The requirement is simply that it's the law, see my post above.

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But mobility scooters don't require a licence to drive on the road (class 3) as well as pedelecs and Sinclair C5s so the need for a licence seems somewhat arbitrary.

But mobility scooters don't require a licence to drive on the road (class 3) as well as pedelecs and Sinclair C5s so the need for a licence seems somewhat arbitrary.

 

Three points:

 

This is trial which must comply with the law as it stands. Hence driving licences. We aren't going to pass a new law through both Houses just for a short trial.

 

Mobility vehicles are limited to 8 mph on the road, half the proposed 15.5 mph for the scooter trial.

 

Pedelecs are not motor vehicles, C5s are also motor assisted with pedals coming under our old pedelec law assist speed and are historic anyway.

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Edited July 1, 20205 yr by flecc

 

Well I believe you can potentially be charged if drunk and trying to ride a push bike so that doesn't surprise me if you are considered a danger/risk to others or yourself .

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

 

Shocked? How could they not see that was coming, I ask you.....:

Well I believe you can potentially be charged if drunk and trying to ride a push bike so that doesn't surprise me if you are considered a danger/risk to others or yourself .

 

Here a motorised scooter is a motor vehicle in law, so a positive test would mean a lost driving licence for at least a year.

 

Could make the hire ones unpopular among the drinking classes.

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In Merseyside a rider was seen riding unsafely thru the 2 miles of the Mersey tunnel and was spoken to buy the tunnel police but looks like he got away with bollocking.

 

In Brizzle on Sept 15th a rider was fine more then £300 and had 6 points put on his licence.

Thought this had already started in London but seems not. But waiting til "Next Spring", seems like the "horse" has bolted given the all too regular sight of these on London streets. If they can't crack down on the illegal scooters use now with relative low numbers , what are they going to do when they get semi legal for renters at least and further abused ?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/nov/17/transport-for-london-gives-go-ahead-for-e-scooters-on-capitals-streets

It is a rather bizarre situation that commercial companies can rent these out for a fee

but you can't buy one and ride it yourself

 

If they are safe then they are safe - it not then not

It is a rather bizarre situation that commercial companies can rent these out for a fee

but you can't buy one and ride it yourself

 

If they are safe then they are safe - it not then not

I agree. I suppose the idea is that it is easier to police adherence to standards on rental scooters than privately owned ones, but that seem pretty thin.

 

Especially thinking of some rental vans I came across locally: effectively 'Do you want the one with the bald tyres or the one with the dodgy brakes?' Or a similar choice for bike rental in a (rare) hilly region of Bangladesh: 'Do you want the one with the brakes or the one with the saddle?'

It is a rather bizarre situation that commercial companies can rent these out for a fee

but you can't buy one and ride it yourself

 

If they are safe then they are safe - it not then not

 

If your Private Scooter looks like one of these Hire Models , how is anyone going to tell the difference ?

It is a rather bizarre situation that commercial companies can rent these out for a fee

but you can't buy one and ride it yourself

 

If they are safe then they are safe - it not then not

 

Only for the trial though. If it's decided that we want them permanently, a whole new law with a set of rules will be passed for them.

 

As I posted above on this link, this is solely a political move.

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Halfords sees popularity of e-scooters surge in lockdown

 

The company said total e-mobility sales rose 184% in the first six months of its financial year.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54987883

They just nick them in the U.S take the display off down a back alley and fit a new one from eBay.

there was about 15 kids out side the shop last night and all of them had escooters they are fkn everywhere round here and police do nothing, never have lol.

Yeah it's not like they have anything to do is it. Like enforcing the governments Covid restrictions. Sorting out idiots who refuse to wear masks in shops etc. People going to illegal raves etc etc. People getting police involved in their Facebook arguements It's easy to blame the police. Don't forget there's 20,000 less officer now due to cuts in the police budgets.

Scooters are strictly road use only.

Kick scooters are the only exception to this though.

It is a rather bizarre situation that commercial companies can rent these out for a fee

but you can't buy one and ride it yourself

 

If they are safe then they are safe - it not then not

This rental policy strikes me as money-making scheme for the government and the firm they have done this deal with.