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?

More people are going to be killed by cars because there are many more of them. It's not an either or. The tragedy is that many of the people killed or injured on scooters are young and inexperienced on the roads and don't understand the need to wear visible clothing. We need education and legislation.

Whilst they are technically illegal, they cannot introduce rules. if they do legalise them, they could say that helmets have to be worn, must only go on roads, high viz clothing and no scooter capable of going more than 20kmh.

Well actually potentially 22 deaths per year going on last years stats. We could do both you know, look at improving road safety inc cars and e scooters. It’s not a binary option

Widely reported locally. Don’t think it made national news.

I believe you get points if you are just caught on an illegal scooter, you don’t even have to drive it dangerously. But the police don’t have time to enforce and I suspect most riders don’t have a car license so don’t care.

That's disappointing, though I guess I should have known better - so maybe tthe ban on sales you mentioned would work better?

I can just hear Halfords et all though; "You're going to cost thousands of jobs!!!"

But, you must of misunderstood the angle I'm coming at this with.
I've not compared types of vehicle incidents. I've not said "take them off the road or ban them"
I'm just suggesting a theory test as knowledge for the riders. This surly cant do harm. Cars have increased in quantity over the decades.... This mode of transport could also do the same.

As pp have said, they have to be legalised to enforce rules etc...
To have children riding them is just insane. Something needs to change now before they become MORE popular. Which they will. The concept is a great idea but we've gotta act now before it's too late. It's just gonna get worse over time tbh.
We have a man that rides a single wheeled one.. But he's always wearing a helmet and biker jacket with Hi-vis. He uses it to go to work.
He's at least trying.

I don't think a theory test would make any significant difference as so many riders are completely ignoring the law in the first place.

I would like to see e-scooters and e-bikes fit in the mix of transport options, but in an way that makes the users accountable and the laws capable of being enforced.

It's currently chaos, with the existing legislation ignored by everyone including the police. That's why we now have illegal e-bikes capable of > 60 MPH being ridden by children.

If ones for children were limited to 8mph or 4mph or something

And adults say 15mph with a requirement for high visibility clothing with a helmet and automatic confiscation if this wasn't followed they could be managed and perhaps allowing them in cycle lanes (with suitable safety measures like high vis lights and helmet)

Realistically there's no safe place you can drive them (pavements and paths) going over those speeds and even then it's hairy sometimes but why have things able to go at 50mph when you can never drive them on a road with cars at that speed

To go the distances necessary for those speeds you wouldn't use a scooter- who travels 50 miles away on one - ever?

Even having sensors like cars do for collision warnings that limited speed would be helpful from the current state of them

Motorbikes are not e-bikes.
Motorbikes are licensed and require a test to ride them. E-bikes do not.

they have to be legalised to enforce rules etc...

True enough, but if there's no willingness to enforce the rules it's all a bit redundant

In any case, the worst types of rider will enjoy the "legal" bit ("F*k off, my bike's legal you c*t") but completely ignore the rules just as they do now

There’s no point making laws if underage offenders never go to prison. They aren’t earning so can’t be fined. I doubt human rights allows parents to be penalised.
What punishment, apart from confiscating the bike, is there.

There is absolutely no point in bringing in ew laws when the existing aren't inforced.

People often argue the police are underfunded, that might be as maybe, but I have witnessed them ignoring crimes that happen in front of them, that is wilful ignorance.

There should be police out and about dealing with this. They should remove the scooters from those using illegally, and destroy them. ID cards would help, but whinging liberal types start to scream and shout whenever this idea is brought up, even though it it we be of benefit in many aspects of life, just as in other countries.

What should the penalties be for these kids ?

Destruction of scooter, fines for parents, that said I see plenty of adults out on them.

Well actually potentially 22 deaths per year going on last years stats. We could do both you know, look at improving road safety inc cars and e scooters. It’s not a binary option

we can't do both, if you look at the thread from last month - its not possible to test drivers sight when there are hundreds of cases of drivers killing through not being albe to see where they are driving. There isn't the resources, not the personal to test drivers sight as its just not that simple. Therefore 2,900 crashes injuring people due to poor eyesight and 10 deaths per year

14 deaths in 2022 and 3 deaths in 2023 where are you getting the stats for 22 death per year

Destruction of scooter, fines for parents, that said I see plenty of adults out on them.

the scooters are confiscated https://www.scootered.co.uk/blog/policing-of-electric-scooters-in-uk.html

I'm an e-scooter user. I'm female, and I use it occasionally for commuting to work. I wear high-vis banding over my coat, gloves, and a cycle helmet; my scooter has a light although I only ride in good conditions in daylight anyway. I have a full driving licence (and passed my cycle proficiency many years ago). My scooter is regulated to a max speed of about 20kph. I'd be happy to be licensed and have to carry separate insurance for using it, if that stopped the abuse by others - but it won't.

I don't know the solution, as it seems that more and more we need to legislate to control idiotic behaviour. Personally I'd like to see some control of the high-power e-bikes being used by takeaway delivery drivers - they're not bikes, they're not motorbikes, they are presumably imports that fall into some grey area between the two. But maybe people are less bothered by those because they serve a purpose, how else will their deliveroo order arrive in time?

YY @MaxiPadd Its actually even worse
Tower block fire caused by a fridge and spread by flammable cladding? Lets target those on mobility scooters
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3095770-to-worry-that-the-Grenfell-Tower-fire-is-now-being-used-as-an-excuse-to-bully-disabled-tenants

Fire caused by electric bike? Lets target those on mobility scooters.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/calls-people-evicted-bristol-tower-8613991

Yeah I'm one of those people- different location, but I'm not allowed my mobility scooter in the hallway anymore

Which wouldn't be much of an issue if I could actually manage holding open my large fire door front door to drive through it but since I can't- it's pretty redundant and I rely on my car and strong but far too young for this DC to help me pushing the rollator wheelchair when everything else fails

Stupidly I have it so I can get to and from school when I can't drive due to painkillers but if DC aren't home due to being AT school- I'm trapped really

Have applied for a move to a ground floor but they'll probably have left school before I get offered somewhere suitable

What should the penalties be for these kids ?

As PPs have said, seize and destroy the scooters

I realise of course that it's probably not the kids who'll have paid for them and certain types of parent would go berserk, but perhaps they should have thought of this before buying them in the first place and then not supervising their use

Sorry to hear that @MaxiPadd I got a combination of laughed at and disbelieved on here when i told how my HA told DH to get rid of his mobility scooter or they would destroy it or sell it (depending on whether you believed the tort notice or the housing officer.

Not only have i yet to hear of anyone in a flat with an e scooter being told the same thing up in Bristol they are deliberately inflating e scooters with mobility scooters. The thread i linked above has aged even less well than i thought it would when it was posted six years ahgo.