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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get an electric scooter for my 40th

89 replies

MsScoot · 27/03/2021 16:34

My husband was going to get me an electric scooter for my 40th. I can’t drive and I think it would be fun, and I could use it for getting to/from work.

The rest of my family are horrified and think that everyone would laugh at me.

Personally I couldn’t give a fuck about randoms laughing at me , but I have noticed it really is only teenagers going about on them.

Aibu to get an electric scooter?

OP posts:
MargaretThursday · 27/03/2021 19:02

The police have been putting out notices recently saying they're illegal except on private land with the permission of the landowner. If you're caught they will seize the scooter, and fine you, and you can also get points on your driving licence.

Try an electric bike.

kungfupannda · 27/03/2021 19:02

We've got the hire ones near me and they are an absolute pain in the arse. It's mainly students that seem to use them, and they ride them the wrong way down the road, lose control of them on hills so they fly out into traffic on main roads, ride slowly side-by-side on narrow roads, go down one-way streets the wrong way, bringing the entire place to a halt, drive them straight out of junctions without looking, the list is endless. It's complete bloody carnage, and someone I know who works for the local authority says they are bitterly regretting investing in them. I've seen two accidents involving them in the last week alone.

The police are apparently now monitoring the GPS data in order to start issuing fines which should hopefully make them much less popular.

torquewench · 27/03/2021 21:22

@Macncheeseballs

I think cars are more of 'an absolute menace', if death rates are anything to go by.
Well of course that will be higher, given theres tens of millions of vehicles on the roads Hmm . I wasnt talking about death rates though. I also dont generally expect cars approach without me hearing their engine or tyre noise, to be travelling on pavements, or in pedestrianised areas, or the wrong way along a one way street, or abandoned outside shop doorways, or randomly across the pavement.
SwanShaped · 27/03/2021 21:26

Loads of people seem to use them anyway. So I think it won’t be long before they’re legal. And it’s better than a car, you can ride one and not be a dick. Get one!

Rollercoaster1920 · 27/03/2021 21:32

If they are made legal they will probably be considered like a bicycle so not allowed on pavements.
I'd get a e bike instead even if they were legal because a bike with bigger wheels is more stable and you can carry stuff.

therocinante · 27/03/2021 21:45

There's a scheme near me (Manchester) but tons of the delivery drivers for Deliveroo/Just Eat use personal ones round here.

Literallynoidea · 27/03/2021 21:50

Round here all the petty criminals ride on them - phone snatchers, muggers etc.

They're a menace to drivers (I drive and I cycle to work in normal times). I absolutely hate them.

Toddlerteaplease · 27/03/2021 22:07

They are lethal, can hire them in my city. I don't think it's going to be long before they are banned. As a driver they terrify me as people on them or erratic and normally in dark clothes, so not visible.

Toddlerteaplease · 27/03/2021 22:08

Nottingham and Liverpool have them OP but you need a driving licence to hire one.

Macncheeseballs · 27/03/2021 22:14

There are loads around where I live, they do not bother me at all. There's enough room for us all, and I am happy to share the pavement with them. The dominance and danger of cars bothers me much more

garlictwist · 27/03/2021 22:17

Loads of people have them round here and use them on the roads. The police don't care. Go for it!

StellaDendrite · 27/03/2021 22:31

I’ve used them overseas in cities where they are legal to use and I think they are amazing. They are easy to ride safely if you want to. I felt I could ride it perfectly safely on the pavements. I just slowed right down if it was busy. It’s not the scooters that are dangerous it’s the idiotic riders. ( it the same as lots of other things)
I wouldn’t use one in the uk as I have a driving license and wouldn’t want to risk getting points on it. If I didn’t have a license I would definitely get one. They are so practical and inexpensive.

Rewis · 27/03/2021 22:44

I really like them. I'm not in the UK and we have those for hire so I'll occasionally use one to get work if I have some plans where bike makes no sense. Considering getting one for myself.

SarahBellam · 28/03/2021 08:22

I’m 52 and I’ve been using a push schooler for years and I quite honestly couldn’t give two fucks whether people laugh at me. They might be having their sneery laugh but I can guarantee that I’m having a much better time than them.

Arrierttyclock · 28/03/2021 09:52

They're not illegal in Bristol- we have hundreds of them that you hire like Boris bikes

Frazzled2207 · 28/03/2021 10:00

@Arrierttyclock

They're not illegal in Bristol- we have hundreds of them that you hire like Boris bikes
The only ones that are legal in Bristol are the ones that you rent. Privately owned still illegal on public land bizarrely.
torquewench · 28/03/2021 10:06

@Toddlerteaplease

Nottingham and Liverpool have them OP but you need a driving licence to hire one.
You only need s provisionsl licence (which is apparent from the way a lot of them are ridden)
Popsy321 · 28/03/2021 10:14

I bought one. Felt like it would only be a matter of time before I fell off it and did myself a serious misfortune, so I bought an e bike instead. Highly recommend. I absolutely love mine and still laugh going up hills with no effort whatsoever!

Arrierttyclock · 28/03/2021 11:39

@Frazzled2207 oooh didn't know that thanks!

dontsaveusername · 29/03/2021 09:22

An electric bicycle is a much better bet. I think a scooter will look a bit silly

Macncheeseballs · 29/03/2021 09:43

Silly? It's a vehicle on 2 wheels, open your mind a bit, I'm guessing people thought cars looked silly once upon a time, and they most certainly thought bikes were silly when they were first invented, dont be such a dinosaur

LimaFoxtrotCharlie · 29/03/2021 10:16

The small wheels on e scooters are not good to use on the pot holed streets here. If your wheel goes into a pothole, you’re highly likely to have an accident.
Bicycle wheels are much bigger and therefore are better able to deal with potholes.

ElectricScooters · 29/03/2021 10:37

Loads of teenagers round here have them and fly along the pavements.

My DD is deaf and recently was nearly knocked under the wheels of a car as she didn't hear the scooter coming up behind her at speed.

Admittedly the risk of a scooter encountering a deaf person is low but the consequences could be horrific. I wish people would consider things like this as well as pavement cyclists (she was knocked over by a pavement cyclist a few years back and badly hurt her knees.)

OP I know you said you weren't getting one, but I would ask anyone thinking of it or getting one for your DC or anyone who rides a bike on the pavement - imagine knocking a child into the path of an incoming car as they didn't hear you coming.

If you think it's too risky for yourself to ride on the road, it's so fucking selfish to ride on the pavement and risk others lives.

allmycats · 29/03/2021 10:49

Another here saying go for an electric bicycle.

DynamoKev · 29/03/2021 10:50

Get an electric mobility scooter. They are legal.