‘It’s not safe’ Mum hits out after scooter hits pram
AMUM has spoken out after a person riding an e-scooter collided with the pushchair her child was in during the school run.
Georgie Martin said she was on Coronation Road in Southville on Tuesday, September 28, having just dropped her two daughters at school, when the collision happened.
The 34-year-old from Knowle was pushing her one-year-old son Solomon across the pedestrian crossing near Gaol Ferry Bridge.
She said a woman on a Voi scooter, who was crossing the road from the other side, suddenly cut across the stream of pedestrians and hit the pram.
The e-scooter user then allegedly rode away without leaving any details, only briefly stopping to ask if they were alright.
Georgie’s son was not hurt, but she said the incident could have been “really, really dangerous”, especially if her daughters had been walking alongside her.
She said: “It’s not safe and it’s not fair for people who do want to walk, and if you’re new to the city it could be really dangerous.
“Especially as well with children, what if they were to step out, you know? They’re unpredictable, children. I just think people scoot far too close and they don’t think about what could happen.”
She said she has reported the incident to Voi and the police, but because the woman riding the scooter didn’t leave any details, it is difficult for action to be taken.
Georgie thinks that Voi needs to tighten the rules for users and its monitoring of them.
The Swedish company began a trial in Bristol in 2020, allowing people to legally ride its orange e-scooters in many parts of the city with certain restrictions such as riders needing a valid driving licence.
One thing Georgie wants to see introduced is a device that could temporarily stop a scooter if it is involved in a collision.
She also thinks people who ride the scooters should be forced to wear helmets.
Voi does have a selfie system on its app through which users can show they are wearing a helmet and earn loyalty points, as an incentive to wear one, but this is not a requirement.
Its scooters should only be used on cycle lanes and roads and can travel up to 15.5mph, although the speed is limited to 5mph in certain areas, or 0mph outside the trial zone.
The company can block users who break its rules, and it uses geofencing technology to create no ride, slow ride and mandatory parking zones.
A Voi spokesperson said: “Voi’s number one priority is always the safety of its riders, pedestrians, and other road users. Therefore, it’s saddening to hear this unacceptable incident has occurred.
“Voi fits number plates to all its e-scooters so that they can be easily identified, offers online and in-person safety education, as well as operates a tough ‘three strikes’ policy through which incidents of misuse will lead to warnings, fines, and even bans.
“We expect all Voi riders to act in a responsible manner to keep themselves and others safe, and urge people to report any incidents of misuse directly to the police or via the ‘Report a Voi’ page.”
The spokesperson confirmed that the incident has been reported to them, adding: “We are working hard to identify the rider as well as how we can improve safety in this location.
“Once the full facts of the incident have been established, following an investigation, we will determine if any action needs to be taken against the individual as a result.”