Rental E-Scooters legal from Saturday

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davidsl500

davidsl500

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I wonder if we will see the authorities start to take action against the illegal electric scooter riders with the advent of the rental scheme? We can't have properly licensed and insured riders and allow uninsured ones as well can we?
 

d215yq

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You do know that in Europe these have been legal and unregulated as private ownership/rental/whatever for years now. Here they're allowed in Bicycle lanes. I think there's been 2 deaths (to the riders themselves), 1 cyclist death and 1 pedestrian death causzed by thyese in the 3-5 years they've become prevelant in the whole of Spain. Less than pretty much any other activity or means of transport. Quick, lets legislate demand mandatory insurance, RFL, plates and other such unenforcable things and then wonder why there's so much congestion in city centres and the police don't have time to respond to burglaries etc.

Great alternative to the car in cities, really only seems incompatible with the UK's obsession to regulate every aspect of people's personal mobility.
 

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You do know that in Europe these have been legal and unregulated as private ownership/rental/whatever for years now. Here they're allowed in Bicycle lanes. I think there's been 2 deaths (to the riders themselves), 1 cyclist death and 1 pedestrian death causzed by thyese in the 3-5 years they've become prevelant in the whole of Spain. Less than pretty much any other activity or means of transport. Quick, lets legislate demand mandatory insurance, RFL, plates and other such unenforcable things and then wonder why there's so much congestion in city centres and the police don't have time to respond to burglaries etc.

Great alternative to the car in cities, really only seems incompatible with the UK's obsession to regulate every aspect of people's personal mobility.

Those are some interesting numbers...

What's the story with areas where there are no cycle lanes and the riders are all over the road... and especially with no lights.

My biggest gripe with these guys and cyclists for that matter, is the ones without lights. I take huge issue with other road users that I can't see in the dark. Call me awkward!

The rear facing lights on these scooters are either non existent or inadequate.
 
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d215yq

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Those are some interesting numbers...

What's the story with areas where there are no cycle lanes and the riders are all over the road... and especially with no lights.

My biggest gripe with these guys and cyclists for that matter, is the ones without lights. I take huge issue with other road users that I can't see in the dark. Call me awkward!

The rear facing lights on these scooters are either non existent or inadequate.

Well to give the full picture, the roads here are all either one car wide one way streets or bigger roads with 2 or 3 or more lanes. The bigger roads have cycle lanes, the smaller roads have bicycles painted on them and so bikes/e scooters use the middle of the lane and have priority. People aren't idiots so cars just drive behind them patiently - the limit is 20mph anyway and then there are pedestrian crossings at every corner. There are many riding around without lights on cycles and scooters but pedestrians on crossings don't have lights either so drivers tend to "see" cycles/scooters anyway. It's not hard at 20mph in a city with streetlights. Even on the bigger roads the scooters are legally allowed to use the roads amyway, as would a bicycle, horse, etc.

Although some have a bit of a lacksidaisical approach there is generally less bother here. For example the other day turning right in my car to get home (always priorities to pedestrians/cyclists when tuernign on the conitnent) I didn't see one as he was in my blind spot catching me up from the passenger side and we both just stopped in time. I held my hand up, he was vigilant and could stop, we went our ways without any trouble. When I'm on my bike I slow where it's my right of way or passing pedestrians in the cycle lane who tend to wander into the lanes without looking. Everyone is live and let live and expecting things so the occasional lapse/idiocy/scooter without lights is no big deal.

I like to get exercise in my daily routine so I don't have a scooter and use the boris bikes instead, in 3 years I have never driven in the city other than to get out of it or to pick up bulky items. I have used public transport 3 times - everything esle walk or cycle. My mates who don't like exercise have similar stats with the scooters instead of the bikes.

I think it's road layout and attitudes that help here, but nevertheless the benefits of silent motorised transport over cars is really beneficial and outweighs, both health wise and ambience wise (and environment wise) the negative effctes of forcing people in cars or on public transport, which is what silly over regulation does. It is impractical and bad for society to attempt to ban them because some are ridden with no lights or badly. They don't only allow "rental cars" because some cars are driven badly, and a car is more lethal than a scooter.
 

