E Scooters soon to be allowed on UK roads?
Discussion
Someone asked if they could be used outside of the city centre. The ones I used in Prague were gps controlled, and they could lock you out of a street or path with their zoning. No drive, brake activated.
Quite literally, controlled to within a metre or so. That’s why they are only legalising hire scooters, so they can be controlled via gps, tracked, locked, and charged for per mile.
God knows how many of these things were flung into the Danube either. Thomas will be full of them in weeks.
Quite literally, controlled to within a metre or so. That’s why they are only legalising hire scooters, so they can be controlled via gps, tracked, locked, and charged for per mile.
God knows how many of these things were flung into the Danube either. Thomas will be full of them in weeks.
Mort7 said:
silverthorn2151 said:
I own one. I reckon the 30 or so careful and defensive miles I have under my belt makes me a massively better rider. Way better than someone jumping on one for the first time and zipping off into the city centre.
In my view formulating a policy based ONLY on rental is akin to setting cycling policy based on Boris bikes alone and if you see how some of those are ridden.
Besides all of that stuff they're bloody brilliant fun.
As a matter of interest, were the 30 careful and defensive miles carried out on private property, or illegally on public roads, cycle lanes or pavements?In my view formulating a policy based ONLY on rental is akin to setting cycling policy based on Boris bikes alone and if you see how some of those are ridden.
Besides all of that stuff they're bloody brilliant fun.
silverthorn2151 said:
As a matter of interest, why do you ask?
If it was me, I would happily admit I had been using it on the public highway for 30 miles.There are entire UK YouTube channels produced by people who commute on e-scooters every day in London. They also review and test drive new e-scooters on the streets, and talk about e-scooter commuting.
All without the slightest bit on interest from the police or ‘authorities’
People on PH have this weird idea that if you admit to wrongdoing on a forum, the Police will instantly smash through your front door and arrest you, which of course, never happens in real life.
Cupramax said:
This ^^^ is the reason the govt decision is so cretinous, who’s going to police it?
Indeed.There are thousands of people using e-scooters in UK towns and cities right now, and that number is growing.
I think that this legalisation of rental scooters will simply be the green light for even more people to buy and use them.
Yes, occasionally there is a ‘crackdown’ where someone in an office decides that a good use of Police time is to stop people on their way to work and ‘talk to them’ about the legality of e-scooters, but that’s about it.
The government are simply pissing into the wind.
Lord Marylebone said:
Indeed.
There are thousands of people using e-scooters in UK towns and cities right now, and that number is growing.
I think that this legalisation of rental scooters will simply be the green light for even more people to buy and use them.
Yes, occasionally there is a ‘crackdown’ where someone in an office decides that a good use of Police time is to stop people on their way to work and ‘talk to them’ about the legality of e-scooters, but that’s about it.
The government are simply pissing into the wind.
I don’t agree with that. We aren’t a really nation of lawbreakers and I can’t see loads of people rushing out to spend £100s to break the law, when it’s easier and cheaper (for a while) to just jump on and pay a small fee for hiring one. If anything it’s more likely to be a flash in the pan where people get giddy and they’re at 100% usage for a few weeks, then you hardly see anyone using one. They aren’t exactly everywhere in Germany where they’re perfectly legal. There are thousands of people using e-scooters in UK towns and cities right now, and that number is growing.
I think that this legalisation of rental scooters will simply be the green light for even more people to buy and use them.
Yes, occasionally there is a ‘crackdown’ where someone in an office decides that a good use of Police time is to stop people on their way to work and ‘talk to them’ about the legality of e-scooters, but that’s about it.
The government are simply pissing into the wind.
Lord Marylebone said:
silverthorn2151 said:
As a matter of interest, why do you ask?
If it was me, I would happily admit I had been using it on the public highway for 30 miles.There are entire UK YouTube channels produced by people who commute on e-scooters every day in London. They also review and test drive new e-scooters on the streets, and talk about e-scooter commuting.
All without the slightest bit on interest from the police or ‘authorities’
People on PH have this weird idea that if you admit to wrongdoing on a forum, the Police will instantly smash through your front door and arrest you, which of course, never happens in real life.
All public roads in suburbia, in cycle lanes where available and not on the pavements. Mine is limited to 15mph and it manages to keep to that up the hills in Chingford with my chubby 95kg on it's back.
unident said:
I don’t agree with that. We aren’t a really nation of lawbreakers and I can’t see loads of people rushing out to spend £100s to break the law, when it’s easier and cheaper (for a while) to just jump on and pay a small fee for hiring one. If anything it’s more likely to be a flash in the pan where people get giddy and they’re at 100% usage for a few weeks, then you hardly see anyone using one. They aren’t exactly everywhere in Germany where they’re perfectly legal.
