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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Has anyone bought their DC (15) an electric scooter?

19 replies

Glastonbury2020 · 22/12/2020 15:08

Currently sitting in a cafe next door to a scooter shop with DH. Our 15yo DD really wants an electric scooter for Xmas. Lots of her friends have them. But doing some research, they cannot ride them on pavements or roads. Has anyone bought theirs one, or is she just too young and will have to suck it up on Xmas morning?

OP posts:
ThinkWittyThoughts · 22/12/2020 15:26

My understanding is they are illegal unless used with permission on private property.

At 15 she's be liable, so no I wouldn't buy one. It won't be long before she can have a moped or car. What's wrong with an electric bike or something if you want her to be independent?

Lougle · 22/12/2020 15:28

What's the point if you can't use them on pavements or roads? Unless you know someone with lots of smooth paths on their land, it's not even (legally) usable.

HasaDigaEebowai · 22/12/2020 15:31

Using one is illegal and so I wouldn't bother. She's 15 and so its hardly as though she's going to ride it around your garden

HasaDigaEebowai · 22/12/2020 15:31

Do you means she's 5?

Papatron · 29/12/2020 15:49

Seems like every other kid around here has just got one for Xmas.
I disapprove. We've already got an obesity problem. Now they've all got scooters that don't even require them to move their legs! And they're riding on the roads. It's annoying.

Applejack87 · 29/12/2020 20:33

Electric scooters are dangerous not all riders wear protective helmets or clothing they weave in and out on pavements , I have seen people on roads what if they hit a pot hole in
the rd ? They can get up to 30mph my dd is 14 some of her friends have them she’s been asking for one for ages but we’ve stood our ground

Beamur · 29/12/2020 21:09

Illegal and dangerous.
Police may well take and crush them if they're a nuisance locally

ivykaty44 · 29/12/2020 21:19

They aren't illegal, they are not to be used on public highways though so limited use at present

they can be used if they are hired, so some local authorities have them for getting about and they are then legal to use on roads

until the rules around them change their is probably not much point - unless you've got a park you can use them

Brot64 · 29/12/2020 21:21

Following cause my DSS wants one but we are reluctant to get one for safety reason.

Original poster
Glastonbury2020 · 30/12/2020 20:30

We didn't get her one in the end, but all her friends got one so she was not impressed and I think she hitches a ride on theirs! It's her birthday on Feb and she has already started harping on about it again!

OP posts:
LadyCatStark · 30/12/2020 20:34

DH (yes he’s a fully grown adult 🤨) keeps banging on about them but I don’t see where he’d be able to ride it!

LynetteScavo · 30/12/2020 21:17

My 15yo is quite scathing about them and says only a certain type of person at school has them (she wasn't complementary) although she had great fun hiring one when we were in Paris.
I see a few people going to school in them around here. They use the pavement, as do the kids who ride bikes (as the main roads aren't safe for kids on bikes).

Would I buy one for my child? No, I wouldn't. Although I really fancy one for myself

ivykaty44 · 01/01/2021 18:01

I see a few people going to school in them around here.

I wish they would make them legal and all the school kids went on them - it would be far less car congested everywhere then

Papatron · 02/01/2021 07:26

@ivykaty44

I see a few people going to school in them around here.

I wish they would make them legal and all the school kids went on them - it would be far less car congested everywhere then

I would never send my kid to school on one. They cost about £200 and I doubt it would last long before being lost/stolen.
Burnthurst187 · 02/01/2021 07:44

Going by the local papers, children on them are being targeted by others around here. Police will stop kids on them also, one local force often posts photos of them

They must be a v attractive form of transport for a child but I'd be concerned about the above two things

ivykaty44 · 02/01/2021 21:03

I would never send my kid to school on one. They cost about £200 and I doubt it would last long before being lost/stolen.

So cheaper than a push bike or a mobile phone

calamityjam · 02/01/2021 21:07

There are trials at the moment and eventually, this year hopefully they will be put in the same catergory as e bikes. 14+ to use on roads.

ivykaty44 · 02/01/2021 21:11

I have a colleague who wants to do the 5 miles to work on one, when they’re legal. He reckons it’ll save him £50 a month and he can bring it inside as it’s small

Applejack87 · 03/01/2021 21:48

Need to be careful for a lot of reasons including pot holes in the rd

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