If E scooters are regulated as per the rental scheme then we have a way forward but it seems highly unlikely that any action will be taken against those being used illegally - police and politicians are not interested.
The only way forward is an outright ban. They are downright dangerous and so sadly are too many of the idiots who ride them without care. Mobs of them in Belvedere riding the wrong way on the one way system.
Weak government as usual.
Yep that"ll stop the little fuckers from breaking the law...
Weak govt would be only allowing you to swat them with a baseball bat.
The whole thing is a farce. They're illegal but nobody enforces the law and they're easy to buy. The rental scheme is regulated but private use is not.
Children cycling on pavements is illegal - do you want them prosecuted/ fined?
E scooters are motorised scooters - if you listen to the details of the rental scheme you'll see how highly regulated they are under the law in the interests of safety. There was a comprehensive explanation of why this was needed on Radio London this morning.
If they are deemed to be unsafe without comprehensive regulation for the rental companies why is private ownership so different?
The only way forward is an outright ban. They are downright dangerous and so sadly are too many of the idiots who ride them without care. Mobs of them in Belvedere riding the wrong way on the one way system.
Weak government as usual.
Yep that"ll stop the little fuckers from breaking the law...
Weak govt would be only allowing you to swat them with a baseball bat.
That last remark is assingine. Good government tackles a problem from the beginning.
These things are dangerous . One of these will kill someone on foot or a rider will hit a vehicle with a similar result.
Pavements are for pedestrians. Anything else is plain crazy.
A young woman rider was killed in London last year.
I've seen a fair few souped up e-scooters lately. They look big and heavy and go much faster than the 14-15 mph they are supposed to be limited to. Just yesterday in Burgess Park, Southwark, I saw two travelling close to 30mph on crowded paths, with toddlers and dogs dotted all around. Some cyclists can be as bad, but they are unlikely to travel consistently at 25mph+ and don't have anywhere near the weight these scooters do. I can see a small child being killed by one before long. The scooter itself isn't the problem, much the same with bikes and motor vehicles, it's the idiots on/in them. Unfortunately, these things are idiot magnets!
My lad who is in university in Nottingham loves them, in fact he ditched his car as totally unnecessary when in town, but he has been saying for a long time it's not the machine but some of the idiots who use them, some kind of penalty system will need to be applied and enforceable, how you do that I have no idea.
My lad who is in university in Nottingham loves them, in fact he ditched his car as totally unnecessary when in town, but he has been saying for a long time it's not the machine but some of the idiots who use them, some kind of penalty system will need to be applied and enforceable, how you do that I have no idea.
For us locally it just needs the PCSO's to drag themselves out of Mcdonalds and actually stop those on the pavement. I don't know what powers they have but it would be a start. They seem to have the time and resources to regularly ambush cyclists doing red lights in Greenwich town centre so why not the same for E scooters.
You are young and have a new e-scooter. Things to try ...
(a) How fast does it go? Get to the top of a hill, wait for a tail wind and go. (Give it everything). (b) How close can you pass someone without actually touching them? (Has to be done at full throttle). (c) Can you beat that artic lorry to the junction ahead? (d) Attend your local pedestrian precinct and test driving skills weaving around people, stalls and street furniture. (e) Give your mate a lift - (always good to get the old folk chatting). (f) Take the piss out of your local PCSO, he is likely to be overweight, not interested and not up for the chase.
The s**t will hit the fan when a pedestrian is killed or seriously injured. For a country that is 'elf and safety mad this situation, where no one appears to know what is and what isn't against the law, is beyond parody. If one of them comes near me on the pavement he's likely to end up on his arse.
It’s idiots in charge of the stuff be it a car gun bike dog love how people have a go at cyclists because there stuck in traffic and a cyclist over takes them gives them road rage I think.seems to be 4/4 drivers worse.some of these people are incapable of driving the things.They take piss trying to park the things in a parking spot but have no trouble over taking a cyclist with in 2 inches of knocking him off.
i think the bike/car thing is a bit of a red herring - most cyclists must also be car drivers. I dont ride a bike, but remember from when i used to that its a wholly different experience from driving, and cars close behind and passing far too close is unpleasant. I do try to be patient when I'm stuck behind them on the narrow lanes hereabouts. It's the big fat 4x4s taking up the whole road that really piss me off, and stupid noisy motorbikes you can hear from two miles away.