I read recently that we are a nation of ‘micro criminals’. A significant 75% of Brits are happy to commit small crimes and ignore minor laws that we find silly, inconvenient, or costly.
(Stealing bags or items at self checkouts, taking cash payment for work, dodging tax, lying about your child’s age to get a discount, illegally downloading music or movies, avoided buying a ticket on public transport, eating loose fruit or sweets in a store without paying for it, etc)
I think using a scooter with batteries, rather than a scooter without batteries, isn’t even considered a ‘crime’ by most people.
But that aside, I think e-scooters and e-bikes will becomes really quite popular in busy urban areas and for commuters. They are so cheap and convenient that I can’t see how they won’t be used in notable numbers.
I mean, look how many people cycle in places like London, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s better than a bicycle.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 1st July 22:30
silverthorn2151 said:
I apologise for being obtuse, I've clearly been spending too much time on twitter.
All public roads in suburbia, in cycle lanes where available and not on the pavements. Mine is limited to 15mph and it manages to keep to that up the hills in Chingford with my chubby 95kg on it's back.
It wasn’t me that asked you the question originally, but thanks anyway! All public roads in suburbia, in cycle lanes where available and not on the pavements. Mine is limited to 15mph and it manages to keep to that up the hills in Chingford with my chubby 95kg on it's back.
Lord Marylebone said:
silverthorn2151 said:
I apologise for being obtuse, I've clearly been spending too much time on twitter.
All public roads in suburbia, in cycle lanes where available and not on the pavements. Mine is limited to 15mph and it manages to keep to that up the hills in Chingford with my chubby 95kg on it's back.
It wasn’t me that asked you the question originally, but thanks anyway! All public roads in suburbia, in cycle lanes where available and not on the pavements. Mine is limited to 15mph and it manages to keep to that up the hills in Chingford with my chubby 95kg on it's back.
Lord Marylebone said:
I read recently that we are a nation of ‘micro criminals’.
A significant 75% of Brits are happy to commit small crimes and ignore minor laws that we find silly, inconvenient, or costly.
(Steaming bags or items at self checkouts, taking cash payment for work, dodging tax, lying about your child’s age to get a discount, illegally downloading music or movies, avoided buying a ticket on public transport, eating loose fruit or sweets in a store without paying for it, etc)
I think using a scooter with batteries, rather than a scooter without batteries, isn’t even considered a ‘crime’ by most people.
But that aside, I think e-scooters and e-bikes will becomes really quite popular in busy urban areas and for commuters. They are so cheap and convenient that I can’t see how they won’t be used in notable numbers.
I mean, look how many people cycle in places like London, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s better than a bicycle.
The examples you’ve given provide us with a financial benefit. To do what you’re suggesting means a fairly hefty financial outlay to commit the crime, no matter how minor you feel it is. A significant 75% of Brits are happy to commit small crimes and ignore minor laws that we find silly, inconvenient, or costly.
(Steaming bags or items at self checkouts, taking cash payment for work, dodging tax, lying about your child’s age to get a discount, illegally downloading music or movies, avoided buying a ticket on public transport, eating loose fruit or sweets in a store without paying for it, etc)
I think using a scooter with batteries, rather than a scooter without batteries, isn’t even considered a ‘crime’ by most people.
But that aside, I think e-scooters and e-bikes will becomes really quite popular in busy urban areas and for commuters. They are so cheap and convenient that I can’t see how they won’t be used in notable numbers.
I mean, look how many people cycle in places like London, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s better than a bicycle.
E-bikes are fully legal so there’s no crime there, unless you nick one. E-scooters are halfway there, I quite like them and I really can’t see that there’s going to be a sudden surge of privately owned ones on the roads. Comments like the one above claiming half the world already owns one specific brand are massively overplaying this. I don’t know anyone who owns one, nor does anyone I know know anyone either.
unident said:
Lord Marylebone said:
There are thousands of people using e-scooters in UK towns and cities right now, and that number is growing.
We aren’t a really nation of lawbreakers and I can’t see loads of people rushing out to spend £100s to break the law, The one who lives in the real world and says what they see in front of them OR the one that just guesses at what might happen in the future.
NGee said:
unident said:
Lord Marylebone said:
There are thousands of people using e-scooters in UK towns and cities right now, and that number is growing.
We aren’t a really nation of lawbreakers and I can’t see loads of people rushing out to spend £100s to break the law, The one who lives in the real world and says what they see in front of them OR the one that just guesses at what might happen in the future.
silverthorn2151 said:
Mort7 said:
silverthorn2151 said:
I own one. I reckon the 30 or so careful and defensive miles I have under my belt makes me a massively better rider. Way better than someone jumping on one for the first time and zipping off into the city centre.
