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.

Totally agree with you op, pavements are for pedestrians, not scooters or bikes.
We have an electric dirtbike and a petrol one for the grandchildren, my husband takes them to a local dirtbike track, it's only about £10 each to ride there and always wearing protective clothing.

Sadly the chavs permit their offspring to ride on the roads or pavements without a care for others.

We had the local police commissioner on the local radio a few weeks ago and many callers were mentioning e-scooters, e-bikes and illegally modified bikes used by food deliverers and asking why the police weren't acting. The response he gave was that the police couldn't really do anything because often the food delivery riders didn't have any ID proof with them and gave false names and addresses, so couldn't be traced subsequently for court summonses etc, so all they could do was seize the bikes which sometimes they couldn't do because they didn't have the vans/trucks available to collect them. So, often they felt they had no choice but to ignore them as the only alternative would be to arrest them (on grounds of no proof of name nor address) which they didn't have the empty cells for!!

Deliveroo etc are bad for society and people really ought to boycott them until they're properly regulated (they're effectively a form of slave labour and facilitate people trafficking).

But also the police CAN confiscate the fucking bikes!!

My DH has been involved in seizing them and says it's an enjoyable part of the job

Totally agree. I have rheumatoid and osteoarthritis,I'm currently waiting for a hip replacement operation. I absolutely hate these things,they are an absolute menace for people who are unable to move out of the way quickly. And of course it's always us who are in the wrong. I have had so much attitude from some of these idiots. Pavements are for PEOPLE!

Near here there’s a fabulous bike circuit where, for years, young kids have been able to safely learn to cycle, wobbling around amongst other similar children.
I took mine down on Boxing Day and we actually had to leave after DD was nearly hit by an electric go kart. Also hover boards with seat attachments and these electric scooters. An absolute menace.

Ooh i wish they'd do the same with cars, imagine how safe our streets would be

That’s disappointing I sort of love hearing the names the police come up with for various things and operation crush is far too obvious. The name should have nothing to do with what it’s actually about 😂

So make them illegal to own.

I'm on your side OP!

I’m with you OP! I have no physical disability but have nearly been hit 3 or 4 times! Every time in a park (not the same park). I’m just never expecting them. Once I was with my baby and got a proper fright!

120% agreement here. Plus extension dog leads! In the right place yes, busy street no.

Completely agree

Can I just remind anyone in Scotland that (even though it feels like the tide is endlessly against us thanks to the way cyclists dominate) an election is coming up in May so it's well worth contacting your MSPs (list and constituency) to ask them to help.

Even the greens claim to care about vulnerable people so should be asked to put their money where their mouth is.

Sorry for phrasing that annoyingly for some reason please do anyway! 🤣

I think that they ought to be insured and also have a form of licence as they are lethal. They also need a registration so police can fine them for poor driving. I think that some European counties require insurance maybe Germany

Given the reckless driving round here is mobility scooters I think any law changes should cover them too

The scooters seem to have disappeared here (S London) but the Uber Eats / Deliveroo people are on ridiculous alert electric bikes with sand tyres. They dont give a shit about anyone on the pavements or the road.

And yet they cause very few deaths and injuries

Sorry you’ve had a bad experience but I think you need to look up how many people are killed and seriously injured by drivers / cars every day. That’s the real menace that everyone seems to ignore. E-bikes are an excellent eco friendly option and the majority of cyclists are well behaved.

My dad got whacked by one. He was fine, but when it knocked him over, his head was over the pavement on the road and a car had to swerve. Very nearly a disaster.

A friend in his 60s was hit by one as he put his bin out on the pavement. A&E visited with stitches needed. He is a fit, healthy man. An elderly, not so steady person,could be killed.

I don’t think anything that goes faster than foot power should be on a pavement. No scooters , bikes , skateboards , nothing .

I honestly cannot understand how. They are an absolute menace here, they rarely have lights and the riders are frequently dressed in dark clothes without even a reflective band. They swoop on and off the pavements into the road and are terrifying at traffic islands. Something needs to change.
I boycott the food delivery companies due to their awful working conditions and because they don't enforce safety regulations on the riders.

The desire for fast food will keep the market going. Perhaps fewer cars on the roads would mean fewer on the pavement.