e-Scooters

[Galfon]

They appear worth a punt under several current agendas, and the lighter nippy ones seem to be everywhere whilst the roads are quiet and public transport being avoided.

Most riders you see atm will not have driving licenses or would be interested in hiring I suspect, and they are benefiting from what appears to be little or no policing.

It will be interesting to see if privately owned doo-dahs or
those migrating onto pedestrian areas get suitable attention.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53253194

[Sandydragon]

With the state of roads at the moment, its not something I'd fancy trying.

[Buggaluggs]

Over here (Indiana) you can drive a scooter with <50cc without a license. They're a bit of a badge of shame for folks who've lost their license but still need to get to the liquor store.

[Digby]

Not a bad idea if some citizens are given rifles and free licence to shoot anyone using one on a pavement, including children.

[Galfon]

This would be hard to justify without deploying Tasers first.Scooters will just be an extra element to Community policing, like Neighbourhood Watch and speed checks carried out by residents.

[Digby]

Can we settle on building the tasers into the scooters so if anyone rides one up onto a pavement they get zapped?

[Galfon]

This would be very effective but may lead to trouble in the courts with 'good cause' cases etc.
I would envisage the HSE and user groups settling for audio or warning-lights alarms, maybe leading on to auto motor disabling.

[J Dory]

I've been using one to commute to work (well was before wfh) for over a year now. For getting around in a city like Toronto it's perfect (Dec - Mar excluded). I ride on the street, or in bike lanes, not the footpath. You have to be careful, cars and pedestrians don't expect you to get to them as quickly as you do, but provided everyone rides defensively, I'm sure the other traffic will adjust eventually.

I think that e bicycles are more practical tbh, however in Toronto, bike theft is so rampant it's a non starter. With the scooter i can fold it in half, carry it into the office and charge it under my desk.

[Digby]

I used to live down in Woolwich, at the Arsenal and actually right down on the river (or as close as it gets), and little motorised scooters became something of a hatred going up and down the Thames footpath, although I never did put a clothesline across the path no matter the bastards deserved it. Granted the electric ones were not as annoying as those with little 2strokes, but still, in a reasonable country they'd all have been put down

[J Dory]

They shouldn't be on the footpath, just as bicycles shouldn't be on the footpath. If cities expand cycle infrastructure and treat electric scooters as they would bicycles then they have a role to play in sustainable city transport.

[Galfon]

Agreed; borrow & build funds would be well spent developing new transport conduits for the likes of these
(new lanes, skylinks..whatever ). Where the the C5 and Segway failed, these and close relatives are part of the fix. (assuming there will still be jobs that need travelling to..)