In my view formulating a policy based ONLY on rental is akin to setting cycling policy based on Boris bikes alone and if you see how some of those are ridden.
Besides all of that stuff they're bloody brilliant fun.
As a matter of interest, were the 30 careful and defensive miles carried out on private property, or illegally on public roads, cycle lanes or pavements?In my view formulating a policy based ONLY on rental is akin to setting cycling policy based on Boris bikes alone and if you see how some of those are ridden.
Besides all of that stuff they're bloody brilliant fun.
I make no apologies for seeming critical. I was once young and reckless (aka stupid), and did things for fun without considering the consequences, but now I'm much more circumspect - or boring if you prefer - and think more about the effects my actions might have on others. You'll be the same sooner or later. Sorry to have to break that to you.
I'm not against E scooters under the right circumstances. I can see benefits - particularly as the Government are advising against the use of public transport - but it looks to me like this legislation is being introduced without due consideration due to the extenuating circumstances brought about by the pandemic.
I think that E scooters could be well suited to cycle lanes in urban environments, but consider that they would be dangerous to pedestrians (particularly the blind) if used on pavements (as some cycles are now), and have the potential to be dangerous to the rider, and other road users, if used on unsuitable or congested roads, or as transportation between towns. I’ve witnessed this already, and watching a 20-something being buffeted by passing 40 tonners on an A Road is to be seen to be believed.
The law has been introduced, and I'll aim to give scooter riders due consideration, but (and I hope I'm wrong) I foresee trouble ahead. Not with those who are sensible and act responsibly, but with those who do not. There were around 500000 of them at Bournemouth Beach recently. Imagine that lot on E Scooters......
unident said:
LimSlip said:
The recent increase in the popularity of three wheeled scooters (and even full size motorcycles) says otherwise e.g Piagio MP3, Gilera Fuoco, Yamaha Niken, Yamaha Tricity, Kymco CV3, Peugeot Metropolis etc..
I can barely remember seeing one of those on the roads. However, they may be popular is cities as commuter vehicles. I wonder how much of that his die to them being able to be ridden on a car licence though?hyphen said:
3 wheels are for under 5s! I think they are less manoeuvrable?Also will likely be wider taking up more space.
Those three wheel scooters are less maneuverable than the two-wheel kind, which is the point I was making. It will make them much less wobbly and therefore much more suitable for occasional or one-time users. As for taking up more space, that hardly matters when there's a human body on top of it which will inevitably still be wider than a three-wheeled scooter. It also has the benefit of standing upright without need for a kickstand, reducing the risk of fallen scooters littering roadways and pavements everywhere.Mort7 said:
GC8 said:
You have a lifetime of wearing beige and reading the Daily Mail ahead of you...
And you have a lifetime of being a dick..... perhaps?. 
I will leave you with this thought: adding a smiley face to a
ish remark is no substitute for having a sense of humour.LunarOne said:
unident said:
LimSlip said:
The recent increase in the popularity of three wheeled scooters (and even full size motorcycles) says otherwise e.g Piagio MP3, Gilera Fuoco, Yamaha Niken, Yamaha Tricity, Kymco CV3, Peugeot Metropolis etc..
I can barely remember seeing one of those on the roads. However, they may be popular is cities as commuter vehicles. I wonder how much of that his die to them being able to be ridden on a car licence though?hyphen said:
3 wheels are for under 5s! I think they are less manoeuvrable?Also will likely be wider taking up more space.
Those three wheel scooters are less maneuverable than the two-wheel kind, which is the point I was making. It will make them much less wobbly and therefore much more suitable for occasional or one-time users. As for taking up more space, that hardly matters when there's a human body on top of it which will inevitably still be wider than a three-wheeled scooter. It also has the benefit of standing upright without need for a kickstand, reducing the risk of fallen scooters littering roadways and pavements everywhere.The three wheel e-scooters are lethal. The steering stem is vertical on both two and three wheel variants. Steering inputs are negligible for huge moves. On a two wheel version you lean and it moves, on the three wheel you lean and one of the front wheels lifts. This causes panic and usually a shutting of the throttle and a trip to the chemists for some plasters, or worse. Even if you don’t shut the throttle the one remaining front wheel on the ground is now offset and causing some fairly erratic movement of the scooter. These scooters don’t have suspension to cushion things, or if they do, it’s very, very basic. A three wheel e-scooter is a bad move. Maybe in a straight line they have some benefits, but it won’t be going in a straight line very often.
The one in the first photo is the type that’s being legalised (but not the 3 wheel version, that’s just for info to support this discussion), not the second photo
Edited by unident on Thursday 2nd July 00:00
Edited by unident on Thursday 2nd July 00:01
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