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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

So many E-scooter deaths..

161 replies

Newandveryconfused · 29/07/2023 18:14

Aibu... To want to have E-scooter drivers pass maybe a theory test? They are meant to be illegal, but let's face it... They're everywhere. I see about 3-4 a day! Knowing the law of the road might be somewhat helpful. It 'might' prevent done of these fatal outcomes maybe.. I don't know. What do you think?

OP posts:
LolaSmiles · 29/07/2023 18:17

The thugs riding electric motorbikes, which is what most of them are where deaths happen, are unlikely to be the sort of law abiding citizens who'll happily do a test and follow the highway code.

Every issue I've seen in the press has been teenage boys/young adults trying to avoid the police.

manontroppo · 29/07/2023 18:22

I’d actually just quite like the police to enforce the law, and crack down on the illegal activities. Round here they are supremely unconcerned.

For bonus points we could properly resource trading standards to make a dent in the cheap Chinese crap that keep on burning down houses.

Curseofthenation · 29/07/2023 18:24

They're illegal, therefore anyone riding one on the road is ultimately taking a risk. I don't think there should be tests. I have no idea why parents would allow it. Idiots all round.

Hopefully they'll eventually learn from all the deaths. I wouldn't hold my breath though...

Ylvamoon · 29/07/2023 18:25

Well, in our town you can actually hire one legally.

No helmet & anyone who pays can ride it.... a nuisance at best!
Sadly, they are here to stay.

Lilyhatesjaz · 29/07/2023 18:40

You can hire one in my town. You have to register on an app and have a provisional driving licence to do so. I think the idea was to reduce car journeys but actually people using them are likely doing so as an alternative to walking or just for fun.
I nearly drove into one last week as it came round a bend towards me on the wrong side of the road.
I also see kids on them so someone with a driving licence must have hired it and would get the points on their license if there was a problem.

Herejusttocomment · 29/07/2023 18:43

There was a recent death I heard about but couldn't remember much details so I Googled it and, oh my word, the number of results...! There was even one where a woman died after a scooter hit her.

YANBU

DigbyTheDigger · 29/07/2023 18:48

Do you mean electric scooter like 🛴 or 🛵?

LakeTiticaca · 29/07/2023 18:49

They need to be banned completely. They are a f**king nightmare. A 13 year old youth local to me is currently in ICU with serious head injuries from riding at speed on a e scooter. No doubt this is replicated across the UK, along with those who have been hit and seriously injured/killed by some moron riding one. Parents of these youngsters are enabling this by buying escooters/ebikes for their brats. They need to face the consequences as well

AuntieJune · 29/07/2023 19:03

The legal ones are restricted to people with driving licences (tho I see people on them who are definitely too young to have a licence) and they're limited to 25km per hour which is quite slow

The illegal ones should officially not be used on public roads and often have no speed limiters

Fightyouforthatpie · 29/07/2023 19:07

manontroppo · 29/07/2023 18:22

I’d actually just quite like the police to enforce the law, and crack down on the illegal activities. Round here they are supremely unconcerned.

For bonus points we could properly resource trading standards to make a dent in the cheap Chinese crap that keep on burning down houses.

Yep Police around here don't seem to give a fuck about any crimes.

Tinkerbyebye · 29/07/2023 19:12

The police need to enforce the law. They are lethal and the ones I see they all weave in and out of traffic with no regard

either they are illegal and therefore should t be sold, or they are made legal, have to pay tax and insurancee and wear safety equipment and have lights for use at nights

BlossomCloud · 29/07/2023 19:15

The problem isn't the scooters themselves, its the people who drive them

Luckydip1 · 29/07/2023 19:17

They are amazing from an environmental point of you, great for short trips which might otherwise be taken by car. Speed limiting would help with safety.

csandsickofit · 29/07/2023 19:21

AuntieJune · 29/07/2023 19:03

The legal ones are restricted to people with driving licences (tho I see people on them who are definitely too young to have a licence) and they're limited to 25km per hour which is quite slow

The illegal ones should officially not be used on public roads and often have no speed limiters

This definitely isn't true where I live. I know someone who uses one regularly and doesn't have a driving licence. If you have a smart phone you can hire one ( legally).

BlossomCloud · 29/07/2023 19:23

Luckydip1 · 29/07/2023 19:17

They are amazing from an environmental point of you, great for short trips which might otherwise be taken by car. Speed limiting would help with safety.

Exactly. Used sensibly they are actually a great idea

Roselilly36 · 29/07/2023 19:23

The lack of helmets is a total safety nightmare, the scooters go so fast, we often see two on a scooter at a time. Should they crash and their heads hit the kerb, well it doesn’t bear thinking about tbh.

sunshinegirl28 · 29/07/2023 19:26

One went into the back of my car, did substantial damage and they have no insurance

GrumpyPanda · 29/07/2023 19:27

Luckydip1 · 29/07/2023 19:17

They are amazing from an environmental point of you, great for short trips which might otherwise be taken by car. Speed limiting would help with safety.

Factually false. There's been a gazillion studies on this in those cities that have legalized them, and they mostly replace foot or bicycle trips. So worse for the environment in every respect.

Luckydip1 · 29/07/2023 19:29

@GrumpyPanda that is hard to prove and open to bias, I'm sure. So many cars in London only carry one person.

RootbeerLolly · 29/07/2023 19:31

I was behind one in Brum the other day. Only momentarily as he blasted past doing at least 30mph weaving in between the traffic with one foot on scooter and other sort of skimming along the ground.

I'm not at all exaggerating. He was going pretty damn fast!

HidingBehindABigRock · 29/07/2023 19:35

No issue with them on the roads round here. They go on the pavements, and get quite aggressive with slow pedestrians. They are so common in think there is no awareness they are illegal.

MaxiPadd · 29/07/2023 19:38

Disabled person who uses a mobility scooter- goes at 4mph max and I'm not permitted to use it on the road, only pedestrian areas

Yes, I think we need a crackdown- they go at far higher speeds than I'm allowed to drive my mobility scooter and they have far less impact protection than even a bicycle for those who ride them. They're illegal anyway other than on private property so it shouldn't have ever got to the current state but we can't have things going at 20mph on pavements safely!

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 29/07/2023 19:39

They're a complete menace. And the parents who buy them for children to use in public are completely irresponsible.

There's a woman local to me who bought one for her then 10yr old, who has significant special needs and had at that point a mental age of about 4/5. She lets the child out, on their own, no safety gear, riding it on the road (no pavements, so cars and pedestrians in the road). The child has come off multiple times, crashed into walls and all sorts. Through some miracle no other people have been injured but it's only a matter of time.

MaxiPadd · 29/07/2023 19:42

It's equally terrifying when you're driving and get a teenager swerve into the road to avoid a pedestrian collision- has happened to me on many occasions and all good if I am far enough away to see and slow but in the dark I could easily not see till too late as they don't tend to stick to high vis clothing or lights

JollyJellyBelly · 29/07/2023 19:47

I've never actually seen them ridden by anyone responsible. Round here they are the transport of the local ferral rats, usually accompanied by hoody, face mask and man bag. Hate the things.