather irrelevant, the collision would have happened if he'd been doing 5mph, the scooter would still have been doing the higher speed.

In general for any given behaviour by the other party you're less likely to cause injury by travelling slower into that situation: there'll be more time and space to avoid a collision, and there'll be less kinetic energy that's going to end up somewhere if there is one.

Should we be reminded of the statement 'only travel at a speed in which you know it is clear that you can stop'. We are after all expecting the motorised public to do the same when we are on the roads.
Is seems rather hypocritical to expect others to do something that you yourself are prepared not to do.
There could have been anyone around that corner, like a family group with push chairs, a wheel chair user or someone who is registered blind. I have built and maintained cycle paths and walkways in the past and have done so for the enjoyment of everyone.
If you can't see around a bend them at least slow down and shout 'Hello'

Yes x4 or 5.

Jonathan

PS: Except that I prefer "inconsistent" to "hypocritical".

[mercalia]

Have you reported it to the police? They're illegal aren't they?

+1

[mercalia]

They will soon learn they're going to come off worst in almost every collision with anything and settle down, I think. In fact, I suspect it's already happened around here.

Well, except for the idiots who are going to be idiots whatever wheeled object they use. At least the e scooters are less dangerous to others than the mini motos they used to abuse.

That prominant lady in London on an escooter, who died as a result of tyres not pumped up right who fell under a lorry on a curve? if some thing goes wrong your body sent flying...

[cycle tramp]

In general for any given behaviour by the other party you're less likely to cause injury by travelling slower into that situation: there'll be more time and space to avoid a collision, and there'll be less kinetic energy that's going to end up somewhere if there is one.

If you can't see around a bend them at least slow down and shout 'Hello'

Yes x4 or 5.

Jonathan

PS: Except that I prefer "inconsistent" to "hypocritical".

Yes, that sounds fair enough. I concede to your precise use of the language and will amend forthwith. And, thank you. I always appreciate a second opinion

[Jdsk]

I wouldn't underplay the defensive element in the usage... we're all inconsistent sometimes...

; - )

Jonathan

[Tangled Metal]

We hear messages like speed kills but think it applies to cars and other motorised, metal boxes. Below the level of death there's many levels of pain that speed can cause. Add speed to blind bends and you have potential for trouble. Two people hitting each other at speed, which is really at fault? If the other person was on a bike would anyone defend one at the expense of the other?

Hypocritical or inconsistent? It really doesn't matter. What does matter is that anyone traveling round a blind bend only goes up to the speed that they can stop within the distance they can see. It should be virtually impossible for travellers to hit each other if they're moving safely round the bend. What they're travelling on is irrelevant compared to that.

I'm glad the OP is ok, I hope the other person is too. Above all I hope they'll both avoid anything like this happening in future.

[Haitch]

My educated guess (physics o level and an interest in physics through astronomy as a hobby) is that 15mph for the bike isn’t excessive and fairly easy to slow or stop compared to a scooter with all of your weight well above the main structure meaning any sudden braking is going to propel you off it.