Gardai confiscated DS's e-scooter

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

In order to get it back he has to provide proof of insurance, a driver's licence and the receipt for the original purchase. In addition there is a charge for storage, €100 and something for the first day and €35 per day for every extra day. It took them a week to send a letter stating all this so the fine is over €300 at this stage. If we don't recover it (which we won't) they will sell it. I wonder who they will sell it to, given that it's not possible to insure it. Do they auction it off and the immediately confiscate it again?

I didn't want him to have one, he used his own money to buy one secondhand without telling us beforehand. I'm secretly not at all sorry that it's gone, but DS is furious.

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

I've done a bit of research. It appears that as it's a powered vehicle it should be taxed, have a licence plate, insured and require a driving licence. However, there is no category or mechanism to tax it and get a licence plate, no insurance companies offer insurance (other than as a household possession ) and the driving licence doesn't have a category that covers them. However, some people believe that they are not 'powered vehicles' they are 'electrically assisted' like bikes that you pedal but also have an electric motor. That's because they require people to push start them with their feet before the motor kicks in. Electrically assisted bikes are considered to be just bikes and don't require the same things as mopeds and therefore e-scooters should be considered to be the same thing. So basically, until the situation is addressed in the Dail, it's an ideal way for the Gardai to piss off gobby teens by taking their stuff.

[Princessbanana]

You won’t get it back as you cannot get insurance on it! They really should never have been sold in the first place. What age is he?

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

He's 16. I think if it was just responsible adults using them quietly and they hadn't taken off in such a big way with teens then it wouldn't be such a big issue. DS said that at least three or four e-scooters went by while the Gardai were dealing with him, but he is loud, obviously teenage and (much as I love him) quite obnoxious and known to the Gardai for previous anti-social behaviour so they were probably thrilled at the chance to take it from him.

I'm surprised that they don't just stop sales of them, you can't buy a new car without the sales garage registering it (at least I don't think you can).

[Princessbanana]

I’m in Leitrim and I would imagine if anyone had them around here, the guards wouldn’t pass any heed. Yeah I’m surprised they are allowed to be sold at all. Was Lidl selling them at one stage? I would try and get him to save up for something else, maybe put money away for a car when the time comes or a scooter or maybe a motorbike?

[user686233]

I saw a lad on one age about 16 today going so fast on the road I really got a fright. I'd been crossing the road with my toddler just moments before and if it has been moments later he easily could have taken us down. I've seen loads and loads of them now most being responsible but I've never seen one as fast as this one, and the idiot had no helmet on. I hope everyone spotted speeding fast or not wearing a helmet has theirs taken off them because they are going to kill people. Your first post did make me think that were being unreasonable but then your second about him being obnoxious and known to them explained why it's happened. They know he won't be responsible like the teen I saw today.

[Iwantcollarbones]

Good. Those things are a fucking menace. Your DS will get over it. Wish they’d do that over in England too.

[Rivergreen]

TBF the whole "they're like ebikes really because you have to push off first" is horseshit: you have to mechanically push a pedal for a car to set off too.

You can ride them around your own land as much as you like. It's not the shop's responsibility to check you have the acreage to support the purchase.

The law does need an update to cover these types of vehicles, but imo there isn't a safe place for them within current infrastructure. They aren't safe to be ridden on the roads and pedestrians aren't safe from them on pavements.

[RedGoldAndGreene]

I live in one of the e-scooter trial areas in England and agree that they are a potential accident waiting to happen.

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

I think my preference would be for them to be banned, but that does seem unfair to all those who use them responsibly to commute. They have an advantage over bikes in that they fold up quite small so they can be taken into the office and stored under a desk. Perhaps requiring them to be sold with a speed limiter might work better, if their top speed was approximately running speed (regular running not Usain Bolt) then they would probably be ok to use in bike lanes. They would also be a lot less appealing to teens.

[Blogdog]

I was nearly mown down the other day by six young teens (14/15 I’d say) riding 3 e-scooters (2 on each) at speed on a pavement. I think there is definitely a place for them in society but they do need to be regulated in some manner. I also find them difficult to see when driving - I think cyclists are easier to spot as they are generally moving but the stillness and narrow profile of an e-scooter rider is really a problem if they are not wearing high-vis clothing. I agree they are an accident waiting to happen.

Commiserations OP on the confiscation of the scooter but it may not be the worst thing in the world.

[Blogdog]

And don’t get me started on the nutters with the electric unicycles...

[donewithitalltodayandxmas]

I live in a trial area for these in england and they are actually really popular and you have to be over certain age and have a licence I think , they seem to being used a lot and sensibly at the moment , which suprises me where we live.

[LadyEloise]

I used to see a guy on an electric unicycle in a bus lane in Dublin city. How the hell did he get on it to start it ??
And how did he stop it ?

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

Is an electric unicycle that tiny thing that's just a wheel and two foot ledges? Back in the old days when children went to school I used to see a guy on the bike lane N11 regularly when I was doing the school run. I was always a bit shocked that he would be barreling along with his hands in his pockets, making it much harder to keep his balance or break his fall if he hit a pothole. At least they don't seem to go all that fast, I'd say it's slow bike speed or fast jogging speed.

[LadyEloise]

Possibly the same guy I used to see. BlackAmericanoNoSugar

[MaLarkinn]

You only need insurance, tax etc if you're driving away from pound on it same as a car. Contact a recovery company and they can collect it for you, fines paid of course.

Bet it's Gannons?

Where are you based op?

What a fucking misery the previous poster is saying, good, your son will get over it.

[mootymoo]

Saw a youngster having theirs removed near me recently, they are only legal on private land here unless part of the rental trial

[Mamette]

That seems very hardline of them, I wonder had they caught him a couple of times prior and warned him?

Where we are there’s loads of teenagers and 20-somethings zipping around on them, and I’ve noticed a bravado thing a lot of them are doing where they just swan through junctions assuming you’ll stop- which of course I always will, as long as I see them first 😱