E Scooters soon to be allowed on UK roads?
Discussion
OutInTheShed said:
monthou said:
I read that. It doesn't say anything about a ban on privately owned scooters.
Had a chat (email) with my Italian former colleague.Basically, most scooters in city centres are hire units.
The few privately owned ones are not seen to be causing the problems.
It's politically handy to blame everything on 'tourist scooters'.
There are some mixed messages about 'scooters being restricted to a few hire firms' in some areas, which may or may not mean private scooters are banned.
A lot (most?) of the private scooters are technically illegal anyway as they don't meet some standard or other.
It's one thing for a mayor / local authority to change the terms of contracts with hire companies; banning a class of private transport sounds like a much bigger deal and not necessarily within their power.
Some idiot keeps leaving Lime bikes across the pavement and even across driveways near my parents. Contacted Lime and they said they would trace the rider and apply a fine. It doesn't seem to stop the miscreant. The only thing that worked was to place the Lime bike in an even worse location (will leave this to your imagination) so that the rider then gets a fine for leaving it in an appropriate place!
Interested to see how this pans out. Something needs to happen, and keeping us in limbo is not helpful.
I regularly need to get around Aylesbury quickly, but relatively short distances. I absolutely refuse to use the car to do this, as it's totally unnecessary, but I do need to arrive in a presentable fashion. The Zipp e-scooters have been perfect for this until recently - the amount of scooters has taken a significant hit (coincides with them opening up in another town) and the scooters that are left generally don't work / won't get up a hill etc...
A folding e-bike would potentially be OK and work for what I need, but there's a bit of hassle involved with storing it etc... It's madness that we're being asked to use our cars left, but there are no real alternatives when you need to be 2 miles away in 10 minutes.
I regularly need to get around Aylesbury quickly, but relatively short distances. I absolutely refuse to use the car to do this, as it's totally unnecessary, but I do need to arrive in a presentable fashion. The Zipp e-scooters have been perfect for this until recently - the amount of scooters has taken a significant hit (coincides with them opening up in another town) and the scooters that are left generally don't work / won't get up a hill etc...
A folding e-bike would potentially be OK and work for what I need, but there's a bit of hassle involved with storing it etc... It's madness that we're being asked to use our cars left, but there are no real alternatives when you need to be 2 miles away in 10 minutes.
bit like a car, you can go over the speed limit, fail to get road tax, insurance, mot etc.. the penalty is fines and losing your ability to drive which is a heavy deterrent.
people havent twigged, and the police havent really enforced the regs on ebikes, so thats why we have this wild west.
people havent twigged, and the police havent really enforced the regs on ebikes, so thats why we have this wild west.
z4RRSchris said:
folding ebike is the legal option for what you want.
the other options are illegal, and there isn't a chance of them becoming legal for what you want, any legal options will be limited to 15.5mph.
Being a bit pessimistic about this (I’m a keen, but 100% legal eMtb user) I actually think with the current media frothing about “e-bikes” (actually motorcycles, nothing to do with e-bikes) and antisocial yobs/feral scrotes that we are going to be lucky to even keep the 250w 15.5mph pedal assist e-bikes. I can see a load of legislation and honking great reg plates coming. the other options are illegal, and there isn't a chance of them becoming legal for what you want, any legal options will be limited to 15.5mph.
Of course the council scrotes will be rushing to make sure that they are compliant, oh yes
Dog Star said:
Being a bit pessimistic about this (I’m a keen, but 100% legal eMtb user) I actually think with the current media frothing about “e-bikes” (actually motorcycles, nothing to do with e-bikes) and antisocial yobs/feral scrotes that we are going to be lucky to even keep the 250w 15.5mph pedal assist e-bikes. I can see a load of legislation and honking great reg plates coming.
