Electric scooters!

[TOKOLOSHI]

Are these replacing Folding bikes on yachts? They obviously take up less room . Are they a practical alternative?

 

[Paulg25]

At the moment, privately-owned electric scooters are illegal to use on the public highway in the UK. You can only ride privately-owned e-scooters on private land, with the landowner’s permission.

However, it’s completely legal to buy, sell, own and keep an e-scooter.

Rental e-scooters as part of current nationwide trial schemes are permitted for use on the public highway, subject to local rules and regulations, usually within a certain geographical area (sometimes called ‘geo-zoning’).

 

[Concerto]

They are illegal to use on UK roads.

Drat Paulg25 beat me to it.

 

[KompetentKrew]

Quite tempting.

Cycling uphill the other week I was passed by two - it wasn't;'t the steepest of hills but. nevertheless, I hadn't really appreciated they were capable of that.

I needed a part machined whilst anchored at Camaret last year, and had to cycle nearly 10 miles to a fabricator the other side of Crozon - the hills were much steeper and it was not a pleasant ride.

I am still waiting for ebikes to fall in price - a Montague M-E1 is my current object of desire, but they are not cheap.

 

[Bouba]

This is in my lazaret



It’s a go anywhere, very stable e scooter. The hook that I put on the handle bar stem can hold two shopping bags, that plus a backpack means I can get all the shopping I need in one go. For larger items, hot pizza, water bottles, dog, I also carry this folding trailer.
The only downside of my hugely capable, off road, long range folding scooter is that it’s huge and heavy. Very heavy (25 kg).
But of course, much lighter ones are available.

 

[Daydream believer]

I am still waiting for ebikes to fall in price - a Montague M-E1 is my current object of desire, but they are not cheap.

Trouble with some of those E bikes is that they change designs too often & spares can well become an issue. I bought a couple of Brompton E bikes simply because the design has hardly changed for many years. It has been right from the very start so needed little modification. Spares are available for every model. There are 75000 Bromptons in London alone- so something must be right about them.
As for the subject of the thread- On the continent- My experience is Ostend- they seem great as the public are already spacially aware of bikes. In the UK it is different & they walk about totally oblivious to the world around them with either earbuds or looking at phones etc. Thus the arrival of scooters in public places is said to cause issues. I am told that there has even been fatalities. Certainly accidents. The general disrespect for others that some have ( generally in the younger user more likely to ignore the law, but not always) has not helped in these situations either.

 

[sarabande]

Bags on handlebars, or in this case the stem, are a source of accidents as the increased moments of inertia can cause erratic steering.

Other than that, it is an impressive piece of kit.

 

[Bouba]

Bags on handlebars, or in this case the stem, are a source of accidents as the increased moments of inertia can cause erratic steering.

Other than that, it is an impressive piece of kit.

This is true, but to counter act this, the bags hang very low. I did a fair bit of experimenting ?

 

[TOKOLOSHI]

I can see the merits and change will happen ,I am sure.

 

[MAGTRAD]

I think they're a brilliant invention and ideally suited to yachting as they don't take up as much space as a bike when folded and are great for getting around large Marinas. I also see lots of "senior citizens" use them as they provide easy mobility and they're eco-friendly to boot!

Although they are still technically illegal on UK highways as they're classed as an MPV (Mechanically Propelled Vehicle) and should be treated as a Motorcycle for example as are lots of e-bikes.

The sheer fact that there are so many trials around the country where they can be rented and ridden on the road (Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Southampton to name a few) can only be seen as a positive step.

The press sensationalise whenever there's an accident however, if you reported every serious injury involving a push-bike they're would be no room for any other news!

 

[Ningaloo]

Whilst these might be illegal (for now) in the UK, the EU is more forward thinking and they are mostly legal to use on the road and cycle paths. Helmets required in France but not Spain and Portugal. No riding in powered mode on pedestrian pavements.

Because they fold into a long (1m) but narrow (35x25cm) package, they will get through smaller hatches than a bike. I could not not my decathlon folding bike into the 50cm square bow locker hatch, but the scooter is easy to get in and can be strapped vertically inside the locker, taking little space and also being instantly accessible, unlike the bike which used to need everything else removed before I could get to it.

I shop with a rucksack for heavy items and light items hang in a bag on the handlebar hook. 15kph in eco mode or 25kmh "turbo" with 30km range, although they do struggle up steeper hills.

The double joy of power plus ease of storage and instant accessibility make this a no brainer.

 

[Bouba]

France has legalized them but emasculated them at the same time. Not quite requiring a man with a red flag to walk in front but close enough. Only one person (these are perfect for mums to take a young child to school), 25 kph (mine potentially can do 45). No seat (the seat makes it far safer and stable). Only on 50 kph roads. Insurance, helmet, hi vis (actually I can’t remember if hi vis is required or it’s just me). Of course, I am the only person in France that obeys those rules.
While every e scooter accident is bad (and a very few fatal), in nearly every circumstance I would rather be hit by a commuter on his e scooter than by his car.

