Electric scooters

[Spymaster]

The low accident rate figures are just down to under-reporting because it's currently an illegal form of transport.

Here's one death right here after a 10 second Google. No way that's the only one.

 

[steveseagull]

The low accident rate figures are just down to under-reporting because it's currently an illegal form of transport.

Here's one death right here after a 10 second Google. No way that's the only one.

The figure that were given to the House of Lords were for rentals only. I would imagine the private ones would have a lower accident rate due to the user actually being used to using it as opposed to jumping straight onto a mode of transport you may have never used before (hire scooters)

As far as I am aware, that is the only death due to electric scooter in the UK (and it was private, not hired) which is pretty good going considering there is an estimated 350,000 private ones currently on the roads).

 

[teuchter]

Limiting e-scooters, and all other motor vehicles, to 10 or 15mph in urban areas would make things safer for everyone, including pedestrians. The only reason it can't happen is because the kind of motorists who drive things like cars instead of scooters are so obsessed with their claimed freedom to go at whatever speed they want, which they think is one of their "human rights".

 

[Winot]

Difference between the rental ones and private ones is that the rental ones have gps controls that stop you using them in certain areas and limit speeds in others, quite sophisticated. They also have kerfews (general or area-dependent).

Authorities can also be sure of insurance.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Limiting e-scooters, and all other motor vehicles, to 10 or 15mph in urban areas would make things safer for everyone, including pedestrians. The only reason it can't happen is because the kind of motorists who drive things like cars instead of scooters are so obsessed with their claimed freedom to go at whatever speed they want, which they think is one of their "human rights".

It's a right that's earned by having the ability to, and subsequently passing a driving test. It's something that most adults with a modicum of higher cognitive functioning thrive to achieve.

 

[steveseagull]

Why a driver test for something that goes no faster than a bike, is smaller than a bike and weighs less than a bike?

Sod that, I am happy with the transport committee's proposals.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

As ever, the obstacle in the way of making these more freely available for all - with the obvious benefits for urban transportation - is cars.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Why a driver test for something that goes no faster than a bike and weight less than a bike?

Sod that, I am happy with the transport committee's proposals.

It's not the weight of the vehicle, it's the 20 stone person with a Big Mac in one hand and a phone in the other, slamming into you at 30mph. That's a good enough reason to force people to take a test.

 

[Saul Goodman]

As ever, the obstacle in the way of making these more freely available for all - with the obvious benefits for urban transportation - is cars.

No it isn't, that's absurd. It's like saying the only obstacle in the way of us all floating our way to work on levitating beds is cars.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

No it isn't, that's absurd. It's like saying the only obstacle in the way of us all floating our way to work on levitating beds is cars.

It’s not absurd at all. The place these scooters make most sense - short trips round city centres - is the place we should be getting rid of cars.

 

[Saul Goodman]

It’s not absurd at all. The place these scooters make most sense - short trips round city centres - is the place we should be getting rid of cars.

No, we should get rid of city centres.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

No, we should get rid of city centres.

O... K...

 

[Saul Goodman]

O... K...

You see, that's how I feel when I read your posts

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

You see, that's how I feel when I read your posts

If you can’t picture a car free city centre I think you need to get out and travel a bit.

 

[Saul Goodman]

If you can’t picture a car free city centre I think you need to get out and travel a bit.

If you can't think why some people might need to use a car in a city, and realise that banning cars from cities would negatively impact their lives, then you need a lesson or two in empathy.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

If you can't think why some people might need to use a car in a city, and realise that banning cars from cities would negatively impact their lives, then you need a lesson or two in empathy.

sigh

Must we do this, again?

 

[TopCat]

Scooters.

 

[Saul Goodman]

sigh

Must we do this, again?

No, but it's raining and I'm bored

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

The figure that were given to the House of Lords were for rentals only. I would imagine the private ones would have a lower accident rate due to the user actually being used to using it as opposed to jumping straight onto a mode of transport you may have never used before (hire scooters)

As far as I am aware, that is the only death due to electric scooter in the UK (and it was private, not hired) which is pretty good going considering there is an estimated 350,000 private ones currently on the roads).