Of course the council scrotes will be rushing to make sure that they are compliant, oh yes
No chance. We might see more enforcement of the existing rules, but probably not even that, as the police have plenty of other stuff to do.Of course the council scrotes will be rushing to make sure that they are compliant, oh yes
z4RRSchris said:
folding ebike is the legal option for what you want.
the other options are illegal, and there isn't a chance of them becoming legal for what you want, any legal options will be limited to 15.5mph.
That is the issue for me. As a city dweller I would use an e-scooter regularly. I do have a bike (normal pedal variety) but its a faff to take down from my apartment to the ground floor, wedging doors open as they clang into the pedals and then to lock it up etc wherever I am heading. the other options are illegal, and there isn't a chance of them becoming legal for what you want, any legal options will be limited to 15.5mph.
I have an e-scooter in my home abroad and it gets used all the time. So much more convenient.
I am not risking my driving licence on one in the UK but a big shame.
Dog Star said:
Being a bit pessimistic about this (I’m a keen, but 100% legal eMtb user) I actually think with the current media frothing about “e-bikes” (actually motorcycles, nothing to do with e-bikes) and antisocial yobs/feral scrotes that we are going to be lucky to even keep the 250w 15.5mph pedal assist e-bikes. I can see a load of legislation and honking great reg plates coming.
Of course the council scrotes will be rushing to make sure that they are compliant, oh yes
Worryingly, I’m beginning to think this might be a possible outcome of all the trouble being caused by electric motorcycles, especially since all you see in the media are headlines which include the description ‘Electric Bike’.Of course the council scrotes will be rushing to make sure that they are compliant, oh yes
You know the government just love poorly thought out knee-jerk reactions to things, and slapping some utterly draconian regulations into 250w e-bikes would be right up their street.
It would solve absolutely nothing, cause masses of bureaucracy, but the government would be able to claim to have ‘done something’.
The worst part of all this delaying over E-scooters is that they would be the perfect solution for urban transport for many people (along with E-bikes) and a huge step in the direction of ‘going green’ and getting cars off the road, something that I was under the impression the government wanted.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 21st June 13:31
Shnozz said:
That is the issue for me. As a city dweller I would use an e-scooter regularly. I do have a bike (normal pedal variety) but its a faff to take down from my apartment to the ground floor, wedging doors open as they clang into the pedals and then to lock it up etc wherever I am heading.
I have an e-scooter in my home abroad and it gets used all the time. So much more convenient.
I am not risking my driving licence on one in the UK but a big shame.
This is exactly where I'm at. 15.5mph is fine for me - I can get through town nice and quickly with that. A foldable e-bike is not all that convenient, and as I regularly get home at midnight, I don't want to be clanking the thing indoors.I have an e-scooter in my home abroad and it gets used all the time. So much more convenient.
I am not risking my driving licence on one in the UK but a big shame.
Having said that, I am going to see a secondhand (non-foldable) e-Bike this afternoon which looks good for £230. Just had a new battery and claims in good condition - we'll see. That's worth the risk of it getting nicked, if it all checks out OK.
I've just got back from a two week holiday in France, Le Mans then La Rochelle, La Rochelle really does seem to have embraced these E Scooters, they we're everywhere., the whole city has bike lanes everywhere and they are fully utilised by both bikes and E-scooters alike.
If they were legal i would have one in a heart beat. They seem ideal for nipping the 3 or 4 miles from my house to the local town centre. Which is always clogged up with traffic, has poor and expensive parking.
I genuinely cant believe how long they are dragging this trial out for. its almost as if they wont allow us to use private scooters because there is now way to tax there use. Don't use your car as its bad for us and the environment but don't dare use something that stops us taxing you for your mobility.
Cynical me.......!
If they were legal i would have one in a heart beat. They seem ideal for nipping the 3 or 4 miles from my house to the local town centre. Which is always clogged up with traffic, has poor and expensive parking.
I genuinely cant believe how long they are dragging this trial out for. its almost as if they wont allow us to use private scooters because there is now way to tax there use. Don't use your car as its bad for us and the environment but don't dare use something that stops us taxing you for your mobility.
Cynical me.......!
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