I have to admit I like electric scooters. They're fun to ride and they get you outdoors. As an older person I find the electric scooter as a wheeled recreational device (not riding on roads unless necessary) is safer than riding a bike on the road, but I have to admit, I think there should be guidelines and restrictions on their use.
I feel for a while a lot of people won't feel safe travelling on public transport with larger groups of people, I know I don't, so using an electric scooter for the last few kilometres of a trip to work or the shops will help people get and give them and their family peace of mind.
The following are a list of rules I feel should apply to electric scooters. I know others will see them as road vehicles but I personally don't. I see them as a wheeled recreational device.
By treating an electric scooter as a wheeled recreational device they can be used safely and the rules are well known.
When I see electric scooters on the road it concerns me and it doesn't look safe because of cars. As with wheeled recreational devices, the only time an electric scooter should be used on a road is when it isn't practical to use on the road related area. For example when the road related area is unmade. (Road related has the meaning of not the road but things associated with the road such as naturestrips and paths.)
The one area I haven't quite decided on is whether or not electric scooters should be able to be used in bike lanes. I do think they should be allowed to use a bike lane when the bike lane is well defined. But when bike lanes finish and bikes would normally share the road with cars, this is where I don't feel the electric scooter should be used. In other words, if a bike lane finishes the electric scooter should revert to using the footpath area and not the road.
It should be illegal to use an electric scooter whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The reason is a large percentage of electric scooter users involved in accidents are affected by drugs or alcohol. If you look at the number of electric scooter accidents with a person is using a helmet and not being affected by drugs or alcohol, the number is very low making an electric scooter quite safe. The majority of accidents where people are injured occur when people aren't wearing a helmet and/or are affected by drugs or alcohol.
I thought I'd pen my thoughts on using an electric scooter because I feel the legislation needs to be amended to cater for electric scooter users and electric scooter users need clear guidelines and rules on how electric scooters can be used and integrated into our society.
It also concerns me that local governments are creating laws for electric scooter rental companies so the local councils can make money through fees. The laws should be made for everyone, not just for big companies or local councils to make money. Laws need to be, and seen to be, independent and fair.
As people start returning to work the electric scooter is ideally placed to help people get to work. People can drive close to work and then use the electric scooter for the last few kilometres. This can make getting to work more cost effective. Electric scooters are better than bikes for this purpose due to their size which makes them easy to take into work and to store. Bikes are more difficult to transport and store.
Electric scooters are also better when used with public transport. A small fold-up bike is still far too bulky for use on buses or trams. Yes you can use them in this way but they can easily block access by other public transport users. Even in trains the electric scooter takes up far less space than a bike.
From a security point of view I feel an electric scooter is easier to ensure it is safe and secure. With a bike locked up in a public area there's a high risk of the bike being stolen or damaged. I've tested leaving two bikes locked in public places and both were stolen. Because of the smaller size the electric scooter does not need to be left in a public area and can be generally be secured in the work location.
I hope my thoughts help in some way.
Kelvin Eldridge
Update: 24/05/2020
Below is a picture of my 20" bike folded and in its bag. I tried very hard to keep it close and out of the way of other bus passengers. The bike even though its folder still takes up over half the width of the walking isle. One elderly person still managed to kick it and wasn't happy at all. It's hard to take a folded bike on a bus, but very easy to take a folded scooter, although a folded scooter still does take up some space. I'd much prefer to take a folding scooter over a folding bike onto public transport.
Update: 3 March 2021
I feel for a while a lot of people won't feel safe travelling on public transport with larger groups of people, I know I don't, so using an electric scooter for the last few kilometres of a trip to work or the shops will help people get and give them and their family peace of mind.
The following are a list of rules I feel should apply to electric scooters. I know others will see them as road vehicles but I personally don't. I see them as a wheeled recreational device.
- Everyone should wear a helmet when using an electric scooter for their own safety.
