Electric scooters riding shotgun on promenade © Russell Jacobs

Electric scooters coming your way

Scooters emerged onto the streets years ago. But they were for children. Now they are bigger, faster and ridden by older ‘kids’ – the electric scooter has arrived. But what is their status? HOT’s Lauris Morgan-Griffiths  decided to find out.

I first saw a fleet of young people riding fast down the middle of the road in Venice Beach, LA, a few years back. It was a Friday night, it looked like fun. Later I had dinner with a friend who was blatantly Eeyore-ish about the vehicles: too fast; obstructive because freely abandoned on pavements; dangerous. Spoilsport, I thought.

Now I understand a little of what he meant.

Cycle riders have always been pests when they take ownership of the pavements and jump traffic lights. Now electric-scooters can be super pests. Not all of them but some are ridden aggressively, too fast and they can prove a menace as you walk casually along the seafront.

Motor vehicles need to be driven with respect. And that is what they are, motor vehicles. However, many of them are not legal.

Legal or illegal?

Electric scooters on the promenade © Russell Jacobs

The government is running over 32 schemes in areas around the country where companies have been appointed to rent e-scooters. As long as the driver is over 18 and holds a current full or provisional driving licence, these are legal and allowed on the roads and cycle lanes. Not on pavements or footpaths, nor with passengers.  E-scooters should not be driven while talking on the phone. The speed limit is 15.5mph.

Privately owned e-scooters, although widely available on the internet, are illegal unless ridden on private grounds with the owner’s permission.

In the alleged words of Michael Caine, it seems ‘not many people know that’.

In Hastings I have seen riders weaving along the seafront, going the wrong way down one-way streets; speeding down the West Hill; on the phone: a passenger piggy-backing behind the driver.

The scooters are low to the ground so knowing the state of our roads they are susceptible to potholes, can easily go out of control and upend the driver.

Traffic offences

Electric scooter on the promenade © Russel Jacobs

The Metropolitan Police have recently been cracking down on privately-owned e-scooters and have confiscated 800 of the vehicles, some having been souped up to speeds of 40mph and even up to 70mph. If found guilty of traffic offences, the rider can be fined up to £300 and be given six points on their  current or future driving license. You can be charged with drink-driving. Not long ago a driver lost his licence in Lewisham for drink-driving while going at 30mph. He had no driving licence or insurance – and no idea it was required.

They are silent  – some rental companies are thinking of introducing a humming noise, the vehicles don’t have lights, indicators or registration plates. Helmets are not compulsory, although definitely advisable, as there are an increasing number of accidents, the majority of which result in head and neck injuries.

I do not want to be a total killjoy; they are evidently fun; an affordable form of transport; sustainable, do not emit pollution and can take you from A to B easily and quickly. I just ask that drivers be responsible, drive carefully and be respectful of pedestrians.

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