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All sounds reasonable enough to me..

It's attitudes that are the key. It's like the default attitude of each road user is "at war with the other users".

Why can't we all just get along?
 
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M80

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We can, but faster than the other guy.

So beep beep, move over.
 

Conor

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We can, but faster than the other guy.

So beep beep, move over.

Lol, reminds me of when I was in France last year. My dad was being anal about the speed limit so engaged the speed limiter.....then the cyclists were going faster.

My dad got frustrated by the limiter. He basically wanted me to drive over the speed limit. But not _go over the speed limit_. It was very funny. And makes my mom LOL every time!
 

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I was about to go offroading on the motorbike and friends son has a xiomi escooter which seems the most popular by far..
Had to have a quick go dressed in moto-x gear with crash helmet !
Was very slow accelerating and omg every little defect is amplified into your body through the scooter.. Its very wobbly with its small wheels..
IF they become legal then pneumatic tyres is a must !
 

DSK

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The damn things are everywhere in Nottingham now.

We have all sorts on them, generally riding OK but what I do see is, quite a few riders hop on/off pavements without due care, as in, not looking and/or slowing down if needed to be considerate to pedestrians and on the other hand, dangerously popping out in front of traffic.

We have loads of "responsible" adults at work, who whizz around on their own private ones, e.g. Xomi things etc and say that the police don't bat an eye lid (this in in London). Loads of yoofs have them around here too.

I'm thinking of buying one of these speedy Solar R1 things just for a laugh.
 

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We have loads of "responsible" adults at work, who whizz around on their own private ones, e.g. Xomi things etc and say that the police don't bat an eye lid (this in in London). Loads of yoofs have them around here too.
Before WFH I did commute to London and cycle over Blackfriars bridge.
The City of London police would have a blitz occasionally and stop everyone riding one.
 
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DSK

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Before WFH I did commute to London and cycle over Blackfriars bridge.
The City of London police would have a blitz occasionally and stop everyone riding one.

I'm going to be starting a new job in about 8 weeks (start date to be confirmed), with about 2 days from the London HQ. Getting from my house to the train station is 7.5 miles, 4 buses, not really practical at the start and end of the day. Taxi's on a regular basis would be expensive and car parking even more than that. I can't take my full size bicycle on the train so, cycling is also ruled out. I had a fold up bike but, they are not very light and if gets a puncture, its a not a quick release job to get the wheel off, so you'd have to haul it on foot. Hence why I'd chance the E Scooter, ridden sensibly, comparable to say a reasonably fit cyclist at 17mph. Having the extra grunt would be handy as/when needed, also I think using a powerful unit at the lower end of its ability is better for range and longevity than running a small unit at full pelt.
 

AnthonyUK

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It's up to you of course but they are illegal to ride anywhere except private property.
I was in a similar situation to you and I cycle to my local station and leave the bike there then use the Santander bikes in London for £90/year
 

DSK

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It's up to you of course but they are illegal to ride anywhere except private property.
I was in a similar situation to you and I cycle to my local station and leave the bike there then use the Santander bikes in London for £90/year

Just looked it up and BBC states you will get a £300 fine and 6 points on your driving licence! - I'm not risking points but a fine I would have.

Shame as its makes sense as a commuter tool, no emissions, no parking charges, no ULEZ charges, it won't get stolen or vandalised by hoodlums as you can take it inside but, sadly there's no money to be made by the fat cats so its illegal.
 

AnthonyUK

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Best bet would be to look out for one of the hire schemes such as Lime who have been given a license to operate them in central London at least.
 

DSK

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Best bet would be to look out for one of the hire schemes such as Lime who have been given a license to operate them in central London at least.

There was an interesting video on YT where a chap who scoots around London an MK bought one of the Xiamo things, not fast but about 20mph ish. He got stopped in London despite the footage being accurate and riding sensibly. Then he thought right, lets make a video on one of those approved Escooters.

It was interesting as the thing looked and sounded dangerous, practically falling apart over typical surface changes, grinding to a halt on normal inclines with a quicker battery drain. He didn't say it but, watching the typical Escooter versus the Legal Escooter, I thought, the legal one will get you killed.
 
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