So many E-scooter deaths..

[Newandveryconfused]

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?

Yes..... I was meant to say 🛴🛴... 🤦🏼‍♀️

I've seen a couple of kids at DC’s primary school with electric scooters - school doesn’t seem to have an issue with them being kept on school premises!

But you have to look at that as a percentage of drivers v riders otherwise it is meaningless .

What's the ratio of deaths to e-scooter/car users?

I absolutely loathe these things. Death traps for the riders and the pedestrians.

@PriamFarrl Lots of parents use them for the school/nursery run around here. So one mum, and two or three tiny kids hanging onto her, weaving in and out of traffic at speed. Honestly terrifying.

They need to be banned completely. They are a fking 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

A skateboard could be lethal if the operator is using it the wrong way. As with many things it is often a case of user error. I only hope that innocent people are not harmed.

E scooters are no more inherently dangerous than a motorbike.

Yes they are

A motorbike is usually driven wearing a helmet and leathers

An E scooter has a tiny handlebar as it's only impact protection- so essentially none - no crumple zone whatsoever before if a person hits something they also hit it

A motorcycle at least has a small impact zone

Some can reach 50mph!

The one I saw was doing over 30mph. I know this because I was doing 30mph, which was the speed limit. As scooters don't havr numberplates be obv didnt need to worry getting a speeding fine via ANPR.

I'm doubting there's many mums with three kids on one scooter caning it around at speed. This is just hyperbole. Four people on one scooter?

Not comparable

Most British households own a car, they don't own an E scooter.

Same
Usually stick 2 fingers up and call you pleasant names as they cut in front of your car

Agreed.

Part of me thinks 'well, you'll come off worse' when I'm in my two ton pickup but I rely on my license with hgv driving being part of my job, so I'm a bit wary of them weaving around.

They need to be regulated and licensed and be clear about where they can be ridden (road and cycle path for instance, helmet compulsory etc.)
I'm sure there are plenty of other countries who have already solved it. They are affordable and non polluting, we had better get used to them. Although why they are sold when illegal to ride I have no idea.

They are far more dangerous than a motorcycle. To ride a motorcycle there is a minimum age, you need a licence, you wear protective clothing and a full face helmet.
Motorcycles are ridden on the road. Drivers must be insured so if something goes wrong there's a possibility of compensation.

Which of he above apply to escooters?

This.

I see a fair few people on things that are just one ball with a little platform you stand on , no hands just balancing and leaning left and right with your legs and body weight to steer. In and out of traffic. Now they are dangerous!

There are hundreds of illegal E-motorbikes in my city. Transport of choice for food delivery services. No lights, no helmet, no licence. They are a bloody menace and very dangerous.

So glad I'm not alone on this - I thought I'd seen it all until recently some youth scootered through our indoor shopping centre and actually into a shop

Stupid thing is, it probably wouldn't take that much to stop it ... get a few police together and a couple of large vans and over an (unannounced) period seize every single one that's being ridden illegally
Given the hideous price of these things it should hopefully put others off

We have riders on them go into the shopping centre around here to. They look out for the security, but I don't think they realise how much they stand out now to everyone.
You can see the glances from shoppers and the head shakes, but because their faces are often covered with a scarf or something.... People just don't wanna get involved. 😕😕

On the bright side statistics usually catch up with ‘em in time and they qualify a Darwin Award - potholes on pavements and roads should take care of a percentage of them - motor vehicles versus scooters a few more.
Remarkable how an Old Geezer with a walking stick and a bad attitude is given a wide berth by the hard-of-thinking mounted either on a bike or a scooter.

Anyone riding a privately owned one on the road or pavement is a scofflaw anyway. That said restrictions on their sale might be reasonable. At the moment anyone can walk into Halfords and buy an escooter, and let's face it, 99% of buyers plan to use them on the roads because otherwise there's no point owning one.

The hire ones are speed limited and min age 17, though younger people manage to cheat the hire apps. If personally-owned ones are ever legalised it's likely the same speed limit (16 mph) will apply although the age requirement is up in the air. They're safe enough if you don't ride like an idiot and keep your eyes out for potholes, but teenagers are a demographic not known for sensible behaviour. So a license and theory test requirement may be worthwhile.

(The hire ones in many cities are also so bloody expensive that it discourages their use for any decent length trips.)

Many police forces have done just that from time to time. It doesn't stop people.

Vehicles designed to transport one person should be encouraged. What we need to discourage is all these cars for transporting 4/5 people being used by one person.

Most of the ones I see are being used on the school run. Far to dangerous to be allowed on the roads, certainly do not belong on the pavements.