E Scooters soon to be allowed on UK roads?

[silverthorn2151]

Mort7 said:

Anyone know if the police are planning a clampdown like they did when crash helmet and seat belt legislation came into Force?

I should think the very last thing on their mind is seeking out scooter riders. That is, of course, unless you are riding like a bellend and causing irritation, in which case tough titty, you've bought it on yourself.

My intention is to smile and charm people. I was in Norwich City centre this lunchtime. Where its busy and pedestrianised I walked and pushed, where it was almost empty I slowly powered through. Had 2 conversations with people who were interested and chatty. I could have used it like a slalom course and dinged the bell like billy-o, but all that would have done is irritate people.

When I explain that above everything else its brilliant fun people instantly seem to get that.

[ElectricSoup]

How keen are they when you explain it's illegal?

[unident]

This discussion is now bordering on the ridiculous. These aren’t being legalised so you can scoot where you used to walk. I know that will happen, as do the powers that be, as they reference it in their explanatory note. However, that isn’t why they are bringing them in.

They are for people who would jump on the Tube, or bus, or tram for a couple of stops to try to stop them doing it. They are for the end of an inward journey and the start of the outward. They aren’t to stop people getting on a train from the outer suburbs

Also, anyone complaining that it doesn’t fit their own personal situation perfectly and the law should be amended to suit them. Get a grip.

[Graveworm]

silverthorn2151 said:

Mort7 said:

Anyone know if the police are planning a clampdown like they did when crash helmet and seat belt legislation came into Force?

I should think the very last thing on their mind is seeking out scooter riders. That is, of course, unless you are riding like a bellend and causing irritation, in which case tough titty, you've bought it on yourself.

My intention is to smile and charm people. I was in Norwich City centre this lunchtime. Where its busy and pedestrianised I walked and pushed, where it was almost empty I slowly powered through. Had 2 conversations with people who were interested and chatty. I could have used it like a slalom course and dinged the bell like billy-o, but all that would have done is irritate people.

When I explain that above everything else its brilliant fun people instantly seem to get that.

The Met have had a few "Clamp" downs and there are some officers with a bee in their bonnets. The problem is, that for any kind of enforcement, the minimum is the rider losing their scooter, 6 points and a £300 penalty so generally they tend to be words of advice as there is nothing in between. I think 50 odd a year actually get seized.

[Donbot]

It's stupid that it is rental only. Though hopefully it is a step in the right direction for them becoming accepted.
Perhaps the main benefit will be to those currently riding them illegally, helping them blend in. Though harldy anyone cares anyway.

I wonder if we will see twist and go bicycles legal again? It would be a bit strange if they weren't.

[NGee]

unident said:

This discussion is now bordering on the ridiculous. These aren’t being legalised so you can scoot where you used to walk. I know that will happen, as do the powers that be, as they reference it in their explanatory note. However, that isn’t why they are bringing them in.

They are for people who would jump on the Tube, or bus, or tram for a couple of stops to try to stop them doing it. They are for the end of an inward journey and the start of the outward. They aren’t to stop people getting on a train from the outer suburbs

Also, anyone complaining that it doesn’t fit their own personal situation perfectly and the law should be amended to suit them. Get a grip.

No one is 'complaining' that it doesn't fit their personal situation and no one is asking for the law to be amended, they are just pointing out that in a lot of cases it simply won't work and therefore the idea is bonkers. They do not need to 'get a grip', everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

[anonymous-user]

unident said:

This discussion is now bordering on the ridiculous. These aren’t being legalised so you can scoot where you used to walk. I know that will happen, as do the powers that be, as they reference it in their explanatory note. However, that isn’t why they are bringing them in.

They are for people who would jump on the Tube, or bus, or tram for a couple of stops to try to stop them doing it. They are for the end of an inward journey and the start of the outward. They aren’t to stop people getting on a train from the outer suburbs

Also, anyone complaining that it doesn’t fit their own personal situation perfectly and the law should be amended to suit them. Get a grip.

My theory is that once we've had 6-12 months of 'rental trails' the government will legalise privately owned scooters being used on the roads as long as they are sold with integrated lights and a 15.5mph limiter etc.

