E -scooter menace: Why EVERY one of these is dangerous
RIDING on the pavements, no helmets and without insurance – this is a worrying snapshot of e-scooter users across the UK.
As rollout schemes continue at pace, these images taken by The Mail on Sunday reveal the shocking extent to which users are putting t hemselves and others at risk.
Such is the ignorance of riders that some are unwittingly breaking the law while others openly flout safety guidelines.
Our photographers witnessed an e- scooter which can reach 12.5mph being ridden at speed illegally on a pavement, causing startled pedestrians to jump out of the way in fear.
Another was seen brazenly shooting through a red light junction into oncoming traffic. One young woman smiles seemingly oblivious to the dangers as she balances her shopping on the handlebars during a London shopping trip.
Meanwhile, two riders balance precariously on one machine as they negotiate heavy traffic in Birmingham.
None of the riders we observed were wearing helmets and even though this is not a legal requirement, it is recommended.
It is against the law to use a privately owned scooter on public roads but rental trials are now taking place in 32 areas of England, including London, Newcastle, Bristol and Nottingham.
Riders must have at least a provisional licence and the devices can be used only on cycle lanes and roads, except motorways.
Only one person may ride at a time and items should never be hung on the handlebars.
Rental scooters come with insurance but one rider this newspaper spoke to was on an uninsured private machine.
Ryan, 18, said: ‘Why would it be insured? It doesn’t need insurance. It’s a bike isn’t it?
‘They are great. I’ve got my provisional licence but you don’t need one’
Two girls putting back their rental scooters i n London’s Leicester Square said that they needed a driving licence to be able to rent them.
But they drew attention to a loophole saying: ‘Potentially you could give one of the scooters to your friend who is underage and has no ID as you can rent two scooters at the same time if you download the different apps.’
The Metropolitan Police has recently cracked down on illegal e-scooter use in the capital, seizing more than 500 last week.
Figures from the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety shows that this year there have been 52 collisions involving e-scooters of which 32 were serious or fatal and 12 resulted in head injuries.
Previously the organisation, which advises Parliament on road, rail and air safety issues, has raised serious doubts about the safety of e-scooters, describing them as ‘inherently unsafe’.