Forum Topic

Revealed: Full scale of injuries being caused by e-scooters in London

From the Sub, so it must be right - https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/escooter-accidents-injuries-revealed-london-tfl-ban-b985850.htmlIs the hapless little twerp of a mayor still behind them as part of his vision of the future?

Peter King ● 1663d13 Comments

So let me get this right:The unauthorized use of these e-scooters goes unchallenged by Met Police. People get killed. People get injured. Who pays for the necessary NHS care?Maybe send the bills direct to the Mayor? Or Met Police?

David Lesniak ● 1663d

I read somewhere that the police had confiscated hundreds of the things. I'm not seeing as many but maybe that's the weather.

Vivienne Cox ● 1663d

Sorry David - don’t quite follow. Are you trying to suggest  that the mayor is encouraging the use of illegal scooters? Or is it something else that you suggest makes him responsible in part for the increase in fatalities?And who would you suggest holds some responsibility for increased fatalities in other parts of the UK outside London? Or are these increased fatalities a uniquely London thing?

Andrew Jones ● 1663d

I'm suggesting by looking the other way and not prosecuting then, indeed, the Mayor and Met Police and LBH, etc. are encouraging their use. As such, they are complicit in causing increased fatalities. They are all negligent in their duty of care among other things.Outside of London I'd say those authorities with jurisdiction are to blame. Including, but not limited to, retailers. I've never seen a scooter advertised with the proper warning akin to the warning on a pack of cigarettes. Not that that stops anyone but it suggests accountability.As for the mother I see each morning with her child simply standing with her on her personal e-scooter, I'd say she's guilty of child endangerment. I see that as no different, in fact worse, as letting a young child sit in the front seat without a seat belt. But that's just my opinion.

David Lesniak ● 1662d

https://richmond.nub.news/n/sadiq-khan-pledges-to-clamp-down-on-illegal-e-scooterssuggests that the Mayor isn't looking the other way.

Andrew Jones ● 1662d

Weasel words from a weasel!

Peter King ● 1662d

What that suggests, Andrew, is the mayor is politicking. Nothing more.Remember, he is not going to apologize. That's his mantra.

David Lesniak ● 1662d

Sadly I am not really surprised having seen on a fairly regular basis some truly dangerous riding by those on e-scooters.  In particular, even when they are riding on the roads it would appear that rather too many e-scooter riders believe they have the right to ride on the wrong side of the road.

Justin Stephenson ● 1662d

Fr too many people on the road who don't know or remember the rules of the road.  It needs to start as a lot off it does once again in the schools where consideration for others also needs to be taught instead of just dog eat dog

Philippa Bond ● 1662d

Ths big problem is the size of the wheels.  With small wheels like that, you will go over the handle bars very easily if you hit a pot hole.In theory, they could be useful in some situations. The most obvious one is someone getting into a major station like Paddington, and using a scooter for the last mile or two.  They are a lot more compact than a bike to take on the train.  The problem with that is their propensity to catch fire.  They have already been banned on LU, and a ban might well come on other railways as well.Whatever happens, the government needs to legislate on them.  There should be a minimum wheel size of at least 6 inches, ideally 8 inches.  They should also be limited in speed to 10 or 12 mph by law.  Doing 20 mph on something with wheels that small is mad.

Al Webber ● 1661d

Al, I agree wheel size is an issue, big or small.Look what happened to our poor old chap on his 0.01 new pence contraption when confronted with the wrong type of grass! :)

Adrian Irving ● 1661d

I think that one of the problems surrounding these things is that many of the people who use them will not, I suspect, have had any previous experience of even riding a bike. Add to that the fact that many of those who obtain them are at precisely the age when you are at your least responsible (i.e. mid to late teens), and you have a recipe for dangerous riding and the inevitable disasters. To top it all off, the relevant authorities seem to have abnegated all responsibility, apart from issuing a few feeble caveats which are, in the main, unenforced.

Colin Jordan ● 1661d

There is now an e-scooter on sale which will do 75mph.  Bonkers.

Marie Power ● 1660d