Other cities could show way for scooter use

BROKEN bones and concussion top the 150 notified injuries from electric scooters recorded since their introduction in Auckland and Wellington. Horrifying stuff, yet this 27kmh menace could be hurtling along Dunedin’s footpaths by Christmas.

The electrical scooter company Lime (ODT, 14.11.18) met the

Dunedin City Council two weeks ago to discuss how the service would work. A Christmas startup was possible.

The council, instead of fluffing around, should back off and see how Wellington and Auckland sort this out. The latter city is already taking action.

Mayor Phil Goff said the council was looking at a speed limit of about 10kmh. He said riding an escooter on the footpath at 25kmh was ‘‘just not on’’.

Mayor Dave Cull, preoccupied with overseas jaunts and his Local Government duties in Wellington, might bestir himself. Time is of the essence. Already an electrical giant has opened a store in Auckland where its escooters are ‘‘flying out the door’’. Other overseas companies are on the horizon.

All this overlooks the fact that ACC (in other words, the New Zealand taxpayer) is being taken to the cleaners in meeting liability for injury from escooters.

These costs should be shoved straight back to the companies involved. They are getting a free ride — no pun intended.

G. R. MacDonald

St Kilda

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