Very few E scooters here so far, but those i have seen seem to be going too fast on the pavement.
So if the only legal way to use one is through a rented scheme, why are they available to be bought?
With apologies to anyone on here who uses on legally and safely, my experience of them so far seems to be 99% of the users are reckless and exactly the antithesis of the sort of person who would use one sensibly and safely.
City of London will be absolute carnage when the e-scooters are there come July. Can you imagine all the pissed up birds falling out of brunches at Coya/The Ned/Ivy Asia and jumping on those?
should at least make for some entertaining viewing
I think they're brilliant, rented a few in Vienna and it made it so much easier to get around the city.
But I can see how dangerous they can be and the rental schemes will, unfortunately, result in them cluttering the pavement making it harder for wheelchairs and prams to get by on the pavement.
I'd love to get one for myself but I'm aware of annoying other people and if the police do pull you over (I've seen it happen a couple of times in London) I believe you get 6 points on your driving license.
I think they're brilliant, rented a few in Vienna and it made it so much easier to get around the city.
But I can see how dangerous they can be and the rental schemes will, unfortunately, result in them cluttering the pavement making it harder for wheelchairs and prams to get by on the pavement.
I'd love to get one for myself but I'm aware of annoying other people and if the police do pull you over (I've seen it happen a couple of times in London) I believe you get 6 points on your driving license.
I think they can/could be brilliant - saw them used in Zurich but by the very rule adhering, sensible Swiss
6 points on your driving licence a disincentive to being reckless but not if you have no intention of driving unfortunately, as is probably the case of many of the worst users in inner cities, especially if they can use an e-scooter. Haven't seen the crime figures recently but expect a lot of the moped type crime transferred to e-scooters; unfortunately an even better option for the perpetrators
I've seen a fair few souped up e-scooters lately. They look big and heavy and go much faster than the 14-15 mph they are supposed to be limited to. Just yesterday in Burgess Park, Southwark, I saw two travelling close to 30mph on crowded paths, with toddlers and dogs dotted all around. Some cyclists can be as bad, but they are unlikely to travel consistently at 25mph+ and don't have anywhere near the weight these scooters do. I can see a small child being killed by one before long. The scooter itself isn't the problem, much the same with bikes and motor vehicles, it's the idiots on/in them. Unfortunately, these things are idiot magnets!
Like most cyclists these morons believe the rules don't apply to them. No insurance, no rules, no crash helmets no registration plates. And no intention to pay for anything towards the highways they abuse.
Speaking as a cyclist, pedestrian and car driver, I can't quite believe how much you have got wrong in such a short paragraph! It's full of lazy assumptions and factually incorrect statements. I credit you with decent spelling and punctuation though.
1) People are not morons because they're cyclists, pedestrians or scooter riders. They are morons because they are morons. Many of these people are also drivers. Do they automatically stop being morons just because they are using four wheels instead of two?
2) Most cyclists do follow the rules of the road to a large degree. As with careless/dangerous drivers, we only notice the ones who break the rules and endanger others, though at least they aren't travelling in at least a ton of metal that can reach speeds of up to 100mph. Unless you keep rigorously to the speed limit at all times, know the Highway Code inside out, always wear your seat belt, check your mirrors before making any manoeuvre (including opening your door to get out of the car), never check your phone while driving (even when queuing), drive with both hands on the steering wheel at all times, etc.............. then you are breaking the rules as much as any of these "moronic" cyclists. Lets face it, at times, we can all be morons when on the road. It's just a question of degrees, and the likely consequences.
3) Many cyclists are insured. Mine is through London Cycling Campaign membership. other cycle organisations such as Cycle UK also insure members, and individuals can get their own insurance privately too. It isn't a legal requirement for a cyclist to be insured, quite possibly because the percentage of injuries to others caused by a cyclist is absolutely minimal.
4) I always wear a helmet on the road. Others don't, but it isn't a legal requirement. Again, by not wearing a helmet, a cyclist is not going to harm others, only be more at risk themselves.
5) Registration plates are not a legal requirement for cyclists, much in the same way as they aren't for pedestrians, who are equally likely to be involved in/cause an accident on the road by doing things like crossing without looking.
