E Scooters soon to be allowed on UK roads?

[Toltec]

untakenname said:

Yeah, I assumed it was an e-scooter as if it was a normal one they would call it a motorbike.

Looks like the Police are now taking it seriously by crushing them and not handing them back to the owner once the fines been paid, wonder if the WEEE directive for e-waste applies to seized items?

It could have been one of the more Vespa like ones, but I think it more likely you are right as it would probably have been described just as a scooter.

[Abbott]

silverthorn2151 said:

dudleybloke said:

2 seriously injured in e-scooter crash in Wolverhampton.


https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wol...

Should always be wearing a helmet to avoid 'serious head injuries' and having a passenger is a nonsense on an e-scooter. Hardly representative.

No helmet and or 2 up is more like the norm in the Paris area.

[J__Wood]

Didn't end well for to scootering pi55 heads:
Two men have been banned from driving after riding erratically on e-scooters while also over the alcohol limit.

Both men gave positive breath alcohol samples when they were stopped on 19 April.

A 21 year-old man from Roby, Knowsley and a man, 22, from Liverpool were given 16-month driving bans and ordered to pay £120 costs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-5...

[Solocle]

J__Wood said:

Didn't end well for to scootering pi55 heads:
Two men have been banned from driving after riding erratically on e-scooters while also over the alcohol limit.

Both men gave positive breath alcohol samples when they were stopped on 19 April.

A 21 year-old man from Roby, Knowsley and a man, 22, from Liverpool were given 16-month driving bans and ordered to pay £120 costs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-5...

Which is rather disproportionate, as they could be pissed up on a faster, heavier e-bike, and only be subject to a max £1000 fine for drunk cycling. The laws for motor vehicles exist for good reason - but they're stupidly draconian when applied to a technically-motorised scooter that does 12 mph. See also - barbie cars.

[No ideas for a name]

silverthorn2151 said:

dudleybloke said:

2 seriously injured in e-scooter crash in Wolverhampton.


https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wol...

Should always be wearing a helmet to avoid 'serious head injuries' and having a passenger is a nonsense on an e-scooter. Hardly representative.

E-scooter rider, 20, dies six days after Wolverhampton crash
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-5...

[Ed.]

This is a few months old but suggests ebike injuries are more in line with motorbike crashes than bicycles.

https://youtu.be/wM8Xli2KTzI

[okgo]

Utter bks.

Unless not restricted.

[808 Estate]

Some tt using one on the motorway.
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/193831...

[ddom]

Abbott said:

No helmet and or 2 up is more like the norm in the Paris area.

Was up in Newcastle the past week and kids were two up in uniform not giving a fk about pedestrians. On Quayside not much of a bother but elsewhere the usual menace.

[anonymous-user]

Solocle said:

Which is rather disproportionate, as they could be pissed up on a faster, heavier e-bike, and only be subject to a max £1000 fine for drunk cycling. The laws for motor vehicles exist for good reason - but they're stupidly draconian when applied to a technically-motorised scooter that does 12 mph. See also - barbie cars.

Agreed.

I'm not suggesting people should be cycling and scooting whilst pissed, but it seems that you pose less danger to yourself and others whilst pissed on an escooter rather than on a bicycle.

People have been drinking and cycling for as long as there has been bicycles, and I can only assume it isn't a major problem given that there is no blood alcohol limit for cycling, the police aren't allowed to breathalyse you, and only a fine rather than anything more serious.

[ddom]

Lord Marylebone said:

Agreed.

I'm not suggesting people should be cycling and scooting whilst pissed, but it seems that you pose less danger to yourself and others whilst pissed on an escooter rather than on a bicycle.

People have been drinking and cycling for as long as there has been bicycles, and I can only assume it isn't a major problem given that there is no blood alcohol limit for cycling, the police aren't allowed to breathalyse you, and only a fine rather than anything more serious.

How is 'less danger'

[J__Wood]

I would have thought the sensible thing would be to bring e-bike users inline with other motorised vehicles rather than downgrading 'rules' for e-scooters.

For a pedestrian hit by an e-scooter or e-bike at 12-15 mph the drunk 70kg user would be a much greater issue that the much slighter difference in scooter/bike mass.

French view on hit and run is at least more robust that the UK's: “murder, aggravated by failure to stop” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/19/pari...

[monthou]

J__Wood said:

I would have thought the sensible thing would be to bring e-bike users inline with other motorised vehicles rather than downgrading 'rules' for e-scooters.

How easy do you think that would be?
Number plates / registrations / insurance / MOT / licence?

[J__Wood]

monthou said:

How easy do you think that would be?
Number plates / registrations / insurance / MOT / licence?

I was only considering the drink riding element not wider regulation to reply to previous posts. So pretty easy - stopped by police, screening breath check, arrest, back to station etc.

[eldar]

monthou said:

How easy do you think that would be?
Number plates / registrations / insurance / MOT / licence?

Like escooters require. That'll work well

[monthou]

J__Wood said:

monthou said:

How easy do you think that would be?
Number plates / registrations / insurance / MOT / licence?

I was only considering the drink riding element not wider regulation to reply to previous posts. So pretty easy - stopped by police, screening breath check, arrest, back to station etc.

And if the end result is 'Might as well take the car then'?

[anonymous-user]

J__Wood said:

monthou said:

How easy do you think that would be?
Number plates / registrations / insurance / MOT / licence?

I was only considering the drink riding element not wider regulation to reply to previous posts. So pretty easy - stopped by police, screening breath check, arrest, back to station etc.

The problem with that is, what is the punishment?

What happens if the drunk cyclist or scooter rider has no driving licence to endorse or disqualify?

You are then back to simply fining them as they do at present.

The way I see it, the only way you could punish drunk cycling or drunk scooting more seriously, is if you go down the licence/registration/number plates route, and that will never happen.

It’s too complex and clearly there is no need for it given the amount of people who probably have a drink and cycle at the moment, with very few incidents.

[Toltec]

To an extent drunk cycling is self limiting earlier than drunk driving.

[untakenname]

Many times in my youth I've ridden home and had no recollection of the journey the next morning.

They have a register for drones/quadcopters weighing over 250g (with fines and possible jailtime if not complaint) and there's probably more e-scooters now in circulation, could easily issue a QR code when the documents and insurance is in order that needs to be attached when out in public.

[lost in espace]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/21/e-scoo...

I keep seeing reports like this in the papers.