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Original poster

3 year old seriously injured by e scooter

37 replies

MarianneUnfaithful · 21/07/2021 08:10

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57908240

Poor child.

These things need regulating right now. I can see that potentially they pose a great solution to traffic congestion, but they are a menace to pedestrians when ridden at high speeds on pavements, and a menace to themselves when riders weave in and out of traffic, no helmet, no age limit, no Highway Code awareness.

Of course this scooter should not have been being used in the park at all, but no one seems to know what any of the rules are.

Poor child Sad

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 21/07/2021 08:13

They are a menace. I hope the rider (once known) has the book thrown at them.

Brown76 · 21/07/2021 08:18

I agree, I think they need to be on the roads like cyclists, if rider is over primary school age.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/07/2021 08:22

The UK isn't designed for them.
They are great in countries with proper cycle lanes. (We saw a lot of Berlin on them!). But the UK its overcrowded pavements or the road.

I hope the wee girl recovers well. And the youths are found and learn to be more careful. (The report i read said they did stop)

DufferMum · 21/07/2021 08:26

We live in the country, on an A road, no pavements. Our neighbour’s 15yo son uses one to get into town, not even a crash helmet. He’s doing well over 20mph, I seriously don’t understand these things!

essentialhealing · 21/07/2021 08:37

This is an issue that I can't see going away anytime soon. They are illegal to take on the road and pavement. If police stop ppl in my area they just speak to them, why not take the e-scooter off them end of?

That's what they do with motorcrossers being ridden where they shouldn't be

I read in the news last week of two youth being killed in Birmingham on an e-scooter. Two days ago I was behind a young teen who was on one on the road. We got to a major three lane junction with the lights on red. He went through and once across went on the wrong side of the road through standing traffic and onto the pavement

The fact that it's legal to sell them and own one but they can only be used on private property was never going to work. The one's that you hire have insurance so at least ppl might be traceable

MissyB1 · 21/07/2021 08:48

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

The UK isn't designed for them. They are great in countries with proper cycle lanes. (We saw a lot of Berlin on them!). But the UK its overcrowded pavements or the road.

I hope the wee girl recovers well. And the youths are found and learn to be more careful. (The report i read said they did stop)

This! They should in theory be an ideal solution, but we dont have the right set up for them to work in the UK.

They definitely should not be on pavements we are going to see more and more pedestrians being injured by these. The riders themselves are also at risk.

YanTanTethera123 · 21/07/2021 08:54

In Bath they’re available for hire by the Council and a confounded nuisance. We nearly hit a group of 4 going the wrong way around a roundabout, in the dark. No helmets, no lights and no common sense.

Original poster
MarianneUnfaithful · 21/07/2021 09:15

As a driver I am in fear: they ride them around at night, on the roads, no lights, no adherence to highway code or law....

London has a really good cycle network - they should stick to cycle lanes or on the road through residential roads. And helmet wearing should be compulsory, as it is with other motorised vehicles on the roads, like mopeds. I think they should be registered, too. With number plates.

Then they could develop int a safer transport option.

OP posts:
Wegobshite · 21/07/2021 09:40

I’ve just installed two dash cams on my car front and back because of these fuckers . They are everywhere like fucking seagulls swerving in and out of the traffic .
If one of these scooters hit my car or I hit them because they are driving like knobs I want to be able to prove it’s not my fault .
I hate them and would happily run the fuckers off the rd if i thought I could get away with it but now I have dash cams I can’t 😂

Sundancerintherain · 21/07/2021 09:45

The poor girl and her family Flowers.

LynetteScavo · 21/07/2021 10:01

I agree they're grat. In some countries, but I can even safely ride my bike to work, so no way could I commute on an electric scooter. This is why people use them on pavements. I think there needs to be an awareness campaign explaining the law/dangers

Inim · 21/07/2021 10:04

My kids school has one narrow pavement next to a busy road as the way to walk to school- so it’s obviously very busy with lots of kids and there’s a school mum who rides one of these down the middle of the pavement it’s so dangerous

Clymene · 21/07/2021 10:07

If they're illegal why can you buy them and why are people riding them everywhere? Confused

user1471462428 · 21/07/2021 10:11

In York the council have got a pilot scheme with them running. They’re terrifying in traffic as they weave in and out of lanes, they often don’t wear the helmet that is provided and the health centre near me is a dumping ground for them which makes access really difficult. I know our council are trying to make York carbon zero but I don’t think it’s the answer.
That poor girl and her family, unfortunately in this country it seems to take several people getting hurt before things change.

