Topic: e-scooters

[Red Beret]

I've mentioned this before, but earlier this year I saw a woman riding one on the main road by Park Place/St James Place with presumably her daughter standing in front of her on the footplate. The kid couldn't have been more than six years old, no helmets, and traffic was fairly heavy. When the woman realised I'd clocked her she looked horribly embarrassed. I don't know if she thought what she was doing was illegal, but she clearly knew she shouldn't have been doing it.

Shit like that would have got child services involved years ago, it's endangerment.

[Indomitable_Carp]

Looks like the sort of shit you see in Asia. I thought it was Liverpool as well to be fair. But then I clocked the dads trainies looking like jester shoes. Now I´m no fashionista, but nah...

[kesey]

Thought it was Liverpool on first glance too, but the reg plates are Irish

Maybe they are going down Queens Drive to get the ferry .

 

[redbyrdz]

Maybe they are going down Queens Drive to get the ferry .

 

That ferry goes from Birkenhead...

[kesey]

That ferry goes from Birkenhead...

They were going turning left on County Road and going through the tunnel. ... 

[rob1966]

That ferry goes from Birkenhead...

That's Belfast isn't it? I used to drop trailers bound for Dublin at the P&O terminal at Gladstone Dock and I'm sure that's also the car ferry. Only ever done one trailer for Belfast and I dropped that in Birkenhead.

[redbyrdz]

That's Belfast isn't it? I used to drop trailers bound for Dublin at the P&O terminal at Gladstone Dock and I'm sure that's also the car ferry. Only ever done one trailer for Belfast and I dropped that in Birkenhead.

Ah, yeah that seems right. To be honest most Irish people I know drive to Holyhead and get the ferry from there, because it's much quicker.

[courty61]

Has anyone used these in town yet?

I am rushing to the match tonight and was considering using one for part of the walk/run up from the train station (I ain't going up Walton Breck Road on 1 :-) )

[CraigDS]

I used them often when I lived in town. You’ll need to download the Voi app and register using your drivers license. Best doing it before hand if possible to save you some time.

[Linudden]

Obviously not living in Liverpool. Either way, they're lethal devices around here. Completely unpredictable and unshielded riders paying no attention to either pedestrians or bikers. I hate them!

I'd encourage everyone to buy a proper kickbike instead since it's somewhat of an exercise and require attention.

[So… Howard Philips]

Lethal devices around here. Completely unpredictable and unshielded riders paying no attention to either pedestrians or bikers. Get rid 

I'd encourage everyone to buy a proper kickbike instead since it's somewhat of an exercise and require attention.

Seem to attract a certain age of male rider who whizz along at maximum speed without any thought of danger to pedestrians or themselves.

However some cyclists ae just as bad weaving on and off pavements, ignoring red lights - and I'm an occasional cyclist as well.

[ianburns252]

Obviously not living in Liverpool. Either way, they're lethal devices around here. Completely unpredictable and unshielded riders paying no attention to either pedestrians or bikers. I hate them!

I'd encourage everyone to buy a proper kickbike instead since it's somewhat of an exercise and require attention.

Never thought I would actually agree with you on something!

They don't have to be lethal but too many ride them with no concern for those around them and, it seems, a lack of understanding of the rules of the road/driver safety

[CraigDS]

Seem to attract a certain age of male rider who whizz along at maximum speed without any thought of danger to pedestrians or themselves.

The teen/early 20’s girls on them always seem the worst on them in my experience.

[courty61]

I used them often when I lived in town. You’ll need to download the Voi app and register using your drivers license. Best doing it before hand if possible to save you some time.

Yeah done that just to see how it works.

Do you literally just park them up anywhere, as long as it is sensible?

[CraigDS]

Yeah done that just to see how it works.

Do you literally just park them up anywhere, as long as it is sensible?

Yeah pretty much (although think they were thinking of changing this).

[rob1966]

The teen/early 20’s girls on them always seem the worst on them in my experience.

The same group who are the worst in cars too.

Seem to attract a certain age of male rider who whizz along at maximum speed without any thought of danger to pedestrians or themselves.

However some cyclists ae just as bad weaving on and off pavements, ignoring red lights - and I'm an occasional cyclist as well.

Saw one go straight through a red last week right in front of a copper and the dopey c*nt fucking sat there and did nothing - its your fucking job ffs

[So… Howard Philips]

The same group who are the worst in cars too.