 

[Bouba]

Of course, this is a staged photo. He won’t stay in it for more than a moment and certainly not while it’s moving. But if he did go lame while on a walk at least I could, in theory, rescue him. On any boat trip (and every other day of the week) the wife takes him on a 15 kilometer morning walk over rugged countryside. On his afternoon walk, I usually accompany them.

 

[ctva]

France has legalized them but emasculated them at the same time. ... Only on 50 kph roads. Insurance, helmet, hi vis (actually I can’t remember if hi vis is required or it’s just me). Of course, I am the only person in France that obeys those rules☹.
While every e scooter accident is bad (and a very few fatal), in nearly every circumstance I would rather be hit by a commuter on his e scooter than by his car.

I certainly would not disagree with those requirements. Insurance is an issue as why should only one class of road users have to have it and what cover do I have if an e-scooter/bike cause an accident (although in the current climate cyclists and by extension, scooterists will never be at fault)? Hi-vis, that should be a no brainer but with the number of cyclists in black, it says a lot about their sense of self preservation.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Whatever happened to good old walking. It's what humans were designed to do. Keeps you fit and you see the world at an acceptable pace. E bikes provide nothing to keep you fit.

Cycling on pavements is out of control in GB and these ebikes will only compound the problem. Because there is no licensing identification on bikes or ebikes , the innocent will continue to suffer without any comeback.?

 

[[70521]]

Saw several in France last week. A lot less smelly that those wee petrol driven things ridden by the young.

 

[Bouba]

Whatever happened to good old walking. It's what humans were designed to do. Keeps you fit and you see the world at an acceptable pace. E bikes provide nothing to keep you fit.

Cycling on pavements is out of control in GB and these ebikes will only compound the problem. Because there is no licensing identification on bikes or ebikes , the innocent will continue to suffer without any comeback.?

As a lazaret form of transport, it gives you range, you are not tied to the vicinity of the port. It keeps you off public transport, it is handy for victualling and buying spares. But yes, people should walk, I do loads

 

[Refueler]

I was talking about them other day to friends ... after reading Paris Mayor threatening to ban them after second death caused by reckless 'e-scooter' rider.
We have an experiment in Ventspils where E is being tested ...

Green E-scooters are placed on pavements about the town and you telephone the number - they unlock by SMS the scooter and you pay via mobile phone bill for time its used.
Trouble is - placing on the pavement sets the use on the pavement and they are not slow machines ... we already have complaints of 'joy-riders' not taking care about people walking.

I can see their use and have thought about one myself ... local shop has them quite cheap and foldable .... but so far resisted.

But I do find it interesting in general use though - television and media is full of Health adverts etc. for exercise machines ... healthy diets ... general exercise and health issues. Here we are with people not walking or cycling but jumping on an E-scooter. Double standards anyone ?
Wasn't so long ago there was all the chat about using the car to go to the local shops instead of walking / cycling ...

 

[Daydream believer]

Whatever happened to good old walking. It's what humans were designed to do. Keeps you fit and you see the world at an acceptable pace. E bikes provide nothing to keep you fit.

Cycling on pavements is out of control in GB and these ebikes will only compound the problem. Because there is no licensing identification on bikes or ebikes , the innocent will continue to suffer without any comeback.?

I beg to differ.
Who decides what is an "acceptable pace"? I suppose you drive your car at 5MPH do you? Or is an "Acceptable pace" one that only suits you.
I get considerable exercise from my e bike . My e bike requires input to make it go. One does not just turn the throttle & expect it to accelerate. That type of bike is illegal in the UK. One has to rotate the pedals & apply the power such that the motor senses the input, or cadence, which is exercise in itself. There is less weight on my legs & walking is uncomfortable on my hips but I can cycle 15 miles. That is a typical local circuit that my wife & I do. We sometimes go to Burnham & back which clocks 19 miles. The max speed of the ebike is 15.5 MPH. When it reaches that speed the motor cuts out. The beauty of the Brompton is that the motor does not cause any rolling resistence. My wife & i often return average speeds over 15 miles of just over 16MPH. That is because we beat the e bike speed on the flat & use it to get us up hills. We ( well me mostly ) often return knackered

Then can you tell me why E bikes will compound the problem of irresponsible use on pavements. If a cyclist does decide to go on a footpath I do not see how it will make the slightest difference if it is electric or not.
I might suggest that an electric user is more like to stay on the road as the assistance of the motor means that he does not need to take short cuts at junctions etc . As an example, In towns, My ebike will pull away very quickly at lights & I can get in front of cars, so the tendancy to go on the pavement to avoid being cut up by a car turning left in front of me is reduced. I can get across traffic in lanes easier as well, thus I do not have to resort to pedalling on a footpath then across a crossing to get to another side.
I find my E bike quite safe ( in relative terms) to use. I have taken out additional third party insurance for E bike use

 

[Refueler]

I beg to differ.
Who decides what is an "acceptable pace"? I suppose you drive your car at 5MPH do you? Or is an "Acceptable pace" one that only suits you.
I get considerable exercise from my e bike . My e bike requires input to make it go. One does not just turn the throttle & expect it to accelerate.

But that's an e-bike ..... not an e-scooter.

Your e-bike is based on a conventional pedal cycle ......

This article on BBC may be of interest ....

Paris threatens e-scooter ban after woman's death