Rental e-scooters to be made legal on roads in Great Britain from Saturday

[Nearly Sane]

Good idea?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53219331?fbclid=IwAR3cLecGsdDUoIJ2V6WjLGCKByoaB-3I8qy8bkgrjRkA9qp7fdCFiprpk7M

[Steve H]

Bloody ridiculous. I sopped playing with scooters when I was about seven. Some people need to grow up. I saw a 30+ bloke jumping the gun, riding one on the road, yesterday. Twat.

[Owlswing]

Good idea?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53219331?fbclid=IwAR3cLecGsdDUoIJ2V6WjLGCKByoaB-3I8qy8bkgrjRkA9qp7fdCFiprpk7M

Better than allowing them to race along the pavements with absolutely no regard for the pedestrians also using them.

Over the past four or five months, there have been at least five accidents involving these near-lethal lazy bugger transportation devices on the stretch of pavement outside the shops across from Hounslow West Station.

 

[Roses]

A ridiculous idea, I think they will cause accidents.

[Steve H]

A ridiculous idea, I think they will cause accidents.

Even LR is right occasionally.

[Sebastian Toe]

A ridiculous idea, I think they will cause accidents.

In what way?

[Steve H]

In what way?

Too slow, not visible enough, no lights.

[Roses]

Too slow, not visible enough, no lights.

Agreed

[Owlswing]

In what way?

Mis-judging the distance between two pedestrians and so sitting both on their arses on the pavement then rapidly disappearing in the distance without a backward glance.

Knocking over children who are walking with their backs to ten approaching scooter.

[Nearly Sane]

Mis-judging the distance between two pedestrians and so sitting both on their arses on the pavement then rapidly disappearing in the distance without a backward glance.

Knocking over children who are walking with their backs to ten approaching scooter.

So cars are a bad idea? Because you can do both of those in them.

[Steve H]

So cars are a bad idea? Because you can do both of those in them.

We can always rely on NS for a daft analogy. Cars don't normally drive on the pavement.
Anyway, yes - cars are a bad idea.

[Outrider]

We can always rely on NS for a daft analogy. Cars don't normally drive on the pavement.

I would have gone with pushbike myself, I think it's a better analogy.

Too slow - about comparable with a pushbike
Not visible enough - about comparable with a pushbike
No lights - most pushbikes don't come with lights.

Seems like a perfectly serviceable solution to the sort of traffic problems that plague inner city areas at the moment.  Smaller, lighter, quieter transport which makes a more efficient use of fossil fuels... There are already rules for the use of small personal transport vehicles which could apply with only minor amendments.

O.

[Nearly Sane]

T

We can always rely on NS for a daft analogy. Cars don't normally drive on the pavement.
Anyway, yes - cars are a bad idea.

I take it you have somehow missed the title of the thread. It's about them being driven on the road.


So please explain the problem with the analogy?

[Steve H]

T
I take it you have somehow missed the title of the thread. It's about them being driven on the road.


So please explain the problem with the analogy?

Certainly, dear boy, since you ask so politely. Owlswing was obviously talking about their use on pavements.

[Nearly Sane]

Certainly, dear boy, since you ask so politely. Owlswing was obviously talking about their use on pavements.

Which given the question is whether they are a good idea on roads is then irrelevant.

[Steve H]

Which given the question is whether they are a good idea on roads is then irrelevant.

Your argument is with Owly, not me.

[Nearly Sane]

Your argument is with Owly, not me.

No, you said the analogy was bad when I was taking the question in the context of the thread. It wasn't so that part of the argument is with you.

[Steve H]

Wodevva.

[Enki]

Which given the question is whether they are a good idea on roads is then irrelevant.

Yes, I thought it was about e-scooters(rented ones) being driven on certain roads/cycle paths, not on the pavements. My take on it is that it is quite reasonable to do so, just as bicycles are allowed on certain roads also, but not on pavements. As I understand it, they won't be allowed to be driven on pavements anyway so I don't see the point of the argument.

[Steve H]

bicycles are allowed on certain roads also, but not on pavements.

Bicycles are allowed on all roads except Motorways, and also on bridleways, off-road cycle paths, and canal towpaths (strictly speaking, you need a free licence to use towpaths, but no-one bothers). They are also allowed on cycle paths on pavements, and on shared-use pavements, but I never ride on pavements because bikes and pedestrians don't mix, and encouraging cyclists to use pavements is just surrendering to the infernal congestion engine.

[Sebastian Toe]

Agreed

Just like bicycles?

[Owlswing]

 So cars are a bad idea? Because you can do both of those in them.

Please see #2

I said that having them on the road was better than having them on the pavement! As they are at present!

[Nearly Sane]

Please see #2

I said that having them on the road was better than having them on the pavement! As they are at present!

Seb Toe asked why were they a bad idea in the context of the thread being allowed on roads, your arguments were irrelevant.
And they aren't legal on pavements.

[Roses]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53253194

The RNIB is very concerned about how these e-scooters could endanger blind and partially sight people.

[Enki]

Bicycles are allowed on all roads except Motorways, and also on bridleways, off-road cycle paths, and canal towpaths (strictly speaking, you need a free licence to use towpaths, but no-one bothers). They are also allowed on cycle paths on pavements, and on shared-use pavements, but I never ride on pavements because bikes and pedestrians don't mix, and encouraging cyclists to use pavements is just surrendering to the infernal congestion engine.

That's exactly why I said 'certain' roads, or else some bright spark would have probably tried to remind me that they aren't allowed on motorways.

I would far rather ride on shared-use pavements because it is far less dangerous for me than riding on the accompanying road. I am always careful to avoid pedestrians of course. Indeed, I rode on one(the pavement not the pedestrian ) today.