I believe there has only been the one death in the UK so far.

But the low reporting rate for private ones is that people roll up at A&E are not going to admit they did it on an illegal form of transport.



re e-bikes, the ones that need no pedalling are electric motorbikes and need a licence and are subject to the same regs regarding driving as regular motorbikes. As my mate who's just bought one to get from the station to his house up the hill has discovered, vs. my e-assist-bike that requires very little effort to get up the same hill in full power mode, yet the drink limit before the law kicks in is such that you wouldn't be able to find the fucking bike in the first place, let alone ride it

 

[steveseagull]

It's not the weight of the vehicle, it's the 20 stone person with a Big Mac in one hand and a phone in the other, slamming into you at 30mph. That's a good enough reason to force people to take a test.

1) 20 stone people ride bikes.
2) The ones that are to be legalized will travel at about the same speed as bikes, if not a bit slower. Not 30mph.
3) It is impossible ride one with a big mac and a phone (unless you have a world beating sense of balance) so i am not sure anyone is going to attempt that. It is easier done on a bike if that is your thing.

 

[Saul Goodman]

1) 20 stone people ride bikes.
2) The ones that are to be legalized will travel at about the same speed as bikes, if not a bit slower. Not 30mph.
3) It is impossible ride one with a big mac and a phone (unless you have a world beating sense of balance) so i am not sure anyone is going to attempt that. It is easier done on a bike if that is your thing.

You're missing the whole bikes/grandfather rights thing. If bikes were invented today, they'd be limited to 5mph, and their owners would have to take a test of competency.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

3) It is impossible ride one with a big mac and a phone (unless you have a world beating sense of balance) so i am not sure anyone is going to attempt that. It is easier done on a bike if that is your thing.

For phone + Big Mac, or indeed bottle of vodka, you need one of these...

 

[steveseagull]

You're missing the whole bikes/grandfather rights thing. If bikes were invented today, they'd be limited to 5mph, and their owners would have to take a test of competency.

If bikes were invented today, there would be loads of people having hissy fits about them because young people use them.

 

[steveseagull]

For phone + Big Mac, or indeed bottle of vodka, you need one of these...

View attachment 265552

Quite ideal. Would like to have a go one one of these but I would be shit scared

 

[Saul Goodman]

This is why a license and insurance are essential

Road shut off as pedestrian seriously hurt in scooter crash

A man has been seriously injured during the collision, police say.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[Badgers]

This is why a license and insurance are essential

Road shut off as pedestrian seriously hurt in scooter crash

A man has been seriously injured during the collision, police say.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

I partly agree with you but similar incidents involving cars (driven 'mostly' by licensed and insured drivers) are equally bad and more likely to cause injury or death.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I partly agree with you but similar incidents involving cars (driven 'mostly' by licensed and insured drivers) are equally bad and more likely to cause injury or death.

I certainly won't dispute that, because I couldn't, but just because cars are more dangerous, doesn't mean electric scooters aren't dangerous. But at least car drivers have a mandatory insurance requirement, in case they do hit somebody and leave them paralysed from the eyebrows down.

 

[steveseagull]

We need to do the same with bikes in that case

Cyclist Charlie Alliston jailed for 18 months over death of pedestrian

Alliston jailed over death of Kim Briggs, who sustained ‘catastrophic’ head injuries in east London collision last year

www.theguardian.com

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

And, yet again, we focus on the exact same relatively rare events and ignore 1800 dead a year. Well done.

 

[Saul Goodman]

We need to do the same with bikes in that case

Cyclist Charlie Alliston jailed for 18 months over death of pedestrian

Alliston jailed over death of Kim Briggs, who sustained ‘catastrophic’ head injuries in east London collision last year

www.theguardian.com

I agree.