Saw one go straight through a red last week right in front of a copper and the dopey c*nt fucking sat there and did nothing - its your fucking job ffs

Same by us. Lost count of the number of times young girls cut corners.

Mind you when my 18 year old daughter passed her test my wife would often shut her eyes when she drove past parked cars with microns to spare.

[rob1966]

Same by us. Lost count of the number of times young girls cut corners.

Mind you when my 18 year old daughter passed her test my wife would often shut her eyes when she drove past parked cars with microns to spare.

Whenever a car cuts a corner, its always a woman driver. Also, the one who will be tear arsing around a Tesco car park or yakking on a phone

[BlackandWhitePaul]

With everyone scootering or driving or electric biking places, it's no wonder there's an obesity problem.  Hell, I get 10k steps a day and I still have a weight problem!

[BlackandWhitePaul]

However some cyclists ae just as bad weaving on and off pavements, ignoring red lights - and I'm an occasional cyclist as well.

I don't class them as cyclists, not real cyclists any way, they are just arseholes who happen to have a bike.

[So… Howard Philips]

I don't class them as cyclists, not real cyclists any way, they are just arseholes who happen to have a bike.

Arseholes who happen to have a bike, wear North Face and text while cycling.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

Arseholes who happen to have a bike, wear North Face and text while cycling.

If you happen to have a broom shank or a nice piece of hickory handy then I suggest ramming it through the front wheel which will, hopefully, send the c*nt over the handlebars head first.

[rob1966]

I don't class them as cyclists, not real cyclists any way, they are just arseholes who happen to have a bike.

Yeah, we all call them cyclists but they're not, they're just c*nts on bikes, same way those feral scum on scooters or mopeds get called bikers.

[Linudden]

Never thought I would actually agree with you on something!

They don't have to be lethal but too many ride them with no concern for those around them and, it seems, a lack of understanding of the rules of the road/driver safety

The issue here is that a lot of the time they're ridden by a bunch of teenagers who have no clue about basic traffic etiquette and as a result they keep going in 30 kph (18.5 mph) even in crowded places while scrolling their cellphones. Often on the wrong side of the road too. It's a disaster. I'm lucky to have carbon fibre brakes on my bike so if sighted I'm able to easily swerve out of their way. Having said that, I know the bike lanes/tracks of this town like the back of my hand and these lot seem like they don't. It's only a matter of time before they show up behind a blind corner and frontally strike behind a hedge or something. Can't do shit when it comes to these morons who think they're invincible. Just like this: me on my 25 lb bike with me sitting down wearing a helmet and an armoured back plate is going to do a hell lot better than a cellie-scrolling fool when that moment happens.

A lot of the time I feel safer on the highway than downtown because of the clientele operating different types of vehicles around here 

I guess Pandora's box is opened already but I wish I could ban the lazy knuckledraggers from the road 

[ianburns252]

The issue here is that a lot of the time they're ridden by a bunch of teenagers who have no clue about basic traffic etiquette and as a result they keep going in 30 kph (18.5 mph) even in crowded places while scrolling their cellphones. Often on the wrong side of the road too. It's a disaster. I'm lucky to have carbon fibre brakes on my bike so if sighted I'm able to easily swerve out of their way. Having said that, I know the bike lanes/tracks of this town like the back of my hand and these lot seem like they don't. It's only a matter of time before they show up behind a blind corner and frontally strike behind a hedge or something. Can't do shit when it comes to these morons who think they're invincible. Just like this: me on my 25 lb bike with me sitting down wearing a helmet and an armoured back plate is going to do a hell lot better than a cellie-scrolling fool when that moment happens.

A lot of the time I feel safer on the highway than downtown because of the clientele operating different types of vehicles around here 

I guess Pandora's box is opened already but I wish I could ban the lazy knuckledraggers from the road 

I'm with you man - I cycle (and it doesn't help our rep that there are those who fly through lights and that - yes, car drivers aren't perfect but in a fight between a car and a bike the bike is losing so should take fewer risks) and I've had more near misses in recent months due to e-scooters than cars.

It does help that London is well set up for cyclists (or at least in the areas I go) but the e-scooters are causing all kinds of hell. Plenty of them being flown around on by dealers and stuff as well.

Not sure on the rules here for them but I've seen kids as young as 13 or 14 on private ones (assume public rental ones must be 18+) and there need to be restrictions brought in. Maybe bring it in line with rules on mopeds and motorbikes?

They are a great idea in theory - people don't need to drive/get taxis for shortish journeys and that but they aren't regulated enough to be safe.