6) Every cyclist, e-scooter rider, pedestrian, driver, and anyone else who pays income tax, pays towards the upkeep of the roads. I guess you're thinking of Road Tax, which was abolished in the 1930s and was subsequently superseded by a vehicle tax based on emissions. I'm sure you will agree that cyclists don't produce polluting emissions unless they have recently consumed a dodgy takeaway.
I won't even get started on the health and environmental benefits of cycling, walking, and to a lesser degree, scooting. If you ever decide to take up cycling, I'm a qualified instructor and will offer you a Charlton supporter discount as well as a life changing experience.
I've seen a fair few souped up e-scooters lately. They look big and heavy and go much faster than the 14-15 mph they are supposed to be limited to. Just yesterday in Burgess Park, Southwark, I saw two travelling close to 30mph on crowded paths, with toddlers and dogs dotted all around. Some cyclists can be as bad, but they are unlikely to travel consistently at 25mph+ and don't have anywhere near the weight these scooters do. I can see a small child being killed by one before long. The scooter itself isn't the problem, much the same with bikes and motor vehicles, it's the idiots on/in them. Unfortunately, these things are idiot magnets!
Like most cyclists these morons believe the rules don't apply to them. No insurance, no rules, no crash helmets no registration plates. And no intention to pay for anything towards the highways they abuse.
Speaking as a cyclist, pedestrian and car driver, I can't quite believe how much you have got wrong in such a short paragraph! It's full of lazy assumptions and factually incorrect statements. I credit you with decent spelling and punctuation though.
1) People are not morons because they're cyclists, pedestrians or scooter riders. They are morons because they are morons. Many of these people are also drivers. Do they automatically stop being morons just because they are using four wheels instead of two?
2) Most cyclists do follow the rules of the road to a large degree. As with careless/dangerous drivers, we only notice the ones who break the rules and endanger others, though at least they aren't travelling in at least a ton of metal that can reach speeds of up to 100mph. Unless you keep rigorously to the speed limit at all times, know the Highway Code inside out, always wear your seat belt, check your mirrors before making any manoeuvre (including opening your door to get out of the car), never check your phone while driving (even when queuing), drive with both hands on the steering wheel at all times, etc.............. then you are breaking the rules as much as any of these "moronic" cyclists. Lets face it, at times, we can all be morons when on the road. It's just a question of degrees, and the likely consequences.
3) Many cyclists are insured. Mine is through London Cycling Campaign membership. other cycle organisations such as Cycle UK also insure members, and individuals can get their own insurance privately too. It isn't a legal requirement for a cyclist to be insured, quite possibly because the percentage of injuries to others caused by a cyclist is absolutely minimal.
4) I always wear a helmet on the road. Others don't, but it isn't a legal requirement. Again, by not wearing a helmet, a cyclist is not going to harm others, only be more at risk themselves.
5) Registration plates are not a legal requirement for cyclists, much in the same way as they aren't for pedestrians, who are equally likely to be involved in/cause an accident on the road by doing things like crossing without looking.
6) Every cyclist, e-scooter rider, pedestrian, driver, and anyone else who pays income tax, pays towards the upkeep of the roads. I guess you're thinking of Road Tax, which was abolished in the 1930s and was subsequently superseded by a vehicle tax based on emissions. I'm sure you will agree that cyclists don't produce polluting emissions unless they have recently consumed a dodgy takeaway.
I won't even get started on the health and environmental benefits of cycling, walking, and to a lesser degree, scooting. If you ever decide to take up cycling, I'm a qualified instructor and will offer you a Charlton supporter discount as well as a life changing experience.
I frequently see cyclists breaking the highway code in London because they're in a position to do so and know they won't get pulled up on it. It's a sizable minority but fortunately the transgressions don't normally end up in accidents. You see red lights being jumped all the time and a minority have no road sense.
The problem with the London road network is it's not really set up for motorists and cyclists to share the same space.
What the impact of e-scooters will be remains to be seen.
Comments
Weak govt would be only allowing you to swat them with a baseball bat.
Bonkers.
If they are deemed to be unsafe without comprehensive regulation for the rental companies why is private ownership so different?
It doesn't make sense.
The scooter itself isn't the problem, much the same with bikes and motor vehicles, it's the idiots on/in them. Unfortunately, these things are idiot magnets!
