As a disabled woman sick of being terrified on the pavement to feel happy reading about the destruction of e-scooters and e-bikes?

[pinkksugarmouse]

I know some people will want me to be crucified over this. That's mumsnet. I get it. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. The number of times I have almost been hit by one of these...I have had to walk into busy roads. I've even experienced being sworn out for daring to use the footpath.
Some cyclists and scooter users are a menace and I think they have become emboldened because of the electric vehicles.
They are dangerous, illegal and whenever I see a big piles of these monstrous pieces of s#*t being destroyed I feel relief. Anyone who buys these for children is selfish and stupid. IMHO.

So get your pitchforks out. Time to tell me what an abomination I am....its eniveitable.

Riding without due care and attention is a problem with or without electric power, I’ve been hit twice in my life, once by a cyclist (normal bike, very aggressive rider who had jumped a red light) and by a mobility scooter that the owner couldn’t control properly.

think all devices cap able of more than 5km an hour should have third insurance if being used on public roads or other thoroughfares, and all devices with electric power should have a compulsory training course to get permission on your licence, including aforementioned mobility scooters

It's a start, but why not spare the bikes and put the inconsiderate riders in the crusher?

I didn’t realise that if you do get caught riding one of these in a pedestrian area you can get points on your car licence. And if you don’t have one, they will create one for your points even if you are underage.

I think e-scooters and e-bikes could be the saviours of many towns and cities but the councils refuse to put in the infrastructure.

Can I add those hoverboards, absolute menace on the pavements, I had a close one some years ago where the rider came round a corner and hit me, wasn't to bothered when I said they were illegal.

A young lad (9) that lives on our road got one for a Christmas present his dad was showing him how to use it Christmas day in the street. It's irrelevant to him that they're illegal DC wanted one so that's what he got.

Don’t forget mobility scooters too! I was literally hit by 4 in the supermarket the other day! At one point I was totally boxed in. There needs to be a limit on how many are let loose at one time.

They do my head in! Even more so with the evenings being dark and you can't see or hear them. I know of someone who was airlifted to hospital after being knocked over by one of the bikes. She had a severe head injury. Thankfully survived but the twat on the bike was never found

Therein lies the problem. In most of Europe these are legal and promoted, hence the majority of users are normal law abiding, reasonably careful people.

In the UK they are illegal, hence the majority of users are kids and people that don't give a crap about rules and regs, and are much more likely to buy higher power models (breaking the law anyway so why not double down), and ride them irresponsibly.

To make matters worse they are demonised by the press, which makes them cooler for the scrote brigade and the vicious circle continues.

Like all 'cool' things, they need to be legalised in a structured manner, adopted by the masses, and you can guarantee once your grandma is bumbling around on one the scrotes will shun them.

So get your pitchforks out. Time to tell me what an abomination I am....its eniveitable.

Not at all. I agree with you & I'm very fit & able-bodied.

I wish they'd crack down on the fucking Deliveroo delivery cyclists who seem to think the pavement is theirs.

This sounds like a journo

Cycle lanes. The choice is between road and pavement neither of which is safe

We had a trial in my city. They did nothing but provide the scooters. They should have had a dedicated scooter lane added or something but they didn't so it all failed. I do wonder if the money they get from car parks wasn't an incentive to let it fail.

I agree with you. Not disabled but often out walking with my 4yo and can’t let her run ahead on a straight stretch or even not hold my hand 24/7 because she’s almost been hit by these multiple times. It wouldn’t be so bad if they were noisy but I feel I spend a lot of time looking over my shoulder on certain stretches because it doesn’t feel safe

I'm not disabled and I havent been hit by one but I agree they are a f**king menace..
Only yesterday I read an article about a young teenage boy getting an electric bike foe Christmas..went out on it, caused absolutely mayhem. The police confiscated and crushed it.
I must admit I did smile at this news 🤣🤣

I actually think the illegality of electric scooters and certain types of electric bikes is a big part of the problem, it’s means they have greater appeal to a certain ‘type’. If they were legal and required at least a AM, maybe even A1 motorbike licence and compulsory tax and insurance, they’d be less of an issue.

Yep, a total menace! The other day, I drove past 2 people, both on an e bike. The main rider was blindfolded and doing wheelies in the middle of the road! Absolutely un bloody believable!

Around here the police did a thing of stopping anyone who had e-bikes that were clearly modified to go faster than intended. It seems to have made sod all difference.

I think someone died in Perth because of an irresponsible drunk escooter rider.

We don't get many here tbh

Stupid parents buy them for their equally stupid offspring.
Crush the lot of them.

You can tell the mood of the public when one of them gets hit by a car. It's ah well, and good wishes to the driver of the car that hit them.

I know and sympathise with you. I am also perturbed by the rise in electric vehicles on pavements (not cars). Pavements are for pedestrians and wheelchairs, prams and pushchairs. Nothing electric or motorised at any time in my opinion.

DH spent nine days in hospital with eight broken ribs after being hit by an ebike while crossing the road.

It had been modified to go faster and was ridden in the dark with no lights, the rider all in black with a balaclava covering his face, lots of them about here, weaving in and out of traffic, so yes, crush the lot as far as I'm concerned.

I don't blame you.
I have my ankle replaced almost 20 years ago. The surgery went horribly bad and my doctor had to put in a metal plate over one part of my ankle, as well as the new ankle joint. It healed great, but my ankle, over the metal plate, is very sensitive to touch. I'm protective of it, and get the willies when I'm leading a horse, or worried someone will crash a shopping cart/trolley into my ankle. I'd be scared shitless if I had to walk with e scooters and e bikes were whizzing past me. I'm not even sure I could do it, at least not without a cattle prod.

We have cycle lanes in our area but people frequently don’t use them! We’re near a university and many students use them-which is fine, but I wish they wouldn’t whiz past on the pavement, it’s terrifying.

I’m able-bodied but had a bad accident last year so I’m very aware of how precious my mobility is.

As a mobility scooter user (thankfully I also drive so I don’t need to use it often), I’ve been screamed at for not using it on the road but it’s not legal for use on roads! Only 8mph mobility scooters with wing mirrors can be used on roads! I can ONLY use mine on pavements. I’ve also been told off for bringing it into shops before but that’s exactly what they’re for. But it’s ever since e-scooters have become a thing, people are conflating the two! 🤦🏻‍♀️