- Pedestrians come first. Only overtake a pedestrian if there's just one pedestrian. If there's two or more pedestrians walking astride, then dismount from the electric scooter and walk past with the scooter until it is safe to remount. (Upon a scooter rider ringing a bell pedestrians should attempt to move to one side, as they do for bikes on shared paths, so the rider can pass.)
- Let pedestrians know you're approaching by using a bell, as there's nothing worse than a startled and unpredictable pedestrian.
- Limit speed to maximum around 10kph or slower when around pedestrians. The current maximum of speed of around 25km/h is OK at other times, although as for any mode of moving, common sense should be used to adjust the speed to suit the conditions.
- Electric scooters shouldn't be ridden on roads, except for short distances in the same way regular scooters can be ridden.
- Electric scooters should be treated as a wheeled recreational device and obey the same laws.
- Electric scooters should be able to be used on bike paths as per a wheeled recreational device.
- Electric scooters should be able to used on walking paths as a recreational wheeled device.
- People should not use electric scooters if affected by drugs or alcohol.
By treating an electric scooter as a wheeled recreational device they can be used safely and the rules are well known.
When I see electric scooters on the road it concerns me and it doesn't look safe because of cars. As with wheeled recreational devices, the only time an electric scooter should be used on a road is when it isn't practical to use on the road related area. For example when the road related area is unmade. (Road related has the meaning of not the road but things associated with the road such as naturestrips and paths.)
The one area I haven't quite decided on is whether or not electric scooters should be able to be used in bike lanes. I do think they should be allowed to use a bike lane when the bike lane is well defined. But when bike lanes finish and bikes would normally share the road with cars, this is where I don't feel the electric scooter should be used. In other words, if a bike lane finishes the electric scooter should revert to using the footpath area and not the road.
It should be illegal to use an electric scooter whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The reason is a large percentage of electric scooter users involved in accidents are affected by drugs or alcohol. If you look at the number of electric scooter accidents with a person is using a helmet and not being affected by drugs or alcohol, the number is very low making an electric scooter quite safe. The majority of accidents where people are injured occur when people aren't wearing a helmet and/or are affected by drugs or alcohol.
I thought I'd pen my thoughts on using an electric scooter because I feel the legislation needs to be amended to cater for electric scooter users and electric scooter users need clear guidelines and rules on how electric scooters can be used and integrated into our society.
It also concerns me that local governments are creating laws for electric scooter rental companies so the local councils can make money through fees. The laws should be made for everyone, not just for big companies or local councils to make money. Laws need to be, and seen to be, independent and fair.
As people start returning to work the electric scooter is ideally placed to help people get to work. People can drive close to work and then use the electric scooter for the last few kilometres. This can make getting to work more cost effective. Electric scooters are better than bikes for this purpose due to their size which makes them easy to take into work and to store. Bikes are more difficult to transport and store.
Electric scooters are also better when used with public transport. A small fold-up bike is still far too bulky for use on buses or trams. Yes you can use them in this way but they can easily block access by other public transport users. Even in trains the electric scooter takes up far less space than a bike.
From a security point of view I feel an electric scooter is easier to ensure it is safe and secure. With a bike locked up in a public area there's a high risk of the bike being stolen or damaged. I've tested leaving two bikes locked in public places and both were stolen. Because of the smaller size the electric scooter does not need to be left in a public area and can be generally be secured in the work location.
I hope my thoughts help in some way.
Kelvin Eldridge
Update: 24/05/2020
Below is a picture of my 20" bike folded and in its bag. I tried very hard to keep it close and out of the way of other bus passengers. The bike even though its folder still takes up over half the width of the walking isle. One elderly person still managed to kick it and wasn't happy at all. It's hard to take a folded bike on a bus, but very easy to take a folded scooter, although a folded scooter still does take up some space. I'd much prefer to take a folding scooter over a folding bike onto public transport.
Upon further thinking over the idea of electric scooters using bike lanes on roads (not bike paths), I feel for simplicity and safety, electric scooters shouldn't use bike lanes on roads. The temptation for people using bike lanes that end, to continue on the road, I feel would be extremely high.
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