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

[whole diary]

[Marlburian]

It could also be speculated how suitable are escooters' small wheels for today's road surfaces? How far are manufacturers responsible for designing something to cope with such surfaces?   All other road vehicles have larger wheels. Cyclists are the next most vulnerable, but the natural position of most of them is to look in front with the head slightly inclined downwards, whereas an escooterist is more inclined to hold their head upright.

I can recall cases being brought against the council when someone trips on an uneven pavement, but what about bridleways and footpaths over private land? Again, I've heard suggestions of cases against farmers following unfortunate encounters with cattle and horses, but it's surely impracticable for them to maintain all the rights-of-way over their land. Stiles, perhaps, and there are hundreds that need repair.

[Bmblbzzz]

Regarding the lights, some models of scooters are sold without lights while others come with lights front, rear, side and underneath, like a sci-fi spaceship. For the ones without lights, the rider could easily attach a light to the handlebars, just like a bike, and occasionally I've seen this done. Without more evidence, there's no way of knowing what sort of lights this woman had. But the duty of care extends to pedestrians and horse riders, neither of whom are required or expected to carry lights, so I'm not sure if this is actually a significant point in law.

[ChrisB]

From The Guardian

Vehicles to be banned due to batteries that can produce ‘vapour of toxic gases and lead to fire or risk of explosion’

Avanti West Coast has issued a ban on e-scooters across all its trains and stations over safety fears.

The train operator said that from Tuesday 27 December the devices will be prohibited because of the risk posed by the lithium-ion batteries that are normally in e-scooters. It said these batteries can produce “a vapour of toxic gases and lead to a fire or a risk of explosion” if they become damaged or overheated.

The ban covers e-scooters and hoverboards, but mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the policy.

Dave Whitehouse, safety and security director at Avanti West Coast, said: “At Avanti West Coast the safety of our staff and customers comes first. The risks associated with e-scooters are a significant concern and are why we are banning them at our stations and onboard our trains.

“This temporary ban is to preserve the safety of our colleagues and customers until there is greater regulation on e-scooters. We ask our customers to adhere to these new rules and be kind to our staff helping to enforce them, so we can keep everyone safe.”

Despite their ubiquity across cities in England, riding a privately owned e-scooter on public roads is against the law. However, there are legal trials of rental e-scooters in dozens of towns across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) where the device can be ridden on the road and in cycle lanes. The trials started in July 2020 and due to delays caused by Covid, have been extended to May 2024.

E-scooters were banned last year by Transport for London across the network, citing safety risks after a number of battery fires.

The announcement of Avanti West Coast’s ban came on the same day a coroner issued a warning about e-scooter safety after the death of a 14-year-old girl. Fatima Abukar was riding a privately owned e-scooter on 21 March last year on the pavement in East Ham in east London before entering the carriageway and colliding with a minibus. She fell beneath its wheels and died from “catastrophic head injuries”, the inquest heard.

The east London senior coroner Graeme Irvine said deaths from e-scooter crashes more than doubled after police changed policy to confiscate fewer of the devices.

He issued a report to the home secretary, Suella Braverman, and the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, asking them to take action to prevent future deaths.

Mobility scooters, e-bikes & electric wheelchairs are exempt and can still be used though.

[ChrisB]

And now, EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about) too....

From ITV News

E-scooters, hoverboards and e-skateboards banned from East Midlands Railway trains and stations

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has banned e-scooters, hoverboards and e-skateboards at all its stations and on its trains due to potential safety threats.

Electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the ban – as are mobility scooters for those with access needs.

The new rule was introduced today (19 December) to stop threats posed when the lithium-ion batteries used to power the scooters overheat.

When the batteries get too hot, there is no way of stopping the temperature building or extinguishing the fire until the reaction has finished. Subsequently, a large amount of potentially toxic smoke is emitted, and flames often produced.

This could cause a fire or serious harm to customers and staff on trains and platforms.

Katie Arthur, Head of Safety at East Midlands Railway, said: “After some consideration, and in line with other partners in the rail industry, we are bringing in a ban on e-scooters, hoverboards and e-skateboards from December 19.

“These devices, which are often not approved for use in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), pose a potential risk as they contain lithium-ion batteries that are sometimes known to overheat.

“We understand that these devices are popular, but the safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority.”

[Bmblbzzz]

From The Guardian

Vehicles to be banned due to batteries that can produce ‘vapour of toxic gases and lead to fire or risk of explosion’

Avanti West Coast has issued a ban on e-scooters across all its trains and stations over safety fears.

The train operator said that from Tuesday 27 December the devices will be prohibited because of the risk posed by the lithium-ion batteries that are normally in e-scooters. It said these batteries can produce “a vapour of toxic gases and lead to a fire or a risk of explosion” if they become damaged or overheated.

The ban covers e-scooters and hoverboards, but mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the policy.

Dave Whitehouse, safety and security director at Avanti West Coast, said: “At Avanti West Coast the safety of our staff and customers comes first. The risks associated with e-scooters are a significant concern and are why we are banning them at our stations and onboard our trains.

“This temporary ban is to preserve the safety of our colleagues and customers until there is greater regulation on e-scooters. We ask our customers to adhere to these new rules and be kind to our staff helping to enforce them, so we can keep everyone safe.”

Despite their ubiquity across cities in England, riding a privately owned e-scooter on public roads is against the law. However, there are legal trials of rental e-scooters in dozens of towns across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) where the device can be ridden on the road and in cycle lanes. The trials started in July 2020 and due to delays caused by Covid, have been extended to May 2024.

E-scooters were banned last year by Transport for London across the network, citing safety risks after a number of battery fires.