They seem to have the time and resources to regularly ambush cyclists doing red lights in Greenwich town centre so why not the same for E scooters.
(a) How fast does it go? Get to the top of a hill, wait for a tail wind and go. (Give it everything).
(b) How close can you pass someone without actually touching them? (Has to be done at full throttle).
(c) Can you beat that artic lorry to the junction ahead?
(d) Attend your local pedestrian precinct and test driving skills weaving around people, stalls and street furniture.
(e) Give your mate a lift - (always good to get the old folk chatting).
(f) Take the piss out of your local PCSO, he is likely to be overweight, not interested and not up for the chase.
We've all been back in the office except for him. We weren't told why, just that he had to have an op on his shoulder.
He came in after 2 months of not coming in. Turns out he was riding his electric scooter and got knocked off by a car.
he was in the road, no helmet on, but the car was on the wrong side of the road.
Idiot.
Just saw someone bombing down the corridor on one.
Think we have hit peak E-Scooter.
love how people have a go at cyclists because there stuck in traffic and a cyclist over takes them gives them road rage I think.seems to be 4/4 drivers worse.some of these people are incapable of driving the things.They take piss trying to park the things in a parking spot but have no trouble over taking a cyclist with in 2 inches of knocking him off.
With apologies to anyone on here who uses on legally and safely, my experience of them so far seems to be 99% of the users are reckless and exactly the antithesis of the sort of person who would use one sensibly and safely.
should at least make for some entertaining viewing
But I can see how dangerous they can be and the rental schemes will, unfortunately, result in them cluttering the pavement making it harder for wheelchairs and prams to get by on the pavement.
I'd love to get one for myself but I'm aware of annoying other people and if the police do pull you over (I've seen it happen a couple of times in London) I believe you get 6 points on your driving license.
6 points on your driving licence a disincentive to being reckless but not if you have no intention of driving unfortunately, as is probably the case of many of the worst users in inner cities, especially if they can use an e-scooter. Haven't seen the crime figures recently but expect a lot of the moped type crime transferred to e-scooters; unfortunately an even better option for the perpetrators
1) People are not morons because they're cyclists, pedestrians or scooter riders. They are morons because they are morons. Many of these people are also drivers. Do they automatically stop being morons just because they are using four wheels instead of two?
2) Most cyclists do follow the rules of the road to a large degree. As with careless/dangerous drivers, we only notice the ones who break the rules and endanger others, though at least they aren't travelling in at least a ton of metal that can reach speeds of up to 100mph.
Unless you keep rigorously to the speed limit at all times, know the Highway Code inside out, always wear your seat belt, check your mirrors before making any manoeuvre (including opening your door to get out of the car), never check your phone while driving (even when queuing), drive with both hands on the steering wheel at all times, etc.............. then you are breaking the rules as much as any of these "moronic" cyclists. Lets face it, at times, we can all be morons when on the road. It's just a question of degrees, and the likely consequences.
3) Many cyclists are insured. Mine is through London Cycling Campaign membership. other cycle organisations such as Cycle UK also insure members, and individuals can get their own insurance privately too. It isn't a legal requirement for a cyclist to be insured, quite possibly because the percentage of injuries to others caused by a cyclist is absolutely minimal.
4) I always wear a helmet on the road. Others don't, but it isn't a legal requirement. Again, by not wearing a helmet, a cyclist is not going to harm others, only be more at risk themselves.
5) Registration plates are not a legal requirement for cyclists, much in the same way as they aren't for pedestrians, who are equally likely to be involved in/cause an accident on the road by doing things like crossing without looking.
6) Every cyclist, e-scooter rider, pedestrian, driver, and anyone else who pays income tax, pays towards the upkeep of the roads. I guess you're thinking of Road Tax, which was abolished in the 1930s and was subsequently superseded by a vehicle tax based on emissions. I'm sure you will agree that cyclists don't produce polluting emissions unless they have recently consumed a dodgy takeaway.
I won't even get started on the health and environmental benefits of cycling, walking, and to a lesser degree, scooting. If you ever decide to take up cycling, I'm a qualified instructor and will offer you a Charlton supporter discount as well as a life changing experience.
The problem with the London road network is it's not really set up for motorists and cyclists to share the same space.
What the impact of e-scooters will be remains to be seen.