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.

So, how do you propose the U.K. does this?

I do not have a relevant disability but I totally agree with you. I narrowly avoided being knocked over by one the other day as he flew round a blind corner and on to the narrow public footpath I was using.

Time to make the sale of them illegal.

Yes, these bikes and scooters are a real issue. I think a few things contribute, it gets a lot more people riding because it makes it more workable for people who for whom a conventional bike isn't practical so of course that increases the number of bad riders too.

And then if there are rental ones left all over town as is the case in many places, it hugely ups those numbers. And lots of the people using them may not be experienced bikers.

Plus the extra power is a real factor.

I think there will likely be a need to take a differernt approach to these bikes in the future as they become a bigger factor on the road. I think there may actually be real benefit to requiring a safe biking course of some kind, that deals with traffic and pedestrian safety. (I think this would be very beneficial for bikers as well. Lots of people do not understand how to keep themselves safe in city traffic while biking.) And maybe there should even be some licencing that can be revoked when people violate the law.

Some of the bike share programs may need rethinking too.

I am not disabled but I think by far the biggest danger on pavements is cars/vans parking on them (and deciding to drive onto or off the pavement, even though pedestrians are there). And sometimes they block the pavement entirely or certainly enough to stop a wheelchair getting through.

The government has proposed to do something about pavement parking but not nearly enough. I wish we could just have an outright ban, and if local councils feel that certain roads need to permit it, they can.

E-scooters and bikes are a pain, but they can't do the damage a car can, and they don't force you onto the road (where drivers, despite being able to see the situation, give you no space art all).

(I would crush any car found parked on a pavement, as well as e-bikes and scooters left littering them - people leave them in all sorts of stupid places in London).

The thing is they are illegal, so why are parents buying them for their kids?

Because they are ignorant, and the police turn a blind eye.

Housing associations have been discriminating against mobility scooter users for years but electric scooter users seem to have free reign. I suspect its much easier to practice tokenism on a minority.
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

Well i am disabled myself and a wheelchair user.
and I disagree with you.
What you have an issue with arent e-bike or e-scooters. That’s inconsiderate users. Just like you have cyclists, not an e-bike, that are inconsiderate or car drivers etc….

I could say I’m getting really happy to see car crushed because they’re parked on pavements and stop me from using said pavement, forcing me to go on the road etc…
everyone would think I’m bonkers though.
Your reasoning is just as sloppy imo.

Now if you were saying those need an Id plate like cars or motorbikes. That those people should be heavily fined etc…
Then yes I’m with you.

fwiw before I had to start using a wheelchair, I was actually looking at e-scooters and e-bikes. If they had been as well ‘developed’ then as they are now, I would have bought one as a mobility device. Those 3 wheels e scooters are amazing for that. And much cheaper too….

If they are illegal, they shouldn’t be sold….
Since when is it legal to sell an illegal products??

Plus e-bikes fur example are not illegal at all.

I think everyone including men and kids are at risk form these scooters and e bikes

there has been a few fatalities and loads of injuries

Having good infrastructure for them, ideally docking stations around the city/town. ( This cuts down on them being abandoned on pavements) Having decent cycling lanes that they can access if needed and having clearly defined rules for their use ( perhaps limiting to official hiring company only) The city authorities having a good working relationship with the hiring company so that issues can be clearly reported and hopefully resolved Would be my starter ideas.

The police need to be far more active in confiscating and destroying scooters, as well as fining the parents heavily- they know they are illegal and continue to buy them.

Benvenuto there are many posts made by me where I make very clear that there are many decent cyclists who take their safety and that of others very seriously.

As I highlighted my ex-DH and DD as examples of considerate cyclists I think its ridiculous to suggest that I am lumping them in with the selfish pr**ks who think pedestrians should throw themselves into a hedge or into the road or suffer injury. Nor do I lump them in with those who risk their own lives by not following road rules, not wearing a helmet or not keeping their bike in good condition.

It's true I haven't responded to every post which has criticised all cyclists but to say that is my endorsement of their opinions is ridiculous.

I have argued formally in my neighbourhood for cycle lanes though I can't and have never been able to ride a bike. I am of the view that all children should have the chance to take their cycling proficiency test (it might be something else now) in school as my daughter did. I think this should be done first with primary age and again at secondary because of course where and when they are cycling will change.

I encourage parents to accompany their small children cycling on pavements because they are too young to go on the road but should teaching them good pavement etticate from the beginning and many parents do.

If you are a considerate cyclist then my argument is not with you or about you so your anger toward me is misplaced. Those posters who have grouped all cyclists together are being ridiculous and as they are making no sense are probably best ignored. As my husband says you can't argue with stupid. Their comments are stupid. You know that. I know that. We are of the same view here.

MorningActivity I certainly share your opinion about selfish parking. There are two primary schools close to me and parents just use the pavement both sides as a car park. I can't get past when I don't need aids let alone when I used a rollator. When I needed a rollator pavement parking caused me huge problems so I can understand your frustration.

However I suggest that as an ambulatory disabled person I may be more frightened of e-bikes and e-scooters because if one hits into me I have no protection at all. Now certainly if you use a self-proplled chair there are particular risks to say your arms but you do have a metal structure around you but the problems caused by pavement parking would be much greater for you and it is an important if different matter. Of course we don't really know about one another's conditions or restrictions so I may entirely wrong in my line of thinking. I certainly mean no offence. I understand what it's like to have your circumstances as a disabled person misunderstood.

One knock to me from a pedestrian and I could land me in days of increased pain and weeks of decreased mobility. I shudder to think what a knock from an e-bike or e-scooter would do. In the least I would need an ambulance and could be hospitalised.

And my problem is with the riders and the e-bikes and e-scooters themselves. I think they are dangerous and I don't think they should be sold.

Unfortunately big companies like Halfords sell these items knowing that most people using them don't have access to sufficient private property to make the purchase worthwhile. Do these people all own stretches of private land with pathways or roads suitable for use? I don't think so. Or are wealthy people giving permission for large numbers of people to use their land to ride e-scooters and e-bikes through it? 🤨

They know that they are selling these to people who will be using them illegally. Its time to stop their sale completely.

North East London based or another entitled bell-end I wonder 🤔

Yes, a pedestrian (father of two) was killed by a drunken e-scooter rider. The rider was a UK backpacker and she was sentenced to 4 years in jail.

@CypressGrove you've gotta feel sorry for him and his family for something as innocent sounding as an escooter. It must have been a huge collision.

There were two very drunk woman on the escooter and when they struck the man he hit his head on the pavement. This article has some footage of the woman getting on the scooter - they could barely walk. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-12/english-backpacker-sentenced-over-escooter-death-/106135496