2 ms·

I'm not sure when the law changed here (UK); until a few years ago, it was a criminal offence to ride a powered vehicle on the footway, and a different criminal

I'm not sure when the law changed here (UK); until a few years ago, it was a criminal offence to ride a powered vehicle on the footway, and a different criminal offence to ride an electric scooter on the carriageway (not taxed, not certified for safety). So it was illegaal to ride an electric scooter on public land. Now local authorities are making deals with Chinese scooter-rental companies, and little scooter parks are popping up on the footway all over town. I nearly got knocked down by a rental e-scooter just yesterday - I was walking on the footway, the scooter zoomed past me with 3" clearance. I disapprove of local authorities making deals with retailers (advertising hoardings on the footway) and scooter firms to "monetise" space that's supposed to be reserved for pedestrians.

udp 5y ago
> I disapprove of local authorities making deals with retailers (advertising hoardings on the footway) and scooter firms to "monetise" space that's supposed to be reserved for pedestrians Except the app specifically tells you, after you send it a picture of your driving license to unlock the scooter, that you’re only allowed to ride it on roads <= 30mph and cycle paths.
- denton-scratch 5y ago
  My point is that the scooter parks have been carved out of the footway; the local authority is licensing the use of the footway for things other than pedestrians. I try to avoid brushing past people on the pavement/footway/sidewalk; these obstructions make the footway one-way, so I just have to wait until the path is clear. This becomes insane if there's also a bus stop - the bus queue takes up all the space that's left after the scooter parks and signboards have taken their bite. I have to step into the carriageway.
rich_sasha 5y ago
I used these once or twice (only to pick up my bike from a service). When you sign up, you have to swear on your mother's life not to ride it on the pavement. ... That definitely works.

udp 5y ago

> I disapprove of local authorities making deals with retailers (advertising hoardings on the footway) and scooter firms to "monetise" space that's supposed to be reserved for pedestrians Except the app specifically tells you, after you send it a picture of your driving license to unlock the scooter, that you’re only allowed to ride it on roads <= 30mph and cycle paths.

denton-scratch 5y ago
My point is that the scooter parks have been carved out of the footway; the local authority is licensing the use of the footway for things other than pedestrians. I try to avoid brushing past people on the pavement/footway/sidewalk; these obstructions make the footway one-way, so I just have to wait until the path is clear. This becomes insane if there's also a bus stop - the bus queue takes up all the space that's left after the scooter parks and signboards have taken their bite. I have to step into the carriageway.

rich_sasha 5y ago

I used these once or twice (only to pick up my bike from a service). When you sign up, you have to swear on your mother's life not to ride it on the pavement. ... That definitely works.