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> Unfortunately they are illegal by default in much of the world You are way off base here, considering that there must be at least 1000 times more electric sc

> Unfortunately they are illegal by default in much of the world You are way off base here, considering that there must be at least 1000 times more electric scooters than electric cars sold in much of the world.

rich_sasha 4y ago
They are, strictly speaking, illegal in the UK, except for limited pilot schemes. And yes, widely used. They are too beefy to count as a bicycle (like, no pedals etc) but don't meet more stringent criteria for a motorbike (like indicators, side mirrors etc). I'm less sure, but think they are also illegal in the EU, on the same premise.
- Gigachad 4y ago
  Illegal in most of Australia but the laws are being reviewed in most states. We have had rental scooters as a “trial” since 2019 which has been very successful, but owning one yourself is still an illegal unregistered vehicle. They are actually less powerful than e-bikes. E-bikes being allowed up to 25km/h while the rental ones are limited to 15km/h
  - stephen_g 4y ago
    They’re not illegal in Queensland (although there are quite ridiculously extreme and nonsensical penalties - for example the fine for using a mobile phone while riding a 15 kg scooter is exactly the same (over $1000!) as for somebody doing that while driving a multi-tonne vehicle that could flatten multiple pedestrians and kill multiple passengers at once in an accident)… Not that they shouldn’t have fines, it’s just the consequences to others for accidents in cars and trucks are hugely different and the fine should reflect that. Anyway, luckily I don’t care to do that , and the rule I do tend to break (going over 12 km/h on a pedestrian footpath) is almost unenforceable (I only do it if it’s completely clear, I slow right down if there are people within a few tens of meters ahead). You can go 25 km/h on bikeways and roads, but you aren’t allowed to ride on 60 km/h or up roads. Even with the crazy laws, it’s still a great way to get around and far better to have some silly rules than it being completely banned!
bloak 4y ago
Yes, much of the world doesn't really have any relevant rules, but there are quite a lot of rich countries in which an electric scooter is not allowed on the road because it doesn't fit into any of the allowed categories or conform to the strict rules that govern vehicles, but is not allowed on footpaths either because it is a vehicle (it has wheels). Ironically, the first time I saw an electric scooter in use, which was a very long time ago, it was in a Swiss railway station, and I think the user had just alighted from a train. (Switzerland has a reputation, perhaps unjustly, for strict rules.)
- robertlagrant 4y ago
  Here in the UK they're legal to rent but not to buy.
  - jodrellblank 4y ago
    They’re legal to buy and own and use on private land, and on public roads as long as you make sure they’re up to the regulations for powered road vehicles, which cheap ones usually aren’t, and you have a drivers license for them. They’re only not legal to use on pavement and cycle paths as if they were bicycles. This page is very readable: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powered-transporters/information-sheet-guidance-on-powered-transporters https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powered-transport...
- otabdeveloper4 4y ago
  I'm pretty sure this minority of countries is very much irrelevant vis-a-vis the future of manufacturing electric vehicles.
pards 4y ago
They're illegal in Toronto, too [0], but they're still prevalent due to the utter lack of enforcement. [0] https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/cycling-in-toronto/cycling-and-the-law/electric-bicycles-e-bikes-e-scooters/ https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-tra...

rich_sasha 4y ago

They are, strictly speaking, illegal in the UK, except for limited pilot schemes. And yes, widely used. They are too beefy to count as a bicycle (like, no pedals etc) but don't meet more stringent criteria for a motorbike (like indicators, side mirrors etc). I'm less sure, but think they are also illegal in the EU, on the same premise.

Gigachad 4y ago
Illegal in most of Australia but the laws are being reviewed in most states. We have had rental scooters as a “trial” since 2019 which has been very successful, but owning one yourself is still an illegal unregistered vehicle. They are actually less powerful than e-bikes. E-bikes being allowed up to 25km/h while the rental ones are limited to 15km/h
- stephen_g 4y ago
  They’re not illegal in Queensland (although there are quite ridiculously extreme and nonsensical penalties - for example the fine for using a mobile phone while riding a 15 kg scooter is exactly the same (over $1000!) as for somebody doing that while driving a multi-tonne vehicle that could flatten multiple pedestrians and kill multiple passengers at once in an accident)… Not that they shouldn’t have fines, it’s just the consequences to others for accidents in cars and trucks are hugely different and the fine should reflect that. Anyway, luckily I don’t care to do that , and the rule I do tend to break (going over 12 km/h on a pedestrian footpath) is almost unenforceable (I only do it if it’s completely clear, I slow right down if there are people within a few tens of meters ahead). You can go 25 km/h on bikeways and roads, but you aren’t allowed to ride on 60 km/h or up roads. Even with the crazy laws, it’s still a great way to get around and far better to have some silly rules than it being completely banned!

bloak 4y ago

Yes, much of the world doesn't really have any relevant rules, but there are quite a lot of rich countries in which an electric scooter is not allowed on the road because it doesn't fit into any of the allowed categories or conform to the strict rules that govern vehicles, but is not allowed on footpaths either because it is a vehicle (it has wheels). Ironically, the first time I saw an electric scooter in use, which was a very long time ago, it was in a Swiss railway station, and I think the user had just alighted from a train. (Switzerland has a reputation, perhaps unjustly, for strict rules.)

robertlagrant 4y ago
Here in the UK they're legal to rent but not to buy.
- jodrellblank 4y ago
  They’re legal to buy and own and use on private land, and on public roads as long as you make sure they’re up to the regulations for powered road vehicles, which cheap ones usually aren’t, and you have a drivers license for them. They’re only not legal to use on pavement and cycle paths as if they were bicycles. This page is very readable: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powered-transporters/information-sheet-guidance-on-powered-transporters https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powered-transport...
otabdeveloper4 4y ago
I'm pretty sure this minority of countries is very much irrelevant vis-a-vis the future of manufacturing electric vehicles.

pards 4y ago

They're illegal in Toronto, too [0], but they're still prevalent due to the utter lack of enforcement. [0] https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/cycling-in-toronto/cycling-and-the-law/electric-bicycles-e-bikes-e-scooters/ https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-tra...