E-scooters to be allowed on public roads
- Thread starter captain nemo1701
- Start date
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Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I think that's missing the point entirely, at least as far as this discussion on this particular forum goes.
Not a single soul in this thread has come either out in favour of cars or against active travel for urban journeys.
It would, however, be very apt in the Daily Mail comments section.
Good for you
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
No, after you, I insist.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
I would quite like an e-scooter
Thing is - they take up less storage space than a bike due to having narrow handlebars and much smaller wheels
and don't have sharp (sometimes) pedals sticking out and oily chains and all that
So - a lot of people can just park them next to the back door - or something like that - and taking it out to do some shopping takes even less time than getting the car out
For me to take my bike to the shops involves going out into the garden - unlocking the shed - unlocking the bike - getting it out of the shed - wheeling it up the side passageway - unlocking the side gate
only then can I actually get on it and ride off
a scooter would be much more convenient
probably
not anywhere near as nice for long ride - but for short trips they might be OK
which is totally ignoring a loads of safety aspects but whatever!
As I have banged on about before, in my opinion the government (of whatever colour - not sure either version would do it right!) need to redefine what a "bike" is and come up with something like "low powered small personal transport device" which would include anything that exists or might exist due to more general terminoloy
I would start with limits based on stopping ability
so - bikes/ebikes stop quite quickly due to handlebars and good brakes
Scooters - OK but not as good
hoverboards - bleedin' aweful as are electric unicycles due to no handlebars so if it stops quickly the ride will just fly forwards
Once that is defined then they can be regulated based on maximum speed with the motor operating
and all that
I have no clue how you would regulate it all and enforcement would be a nightmare - but they could start with making it far more difficult to seel something that will almost certainly be used on roads but if not legal for that use
anyway - is it lunchtime yet???
Thing is - they take up less storage space than a bike due to having narrow handlebars and much smaller wheels
and don't have sharp (sometimes) pedals sticking out and oily chains and all that
So - a lot of people can just park them next to the back door - or something like that - and taking it out to do some shopping takes even less time than getting the car out
For me to take my bike to the shops involves going out into the garden - unlocking the shed - unlocking the bike - getting it out of the shed - wheeling it up the side passageway - unlocking the side gate
only then can I actually get on it and ride off
a scooter would be much more convenient
probably
not anywhere near as nice for long ride - but for short trips they might be OK
which is totally ignoring a loads of safety aspects but whatever!
As I have banged on about before, in my opinion the government (of whatever colour - not sure either version would do it right!) need to redefine what a "bike" is and come up with something like "low powered small personal transport device" which would include anything that exists or might exist due to more general terminoloy
I would start with limits based on stopping ability
so - bikes/ebikes stop quite quickly due to handlebars and good brakes
Scooters - OK but not as good
hoverboards - bleedin' aweful as are electric unicycles due to no handlebars so if it stops quickly the ride will just fly forwards
Once that is defined then they can be regulated based on maximum speed with the motor operating
and all that
I have no clue how you would regulate it all and enforcement would be a nightmare - but they could start with making it far more difficult to seel something that will almost certainly be used on roads but if not legal for that use
anyway - is it lunchtime yet???
A big problem with scooters from my perspective is they just can't stop as fast as a bicycle, due to physics. The front wheel is inches from the lead foot and your head weighing around 11lbs is waving around 5 or 6 feet above that. To stop quick you'd have to stand on the back and crouch low to lower your CoG. In an emergency stop scenario you don't have much time to do that before you're faceplanting. Unless you have the balance of a pro skateboarder or surfer you've also got a really good chance of messing up your balance and steering totally during that manoeuvre and binning it. I think they're fundamentally unsafe. If they legalise them they should mandate max speed of about 10mph.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
All this is very valid.
But I believe the biggest problem is the great British public, who have already proven they can't be trusted with these devices.
But I believe the biggest problem is the great British public, who have already proven they can't be trusted with these devices.
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
So he didn't learn the first time...
And where does he get this idea?
And where does he get this idea?
classic33
Leg End Member
Trail period is coming to an end in November, after being extended, with the vague possibility that they may get a mention in the autumn budget. March/April 2025 is a more realistic date. E-assist bike usage being reassessed then.
OP
OP
captain nemo1701
Space cadet. Deck 42 Main Engineering.
- Location
- Bristol
Well, you could put in 'Bikes are a disgrace to the city'...or 'walking is...'. Same effect.
I don't think jumped up kids toys ridden by exercise-averse people who have the need for speed and crave convenience yet are afraid of roads so swarm all over pavements is a terribly good idea. Neither is it a great idea to permit 30-40 mph souped up top range escooters onto cyclepaths intended for non-motorised traffic just because some people can't be bothered to pedal. It's leading to the motorisation of cyclepaths by the convenience addicted who avoid effort. Okay, in the Netherlands they allow 'bromfiets' - 50cc mopeds - on cyclepaths but to me that's just daft. Amsterdam banned them from cycle lanes a few years ago for obvious reasons. If we allow speedy escooters on cyclepaths, how long before the moped fraternity start arguing the case to ride on them at the same speed?.
Back in the 90's there was one bloke who rode around Bristol on a petrol 'go ped'...look what's happening now, electric 'go peds' all over the shop. Dumb idea then, dumb now IMHO.
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OP
OP
captain nemo1701
Space cadet. Deck 42 Main Engineering.
- Location
- Bristol
.
Jameshow
Veteran
Same with cars tbh.
Another problem is that a scooter suitable for a 20st mamil is going to be a lethal weapon with a pre teenager on board!
classic33
Leg End Member
Minimum Legal age to use one is 16.
Wonder what the weight limit is on those scooters. Most of the smaller ones are around the 50kg mark, going by the small print on the boxes.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
It's obvious
Everyone knows
It's all over Facebook (other web sites are available!)
I know a bloke who knows about these things and he told me
A magic toad told me on the way back from the pub one night
any or all of the above
There was no mention of a bill being formed and scheduled to pass through parliament or any support from MPs and the like
classic33
Leg End Member
Something other than hearsay to go on.
https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/e-scooters-the-road-ahead/
https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/e-scooters-the-road-ahead/