The announcement of Avanti West Coast’s ban came on the same day a coroner issued a warning about e-scooter safety after the death of a 14-year-old girl. Fatima Abukar was riding a privately owned e-scooter on 21 March last year on the pavement in East Ham in east London before entering the carriageway and colliding with a minibus. She fell beneath its wheels and died from “catastrophic head injuries”, the inquest heard.

The east London senior coroner Graeme Irvine said deaths from e-scooter crashes more than doubled after police changed policy to confiscate fewer of the devices.

He issued a report to the home secretary, Suella Braverman, and the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, asking them to take action to prevent future deaths.

Mobility scooters, e-bikes & electric wheelchairs are exempt and can still be used though.

The exemptions are odd, in a way. Mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs are probably virtually made to high enough standard that, like the lithium-ion battery in your laptop and phone, there's very little risk of them catching fire. E-bikes, if from reputable sources, will be in the same category – but not if they're homemade conversions or e-bay specials. And e-scooters will be similarly safe if they're eg from one of the big hire companies, but not if they're, again, e-bay specials.

[Marlburian]

Berkshire e-bike and e-scooter fires on the rise

[TonyK]

Berkshire e-bike and e-scooter fires on the rise

...caused by a recently purchased e-bike charger from a popular online marketplace.

Chargers bought from leading manufacturers may very occasionally cause problems, and chargers bought from online sellers may give years of service, but using the wrong kit for the job is a risk. A friend's daughter lost all of her belongings when her room-mate's cheap phone charger caught fire while both were at lectures. The fire in a Bristol flat in September last year, which led to one man falling to his death, was caused by a home-made electric bike catching fire. Too many people think that because it's only battery power, it isn't that dangerous. Experience is beginning to prove otherwise.

[CyclingSid]

Berkshire Fire and Rescue's version, presumably original source https://www.rbfrs.co.uk/latest-news/2023/royal-berkshire-fire-and-rescue-service-issues-safety-guidance-amid-an-alarming-rise-in-e-bike-and-e-scooter-fires/

[Red Squirrel]

New e-scooter rental scheme in Bristol will see parking spaces on roads instead of pavements

The contract to run Bristol's e-scooter scheme is up for renewal and could see major changes

A new e-scooter rental scheme in Bristol will see parking spaces move onto roads in designated spots instead of on pavements. The new rental scheme, expected to be brought in around spring or summer this year, will likely also include electric bicycles as well as e-scooters.

Swedish company Voi has operated rentable e-scooters in Bristol in a trial beginning in October 2020. But the scheme could soon be taken over by a new company, as the West of England has asked operators to bid for a long-term contract across the wider region.

Bristol City Council is planning to address some issues on “parking and rider behaviour” with the current Voi e-scooters by shifting parking spaces from virtual spots on pavements onto clearly marked areas on the road. The cabinet is due to sign off these plans on January 24.

...continues

Source: Bristol Live

[stuving]

You may have seen that there will be a referendum in Paris later this year on whether to continue with hire e-scooters or end them. From France24:

The issue is "extremely divisive", mayor Anne Hidalgo told the weekend edition of Le Parisien newspaper, with critics saying riders show only cursory respect for the rules of the road.

They often defy bans on riding on pavements, or park without consideration, while some abandon the scooters in parks or even toss them into the Seine river.

Fans meanwhile praise the zippy fleets -- totalling 15,000 scooters operated by companies Lime, Dott and Tier -- as a fast, non-polluting alternative to cars or crowded public transport.

Hidalgo said Paris residents would be asked "a very simple question" in the referendum planned for April 2: "Do we or don't we continue with free-floating rental scooters?"

The mayor said she herself was leaning towards a ban but would "respect Parisians' vote".

A ban would make Paris an exception among major cities...

That may not be a such a surprise, given the problems and complaints they give rise to. But this?:

Hidalgo told Le Parisien meanwhile that privately owned scooters, also hugely popular in the capital, were not targeted in the referendum. They are "not a problem", she said.

Of course here those private scooters you come across are being ridden illegally, so you can hardly expect them to be responsible users. Will that biassed impression dictate what happens here? 

When I was last in Paris (2019), I did find some very crowded bits of pedestrian space (mostly corners of squares) where cyclists already made things scary by coming at you from unexpected directions. Scooters did make that worse, just by being slightly different in size, shape, speed etc. But that's Paris - the environment isn't the same in Bristol (or Wokingham!) so the the issues won't be quite the same either.

[TonyK]

When I was last in Paris (2019), I did find some very crowded bits of pedestrian space (mostly corners of squares) where cyclists already made things scary by coming at you from unexpected directions. Scooters did make that worse, just by being slightly different in size, shape, speed etc. But that's Paris - the environment isn't the same in Bristol (or Wokingham!) so the the issues won't be quite the same wither.

I was in Paris last July. I did see scooters, but not in a way that seemed obstructive or threatening in any way. I admit to having kept to the wide open spaces largely, which may have made a difference.

[Bmblbzzz]

It's not clear from that Bristol Post whether the new hire scheme would run alongside or replace the Voi scheme.

[Marlburian]

My local councillor has called for police action.

[GBM]

See a few going around Truro and Penzance.  Not aware of any e-scooter hire locally.

No apparent action by the few Police we currently have.

[broadgage]

This report states that 14 year old riding a privately owned E-scooter has been convicted after a fatal accident.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-64892358

This is said to be the first pedestrian fatality resulting from E-scooter use, which would seem to confirm my view that the risks are so small as to be acceptable. We do accept the use of cycles after all, a somewhat comparable transport mode. Cycles are not meant to be used on the pavement, but enforcement of this is rare.