Electric scooter & would you report it?

[BreakfastMuffin]

So my ds wants to ride an electric scooter and as I understand it they aren't legal to ride unless you have a private land owner's permission. We have a big farmer's field nearby with footpaths that people use for cycling or walking the dogs ( only very few people, you rarely see someone there) My DH says someone will see him on the scooter and report to the police and be might get a juvenile criminal record. Would you report it?

It's irrelevant its a rule not to ride them on there. I wouldn't be encouraging my child to break rules.

So you don't have a problem with your son doing it, although not legal?

Your only concern is if he will be caught or not?

Electric scooters and people (or even pets) trying to use the same small strip of pavement is just asking for someone to end up getting hurt.

There is a reason they are not allowed.

No I wouldn't report it. My ds has a Swegway and uses it on the pavement at our house (quiet estate away from the main road).

Yes. Especially if I thought it was being ridden dangerously, which most are!

I think you should be more concerned about what might happen to him if he injured someone.

They are not legal for a reason.

Unless he has permission from the farmer yabu to worry about people reporting him, you should be stopping him doing it altogether

I want to add that they are legal in other countries such as USA, Portugal, Spain, Germany etc.

Don't do it
Find someone with a big garden

He CANNOT get a criminal record for riding it on the farmer's field because it's a civil matter.
But if he rides into someone and injures them, you'd better be prepared for expensive trouble.

What does the farmer think of your son using one in his field?

I've no idea who the farmer is and I suspect it's corporately owned. The field is huge, say about 1.5 miles and the paths are not narrow, you could drive a car there easily.

Lots of things are legal in other countries, doesn't mean they're sensible.

Legal bit

It's classed as a moped. You'd need permission from the landowner.

I wouldn't bother reporting it. The last time I reported a teenage lad who (totally unprovoked) rode his stripped down moped straight at me and shouted "cunt", the Police did everything they could to dissuade me from making an official report.

I insisted, and they made it difficult as they could. They found the lad concerned, but said they could take no action as the PC who stopped him felt the engine and it was cold so they had "no evidence"

So I think your lad can do what he likes with zero sanction - as did the mother of the lad who tried to mow me down - she came to see me to ask why I'd felt it necessary to involve the Police and claimed she didn't even know he had it.

So go right ahead - there's no enforcement, he (and you) can do what you like and stuff the law and mugs like me.

Would I report it?
Yes I absolutely would.

I would report. You have no right to use the land as your personal track and so what if it's legal in other countries-how is that even relevant? You are likely to upset dog walkers etc who will have the right to use the footpaths and if you frighten a horse, you could be responsible for some nasty injuries.

Not sure what they're classed as but it looks like this www.evoscooters.co.uk/electric-folding-scooters/1000w-36v-evo-powerboards-1000s-electric-scooter.html
Just looked at it in more detail and you're allowed to ride an electric bike on the road so might be a better option.

How old is he??

It's illegal yet here you are trying to find a way out of if?

Just looked at it in more detail and you're allowed to ride an electric bike on the road so might be a better option.

In the UK only elrctic-assist bikes are road legal - ie if stop pedalling the motor stops - scooters don't have pedals...

No I doubt it. Sort of depends on how much it annoyed me and how easy it was to report.

If the police couldn't contact the land owner they wouldn't be able to do anything would they? How else would they know whether permisson had been granted?

Bit rough though, screeching around a muddy field. I can imagine him bare chested with his ribs sticking out

This may help

m.askthe.police.uk/content/Q361.htm?viewsinglecontentelementid=36423

Id probably report it if it was a frequent occurrence. It would chew the path up which would annoy me if I walked down there.

I take it you've read the bit on that link saying that top speed is 42kmh, that they are only for adults, are not safe for children don't comply with safety standards and can cause death or serious injury.... Your problem is that riding it as you suggest would be both illegal and dangerous, not whether someone reports you. Think of the worst case scenario for a minute. Your ds hits someone pushing a child in a pram.ds is killed outright. Child is left with lifechanging injuries and you and dh, while grieving are hit with Bill of millions for lifelong care. Really not worth it is It?