[CraigDS]

The restrictions are already there. 18+ and need a car license (or provisional) - so same as mopeds. Illegal to ride privately owned ones on public space.

[So… Howard Philips]

The restrictions are already there. 18+ and need a car license (or provisional) - so same as mopeds. Illegal to ride privately owned ones on public space.

And I'm sure enforcement is a police priority.

[CraigDS]

And I'm sure enforcement is a police priority.

I mean that’s a separate issue really. The laws are there though.

[ianburns252]

The restrictions are already there. 18+ and need a car license (or provisional) - so same as mopeds. Illegal to ride privately owned ones on public space.

Is that just for hired ones?

Or is it meant to cover all, including private ones?

If so, then yes, it moves to being an issue of policing of it.

[CraigDS]

Is that just for hired ones?

Or is it meant to cover all, including private ones?

If so, then yes, it moves to being an issue of policing of it.

Private ones are illegal in public spaces. So yeah it’s a policing issue for sure.

I know two guys who owned their own where I lived in Liverpool. Used to pop the shops on them / commute to work and weren’t dickheads on them - they ended up getting rid as they said police pulled them a few times and gave them warnings.

Problem is I imagine the ones being dickheads on them are probably prepared to do a running from the police on them too. Which I doubt isn’t too hard.

[rob1966]

Is that just for hired ones?

Or is it meant to cover all, including private ones?

If so, then yes, it moves to being an issue of policing of it.

The law around e-scooters is an absolute joke, its not illegal to buy, sell or own a private e-scooter, but its illegal to use it in public. If they can't be used legally, unless you are loaded and own a huge property, don't allow the sale .

[CraigDS]

The law around e-scooters is an absolute joke, its not illegal to buy, sell or own a private e-scooter, but its illegal to use it in public. If they can't be used legally, unless you are loaded and own a huge property, don't allow the sale .

There are loads of things you can buy but not use in public. So not sure it’s a reason not to sell them.

I think the issue is they should probably be registered and better policed. With the legalities around them better publicised.

[Linudden]

I think above all their speed limits need to be reduced to 15 mph. That's a reasonable riding speed within an urban area but since you have proper brakes on most bicycles when above that it's easier to stop and also easier to suddenly change direction merely by slightly leaning one side of the body across. These things seem to be hard to control whenever people are just standing atop them which increases danger levels further.

To make matters even worse, the same rural clientele as the town kids on e-scooters, instead drive "moped cars" that are accident machines on the highways. They're allowed to be on 55 mph-roads in Sweden even though they can't drive above 25 mph themselves which is a recipy for disaster. This is worsened in particular by the drivers being 15-17 years old with fuck all clue of what they're doing. At least on mopeds taking evasive action or staying on the side is easy but these things are like narrow tractors clogging up the roads year round for no reason and also cause me some grief while riding a bicycle because they pass too close cause the kid doesn't know what they're doing.

[courty61]

Used one in the end last night as there was 1 right outside Bank Hall Station. Got to the corner of Stanley Park/Anfield Road in about 4 mins and wasn't going full pelt either as didn't want to hurt myself, being an old 36 year old!

Really easy to use and the app worked well, just not sure about doing it if it were any darker

[CraigDS]

The Voi ones in Liverpool (only legal ones allowed) are limited to 10mph, and 5mph in “pedestrian” areas.

[Linudden]

The Voi ones in Liverpool (only legal ones allowed) are limited to 10mph, and 5mph in “pedestrian” areas.

That makes a ton of difference. Here they're like rocketships in comparison 

[CraigDS]

That makes a ton of difference. Here they're like rocketships in comparison 

Yeah the speed some of the privately owned ones go that I've seen is ridiculous. I'd not want to come off one doing 30mph+, the tarmac would be a cheese grater to your skin.

[rob1966]

There are loads of things you can buy but not use in public. So not sure it’s a reason not to sell them.

I think the issue is they should probably be registered and better policed. With the legalities around them better publicised.

E-scooters are a bit different, as the only reason for buying one is to ride it in the streets and its illegal to do so, so why allow the sale?

[Red Beret]

E-scooters are a bit different, as the only reason for buying one is to ride it in the streets and its illegal to do so, so why allow the sale?

Yeah. It's not like, say, owning a gun which you can only use on a range. Laws are useless if the police lack the resources to enforce them.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Fucking hate them. They are forever swerving on and off the pavement in front of your car, carring a gobshite 'adult' and their kid and acting like absolute shithouses.