E-bike and E-scooter - ongoing issues and discussion (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

I find it hard to take seriously a poll in which it seems that everyone was for or against the proposal without any "undecided" or "do not know" votes.

[broadgage]

Riders must ...hold a full provisional driving licence...

Can anyone explain to me what a full provisional driving licence is? Is it the same thing as a provisional full driving licence?

It sounds a bit better and more safety conscious than simply "provisional"
A bit like requiring "full compliance" with wiring regulations, rather than simply "compliance"

[Marlburian]

E-scooters: Thames Valley Police responds to claims of 'no action'

[TonyK]

E-scooters: Thames Valley Police responds to claims of 'no action'

From that article:

THE BOSS of Thames Valley Police says his force will always look to investigate when harm has been caused by an e-scooter rider.

This could be construed as the police saying that if you find your horse has bolted, they are happy to pop round and close the stable door for you.

I make few predictions, but I think that as e-scooters are here to stay, there will be some codification of the rules, followed by enforcement. That will probably take the form of the conditions of the existing trials - maximum speed 15.5 mph, insured, not ridden on pavements, (full) provisional driving licence - extended to privately owned models. Sadly, there will have to be more deaths or serious injuries first. If there are too many (and I don't have a figure except that if it involves me or my family one is too many, and as every accident involves someone and their family that may prove to be the national consensus) then we will see registration plates on the scooters so that riders can be identified, compulsory basic training and helmets, and maybe even a test of skill.

[Red Squirrel]

Then there's the issue of derestricted e-bikes... which are essentially electric motorcycles. Some of these are capable of 80km/h and can regularly seen wheelie-ing along the pavements of estates without the law.

[stuving]

And what about the guy I've seen whizzing around here on busy roads, some narrow and wiggly too, on an electric unicycle? That looks really scary. No doubt with skill and enough reaction time they stop a lot better than I imagine, but if anything goes wrong ...

[Marlburian]

This video of a young lady pouring a cup of tea whilst riding a prototype escooter (and hands-off and one-legged) aims to demonstrate the vehicle's stability. Though Hanna Rosa cautions against some of her own antics, I wonder whether riders of less-frisky machines may be tempted to emulate her. And her "test-track" looks remarkably smooth compared with the reality of roads and pavements. How would the prototype cope with these, I wonder.

[Bmblbzzz]

It's a very wide tea cup. Looks she might have spilled her tea with a more normally shaped cup. I'm wondering if the stability is something purely mechanical (something gyroscopic?) or electronic, but whatever it is, a more stable scooter sounds like a good idea.

[grahame]

In Halfords in Chippenham yesterday ... eScooter for sale, with a label pointing out that it's only legal to use on private property with the property owner's permission.  As we were there to get legal wheeled transport to work (next door to the police station!), we left with lights to add to the bicycles 

[TonyK]

Meanwhile, another person has died in London after the e-scooter he was riding was in collision with a car, according to the Evening Standard.

n e-scooter rider died following a collision with a car in Tower Hamlets.

Officers rushed to Manilla Street at 5.40pm on Sunday following reports of a crash.

The rider, a 32-year-old man, was taken to an east London hospital.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff he was pronounced dead at 8.35pm.

His family have been informed.

The driver of the blue Kia failed to stop at the scene. The vehicle has now been located but enquiries are ongoing to track down the driver.

There is nothing to suggest that this wouldn't have happened had the unfortunate man been riding a bicycle rather than a scooter.

[Marlburian]

This video of a young lady pouring a cup of tea whilst riding a prototype escooter (and hands-off and one-legged) aims to demonstrate the vehicle's stability. Though Hanna Rosa cautions against some of her own antics, I wonder whether riders of less-stable machines may be tempted to emulate her. And her "test-track" looks remarkably smooth compared with the reality of roads and pavements. How would the prototype cope with these, I wonder.

[grahame]

1. Only hired escooters with a driving license etc allowed to be used on public highways. I get it.

2. Any escooter may be used on private land provided the landlord allows it. I get it.

3. What about a public park which is not a part of the highway - for example one owned by my local Town Council? Is it up to the Town Council to decide and if there's nothing explicit in the bylaws how would it default?

[ChrisB]

A. How do they get it there? As long as it is carried somehow.

B. I think it is ‘private’ land - there is a landowner. So yes, I believe it is down to the landowner to consider insurance of the scooter owner. Suggest legal advice be taken

[rogerw]

Road traffic law applies not just to public highways but to public areas so that it would probably apply to parks. It certainly applies to supermarket/leisure centre car parks.

[Marlburian]

All academic, I fear. People won't bother to insure and there won't be any checks.

(BTW^▸ (by the way) Slough Borough Council has just extended its scheme: https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/slough-e-scooter-trial-set-24732376)