Original poster
MarianneUnfaithful · 21/07/2021 10:16

@Clymene

If they're illegal why can you buy them and why are people riding them everywhere? Confused
Exactly!

I suppose like those stupid mini quad bikes that people buy (in London? Why?) the retailers excuse is that they are allowed in private land so it isn’t their fault if people use them illegally.

I think it had hit beyond the stage of an awareness / education campaign. People have spent money on them and the lawless twats of S London (for example) are not going to respond to ‘awareness’,

They are perfect for drug dealers, too. Can get in and out of pedestrian estate walkways, are fast, don’t need parking…

OP posts:
LadyCatStark · 21/07/2021 10:22

I was hit by one of these things by a teenager or possibly even young adult who came flying round the corner on a country Lane screeching “excuse me, sorry, sorry, sorry, excuse me” as she obviously could manage to slow down as she was going down hill. You can’t here them coming of course because they’re silent. We were a group of 2 families and there wasn’t room for me in the ditch next to the road. She didn’t even stop to check if I was OK and then 5 mins later came back the others way ringing the bell that she had obviously had all along! I shouted to her that she’d hit me and she looked me right in the eyes, pulled a face and said ‘sorry’ in an over the top sarcastic voice, so she didn’t even give a shit that she’d hit a pedestrian and that it could have been one of the children.

Topofthepopicles · 21/07/2021 10:32

Terrible for the little child and I agree they need rules but in general I think they are fab. As we look to reduce our climate impact we want to encourage safe cycling and scooting. We have great bike lanes here that are ideal for safe use. Car drivers are up in arms about losing a lane but I think we need to start prioritising cycling otherwise people will do daft and dangerous things like ride e scooters in parks.

Thesearmsofmine · 21/07/2021 10:37

Poor little one.

They are everywhere here. I have had them suddenly appear behind me on a pavement silently, a teen got injured riding one a few weeks ago. DH works shifts and last week there was a man riding one when he came home from work, very late at night, the man was wearing black, had no lights etc, DH said he has hardly visible.

Toddlerteaplease · 21/07/2021 10:48

We've got them in Nottingham as well. They are lethal. Though some of ours come with helmets. But I wouldn't want to put a shared helmet on my head!

NotMyCat · 21/07/2021 10:53

Popular round my area for teenagers riding in pairs, no helmets, in the middle of the road and usually antisocial behaviour

HouchinBawbags · 21/07/2021 10:55

I've nearly hit an 8yo girl a few times on a small electric moped scooter. Both her and her cousin got them one year and were an absolute menace for months, hitting people on pavements and just rolling straight off the pavements and side roads straight into traffic and forcing emergency stops, yelling and beeping of cat horns all over the place. They rode them on the road as if they were proper motorbikes but had absolutely no driving training at all (obviously) and didn't know a thing about stopping at junctions, red lights, signalling, crossing lanes or even which side of the road to drive on! Thankfully they must have grown bored because we no longer see them.
Now we have scrambler bikes, a number of mini quad bikes and some mini moto whatever bike things tearing up the park when the sun shines. Even the adults are getting in on it, knees up to their shoulders speeding around. I hope no one innocent gets hurt.

Toddlerteaplease · 21/07/2021 11:43

@NotMyCat

Popular round my area for teenagers riding in pairs, no helmets, in the middle of the road and usually antisocial behaviour
Exactly the same here. And with dark clothes on so they are invisible.
MsTSwift · 21/07/2021 12:16

Cars are more dangerous and polluting in cities. They should veer towards banning cars in all but exceptional circumstances and only have scooters.

Horehound · 21/07/2021 12:18

@DufferMum

We live in the country, on an A road, no pavements. Our neighbour’s 15yo son uses one to get into town, not even a crash helmet. He’s doing well over 20mph, I seriously don’t understand these things!
Well it sounds like that is illegal