As for scooting where you used to walk, where do you draw the line on distance? Lets say I currently walk 1.4 miles to work through a city centre. Would it be be acceptable to you to use an e-scooter instead? It would probably slash my journey time to 9 mins instead of 25.

I don't agree with you that the long term aim is to simply eliminate the 'one or two stops on the tube' journeys, I believe the long term aim is to reduce pollution, reduce congestion, and remove some busses and cars from the road in urban areas, and that will likely involve using e-scooters and e-bikes for anything from a mile or so up to around 5 or 6 miles (at a wild guess). Any further than that and both bicycles and scooters become impractical.

I already know people who commute everyday on these scooters over quite surprising distances such as 4.5 miles to work and 4.5 miles home again across London, and they find e-scooters an incredibly fast and cheap way of commuting.

No one is suggesting they are going to be ridden down your local 60mph A Road on a 17 mile journey to your work instead of a car. That would be impractical and I can't see anyone recommending it.

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 3rd July 16:45

[Mort7]

Graveworm said:

silverthorn2151 said:

Mort7 said:

Anyone know if the police are planning a clampdown like they did when crash helmet and seat belt legislation came into Force?

I should think the very last thing on their mind is seeking out scooter riders. That is, of course, unless you are riding like a bellend and causing irritation, in which case tough titty, you've bought it on yourself.

My intention is to smile and charm people. I was in Norwich City centre this lunchtime. Where its busy and pedestrianised I walked and pushed, where it was almost empty I slowly powered through. Had 2 conversations with people who were interested and chatty. I could have used it like a slalom course and dinged the bell like billy-o, but all that would have done is irritate people.

When I explain that above everything else its brilliant fun people instantly seem to get that.

The Met have had a few "Clamp" downs and there are some officers with a bee in their bonnets. The problem is, that for any kind of enforcement, the minimum is the rider losing their scooter, 6 points and a £300 penalty so generally they tend to be words of advice as there is nothing in between. I think 50 odd a year actually get seized.

Cheers. I seem to remember that when the helmet legislation was introduced in 1973 it was enforced very rigorously. The same happened when front seat belts became mandatory in 1983. Not sure if this was simply to drive the message home, or if the Government of the day saw it as an easy way to make a quick buck. Either way it doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility that the same thing could happen with private E Scooters - possibly to encourage the use of rentals in the hope they will be a success.

[Harry H]

It's the future and it's here today. I just wish we'd bloody get on with like a large chunk of other cities in the western world.

They should stop bleating about pollution/congestion when a big answer is staring them in the face.

The tube is a st depressing place to be. The roads are clogged due to a zillion Uber drivers waiting for fares that can't afford to stop when empty. When the answer is everyone wizzing round on millions of little personal mobility devices.

And all with a smile on their face.

[Mort7]

Harry H said:

........And all with a smile on their face.

And flies between their teeth.

[silverthorn2151]

Mort7 said:

Harry H said:

........And all with a smile on their face.

And flies between their teeth.

Not if you wear your anti covid mask!

[Mort7]

silverthorn2151 said:

Mort7 said:

Harry H said:

........And all with a smile on their face.

And flies between their teeth.

Not if you wear your anti covid mask!

But then you wouldn't be able to see them smiling.....

[unident]

Lord Marylebone said:

My theory is that once we've had 6-12 months of 'rental trails' the government will legalise privately owned scooters being used on the roads as long as they are sold with integrated lights and a 15.5mph limiter etc.

As for scooting where you used to walk, where do you draw the line on distance? Lets say I currently walk 1.4 miles to work through a city centre. Would it be be acceptable to you to use an e-scooter instead? It would probably slash my journey time to 9 mins instead of 25.

I don't agree with you that the long term aim is to simply eliminate the 'one or two stops on the tube' journeys, I believe the long term aim is to reduce pollution, reduce congestion, and remove some busses and cars from the road in urban areas, and that will likely involve using e-scooters and e-bikes for anything from a mile or so up to around 5 or 6 miles (at a wild guess). Any further than that and both bicycles and scooters become impractical.

I already know people who commute everyday on these scooters over quite surprising distances such as 4.5 miles to work and 4.5 miles home again across London, and they find e-scooters an incredibly fast and cheap way of commuting.

