electric scooters

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

marcros

Established Member
Joined
11 Feb 2011
Messages
11,302
Reaction score
745
Location
Leeds
I see some kids around here wizzing around on small electric scooters (they seem to be using them sensibly and responsibly, so this isnt a criticism).

Anybody any suggestions which one to buy my daughter. They look cool, I know that she would love one!
 
Apparently they infest the Redways in Milton Keynes, but there is talk of their being made legal off private property in England. They were everywhere in French cities a couple of years ago, GENERALLY being used sensibly.
I'll stick to road-legal e-bike.
 
They are not currently legal but will be soon. When they do become legal there will be an initial spike in prices and then a massive crash so you might like to wait.
 
are we talking the same thing? the one I was looking at was £300 and was a toy rather than hipster transport.
 
Technically still illegal. Even those little electric cars that toddlers drive around on are illegal to use on public land.
 
Eletric scooters are indeed illegal unless it is a hire vehicle. You are not permitted to operate one anywhere except private land unless said vehicle has been hired by the user. I kid you not that is the current law and the hire section is on a trial period basis. Seems crazy ,but if you get one for her, she needs to hire it from you (must be over 14 I think) for a nominal fee but must have the paperwork to prove it. Only in GB can we think up such stupid rules and it is not a carry over from the EU before anyone suggests that it is.
 
They are serously getting on my nerves, very illegal even e-bikes are limited to being pedal assist and no faster than 15mph or else be classified as a moped and liable for all relevant motor cycle rules. Scariest thing I had recently was a guy on an e-scateboard trying to get by my car at 30mph, forced me to go a little too fast as I did not want him falling off in front of me...
 
Locally the council (I think) has funded a trial of e-scooters which are rented by the minute and seem popular. Unlocked by smart phone. There are 4 in bays at the end of my street and appear used frequently.

Max speed is aligned with e-bikes (legal) - no good reason why scooter riders should be any more vulnerable or stupid. Smaller wheels make potholes and drain covers slightly more problematic, offset by much easier "step off" in an emergency.

For many I suspect they represent cheap and quick city or town transport - at least as quick as a bus with no waiting! Renting means no worries about theft (leave it in a marked bay at the destination for the next user). No parking charges either!

Were I 20+ years younger I would have no hesitation in using them.
 
We have them here on trial basis too. They are left all over the place by users. Then collected sometime late evening, then reappear early morning, parked on pavement corners in groups of 4 to 6.
There have been a few close calls with pedestrians, cycles, motorbikes and cars. More luck than judgement there's been no direct collision or injury.

Maybe they do have a place, but given that cyclists, skateboarders and skaters are strongly advised to wear PPE, and government spends millions on advertising this then personally I think its remiss that the hire companies involved are not forced to provided appropriate PPE.

I Understand that makes the hire and go a problem, but it needs to be given some thought.

It won't be long before one is in a serious accident, and it will have lawyers all over it for compensation for injury against the hire company, for failure to take reasonable action to protect the hirer's.

Make great sense for city centres to reduce poor air quality, as they can easily set up road and cycle lanes to accommodate them. But in outlying residential areas they could become a menace.

So generally its a good idea, but the implementation has not been thoroughly thought through IMHO.
 
They are serously getting on my nerves, very illegal even e-bikes are limited to being pedal assist and no faster than 15mph or else be classified as a moped and liable for all relevant motor cycle rules. Scariest thing I had recently was a guy on an e-scateboard trying to get by my car at 30mph, forced me to go a little too fast as I did not want him falling off in front of me...

I don't think the courts would allow "he forced me to go too fast" as an excuse. You should have carried on as normal, he was in the wrong and if he got hurt it was his fault entirely.
 
We have them here on trial basis too. They are left all over the place by users. Then collected sometime late evening, then reappear early morning, parked on pavement corners in groups of 4 to 6.
There have been a few close calls with pedestrians, cycles, motorbikes and cars. More luck than judgement there's been no direct collision or injury.

Maybe they do have a place, but given that cyclists, skateboarders and skaters are strongly advised to wear PPE, and government spends millions on advertising this then personally I think its remiss that the hire companies involved are not forced to provided appropriate PPE.

I Understand that makes the hire and go a problem, but it needs to be given some thought.

It won't be long before one is in a serious accident, and it will have lawyers all over it for compensation for injury against the hire company, for failure to take reasonable action to protect the hirer's.

Make great sense for city centres to reduce poor air quality, as they can easily set up road and cycle lanes to accommodate them. But in outlying residential areas they could become a menace.

So generally its a good idea, but the implementation has not been thoroughly thought through IMHO.

Sounds exactly what I would expect for a local government initiative lol.
 
What is wrong with pedaling or, you know scooting.
Some of these scooters are really very fast, much more than the e bike limit. They are proper drug dealer spec.
I am seeing quite a lot now. I am sure they are fun but with their speed and tiny wheels they are likely a deathtrap if you hit the wrong sort of pothole.
I think they would be great on dedicated cycle lanes if we had proper cycle lanes everywhere.
I used to love cycling but now it is so dangerous with people just casually texting while they drive.
I think there should be huge cycle route expansion, maybe the scooters could be the catalyst.

Ollie
 
Last edited:
I am a motorcyclist as well as a driver and do not object to scoots, ebikes eskates and the rest but stepping off a thing going 40mph when you hit a pebble you didnt see while outrunning a bus is not an option, you will die.
Incidentally it was only a little too fast, like 33mph so not enough to get to court. Speaking of courts, they take a very dim view of overpowered toys being used on the highway, I know of at least one ebike rider who got into huge fines when he was the victim, not cause, in an accident. As for danger to an untrained rider, ask Simon Cowell.
 
Last edited:
I think it should be the law that anyone riding an “e anything” should be preceded by a bearded man carrying a red flag,,the public left to its own devices,, who knows what anarchy will prevail?
 
Wow, we've come a long way from the original post! Yes e scooters are a lot of fun, just be careful to pick one that's not too fast to be unsafe, if it goes faster than you can run, stepping off is going to hurt. Gloves and a cycle helmet are a good idea too
 
I am a motorcyclist as well as a driver and do not object to scoots, ebikes eskates and the rest but stepping off a thing going 40mph when you hit a pebble you didnt see while outrunning a bus is not an option, you will die.
Incidentally it was only a little too fast, like 33mph so not enough to get to court. Speaking of courts, they take a very dim view of overpowered toys being used on the highway, I know of at least one ebike rider who got into huge fines when he was the victim, not cause, in an accident. As for danger to an untrained rider, ask Simon Cowell.
33mph is enough to get you prosecuted. You'd probably get offered a Speed Awareness course.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top