E-scooters to be allowed on public roads

[Time Waster]

A few years back lancaster was snarled up by the Heysham link roadworks North of it. Coming off the Quay I used to be sat in traffic watching this guy every day for a few weeks come down the hill and into the Quay road at speed on one of those single big wheel devices with a platform to stand on. Like na segway without the upper bit but n only one wheel. He did that wearing shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops and sunglasses on. Anyway after several weeks seeing him he stopped going that way. Many, many months later I saw him doing the same turn but he was now wearing jeans, a big leather coat, knee pads, gloves, wrist protection and a helmet, possibly more under the coat which was actually a leather mac! We all thought he'd had a nasty accident and learnt from it, just not enough to throw it away!

 

[Time Waster]

My first week with a 16" wheeled Brompton I hit a pothole and became superman until gravity took control again and I got gravel rash on my cheek and a broken elbow, plus other aches and pains. At 16" those wheels just couldn't cope with speed and he bad potholes in that estate. A guy used to ride an escooter at speed in the other end of the estate. I always wondered how they managed not to take a flier on hitting potholes. They can have very small wheels and speed working against them I reckon.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Agreed - it is the small wheels that worry - me
I have enough worries when I ride our folder with 20 inch wheels - can;t imagine how a scooter would manage some roads!

Oh - and the lack of concern for other road users (including pavement users) but that applies to all road users including bikes!

 

[Greasy Gilbert]

View attachment 720211

Darn, the eSedanchair already exists! Will the next gen version have a big telly on the front?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Darn, the eSedanchair already exists! Will the next gen version have a big telly on the front?

Then next we have a whole mobile home with lounge, bedroom and bathroom and an electric motor

well - can;t have people suffering any discomfort or being deprived of their right to watch Eastenders!

 

[Slick]

Most of them round here look like smack/crack heads

Bonus, new organ and the best time of your life when you get it. Look at all the pretty colours. 🌈

 

[Time Waster]

Agreed - it is the small wheels that worry - me
I have enough worries when I ride our folder with 20 inch wheels - can;t imagine how a scooter would manage some roads!

Oh - and the lack of concern for other road users (including pavement users) but that applies to all road users including bikes!

One guy who worked on the industrial estate of my old employer used an escooter. I saw him flying past the station and me then when a car came the other way between parked cars on both sides he rode it over the kerb onto the narrow pavement made of stone flags with house paths going to gates straight onto the pavement. One lady stepped down out of her gate thinking it was clear at a reasonable distance for pedestrians either way. Only the escooter doing something like 30mph was headed her way. She saw it just in time to stop. He didn't!

After the car had passed he nipped out into the road between cars. He was unlikely to see anything else coming or be seen. He also didn't appreciately slow down.

Now that to me sums up the people who use them. They simply don't care whether they are legal or not. Or rules of the road.

 

[Alex321]

Now that to me sums up the people who use them. They simply don't care whether they are legal or not. Or rules of the road.

While of course the occasional cyclist who behaves similarly "sums up" cyclists similarly to some other people.

 

[Drago]

While of course the occasional cyclist who behaves similarly "sums up" cyclists similarly to some other people.

You've done your own knees there by conceding only the occasional cyclists behave badly, whereas the moment one mounts an illegal scooter they are behaving badly by default, regardless of how conscientiously they may otherwise ride it.

 

[C R]

You've done your own knees there by conceding only the occasional cyclists behave badly, whereas the moment one mounts an illegal scooter they are behaving badly by default, regardless of how conscientiously they may otherwise ride it.

I've yet to see anyone riding an e scooter conscientiously.

 

[vickster]

One guy who worked on the industrial estate of my old employer used an escooter. I saw him flying past the station and me then when a car came the other way between parked cars on both sides he rode it over the kerb onto the narrow pavement made of stone flags with house paths going to gates straight onto the pavement. One lady stepped down out of her gate thinking it was clear at a reasonable distance for pedestrians either way. Only the escooter doing something like 30mph was headed her way. She saw it just in time to stop. He didn't!

After the car had passed he nipped out into the road between cars. He was unlikely to see anything else coming or be seen. He also didn't appreciately slow down.

Now that to me sums up the people who use them. They simply don't care whether they are legal or not. Or rules of the road.

Darn I was waiting for the punchline when he shot into the road and got splattered by a bin lorry. Disappointed

 

[Drago]

I've yet to see anyone riding an e scooter conscientiously.

Yep, me neither.

 

[Alex321]

You've done your own knees there by conceding only the occasional cyclists behave badly, whereas the moment one mounts an illegal scooter they are behaving badly by default, regardless of how conscientiously they may otherwise ride it.

You miss my point entirely.

Yes, it is only the occasional cyclist, but they are the ones who get noticed, and many peopple tar all cyclists with the same brush.

I'm not convinced that the actual riding of the illegal scooterists is much worse on average than the actual riding of city cyclists.

Granted they are illegal as soon as you get on one on public roads/paths, which is a strong point against them, but my point is about perception of how they are ridden, not about the actual legality.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm not convinced that the actual riding of the illegal scooterists is much worse on average than the actual riding of city cyclists.

Granted they are illegal as soon as you get on one on public roads/paths, which is a strong point against them, but my point is about perception of how they are ridden, not about the actual legality.

You're right. Sometimes this thread becomes what I imagine a car owners forum would be like constantly reporting and overstating bloody cyclists jumping red lights. To even things up, the only regular e-scooterist I can think of is a young woman I sometimes see early in the mornings on her way to opening up a coffee shop. She travels at probably about 10mph and uses both road and pavement. Obviously totally illegal shock horror. There's very little traffic or pedestrians around at this time and it seems like a neat form of transport.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I am curious about the abducted Alien sex experiments......how weird !

How else could have @Accy cyclist turned up on this planet?