No one is suggesting they are going to be ridden down your local 60mph A Road on a 17 mile journey to your work instead of a car. That would be impractical and I can't see anyone recommending it.

Edited by Lord Marylebone on Friday 3rd July 16:45

I agree, I’m completely in favour of these scooters. All I was pointing out is that people are missing why they have been pushed into use so quickly. I don’t have a view on distance, my comment is that the government is trying to get people off public transport where possible, but without pushing them back into their cars. I know that some who would walk will use these instead, that’s clear in their explanatory document. That’s only to be expected, but I genuinely think that they are a solution to those short hops where a bus, tube or tram would have been taken previously.

I’ve not really given a view on the longer term around pollution etc, primarily because all we’ll get then is people posting videos of lithium mines and so on. This is a quick win action that may or may not be extended. I’m hoping it will be made permanent, but there’s always the risk that dheads will spoil it for everyone.

The commutes you’ve described are exactly what the government wants to encourage. I completely agree with people using them, or better still, cycles to do that.

My issue is people on here who think that this legislation is rubbish because they can’t use one to get from their country manor to the mainline train station for their 50 mile train journey, tube and then use it for their 300 yard walk to the office I k ow that’s flippant, but I think people are genuinely annoyed at that. This remains a city / big town centre solution to a congestion issue and one to try to limit overloaded public transport.

[silverthorn2151]

Mort7 said:

silverthorn2151 said:

Mort7 said:

Harry H said:

........And all with a smile on their face.

And flies between their teeth.

Not if you wear your anti covid mask!

But then you wouldn't be able to see them smiling.....

Depends on the mask!

[TTmonkey]

The reason for rental as apposed to buy your own is quite simple.,

The rental ones are controlled by gps. You can ban them from individual streets and other exclusion areas. Total control. Via gps shutdown. Stray a metre into an excluded area and the power shuts down and the brakes apply.

You can’t do that with the ‘dumb’ ones which could be used everywhere.

[Donbot]

TTmonkey said:

Total control. Via gps shutdown. Stray a metre into an excluded area and the power shuts down and the brakes apply.

I hope that isn't something we have to look forward to.

Maybe they will implant chips into peoples heads so they don't stray out of the 'control zone'.

[unident]

Donbot said:

TTmonkey said:

Total control. Via gps shutdown. Stray a metre into an excluded area and the power shuts down and the brakes apply.

I hope that isn't something we have to look forward to.

Maybe they will implant chips into peoples heads so they don't stray out of the 'control zone'.

Yes, that’s exactly the same thing. We’ve seen how it’s spread from shopping trolleys locking up when they leave the car park

[GC8]

eldar said:

Mort7 said:

Anyone know if the police are planning a clampdown like they did when crash helmet and seat belt legislation came into Force?

Clampdown on what, precisely?

The target-rich environment that this will create. Without a doubt some middle - senior officers will be tempted by the low hanging fruit that the relaxation will provide. It would be naive to suggest that 'illegal' use will not increase, and even if it remains exactly the same, the users will be equally tempting.

Im sure that you realise this though, and simply want to argue?

[eldar]

TTmonkey said:

The reason for rental as apposed to buy your own is quite simple.,

The rental ones are controlled by gps. You can ban them from individual streets and other exclusion areas. Total control. Via gps shutdown. Stray a metre into an excluded area and the power shuts down and the brakes apply.

You can’t do that with the ‘dumb’ ones which could be used everywhere.

Why would you want to do that with scooters, when bicycles are bigger, faster and completely unrestricted. Irrational Luddisim.

[Donbot]

unident said:

Donbot said:

TTmonkey said:

Total control. Via gps shutdown. Stray a metre into an excluded area and the power shuts down and the brakes apply.

I hope that isn't something we have to look forward to.

Maybe they will implant chips into peoples heads so they don't stray out of the 'control zone'.

Yes, that’s exactly the same thing. We’ve seen how it’s spread from shopping trolleys locking up when they leave the car park

Maybe that's how it started. Control of property, restricted to safe spaces.

First they came for the shopping trolleys. Unident did not resist.
Then they came for the scooters. Unident did not resist.
Then they came for our brains. Unident was left alone.