Speaking of road accidents, it occurred to me the other day that the rates in UK towns is surely set to rise significantly. Reason being the food delivery guys (and maybe gals, but they all seem to be guys) - they are zipping around on scooters with L plates, and many of them seem to have never driven anything on the road before these things, partly because they weren't old enough and have just upgraded from a bicycle. Some of them seem to think it's a workable alternative to Dignitas.
Oh, they're an ever increasing nightmare. As is the easily availability of 'e-scooters' (daft electrically powered vehicles with no construction or use standards applied..).
Electric scooters are illegal. They cannot be used on roads as they are unlicensed and unapproved vehicles and the cannot be used on pavements because they are vehicles. But as we don't have enough police in this country they are not being taken off the idiots that ride them and destroyed.
I really don't know why their import is even allowed, the justifiable use for them only on private land is so near non existent that it is the sole legal caveat for them to exist, yet people openly purchase them as a means of transport.
Wow! I'm surprised anyone gives a crap about them. I don't think I've ever seen one used.
BTW, they are not illegal everywhere. I recall years ago, I lived somewhere that had very delineated rules about what amounts to mopeds. If the engine was too powerful, they were illegal. If the wheels were too large, they were illegal. To be a motorcycle the wheels had to be a bunch bigger, to be a moped the engine was very limited.
Oddly enough, there were some sort of hot rod, miniature motorcycles that were not legal because they fell into this illegal half way domain. It made little sense to me. Why not make a category for such things, rather than outlaw them entirely? Maybe they could not meet safety standards?
Electric scooters aren't completely illegal in the UK: you are allowed to hire them from a number of designated companies (e.g.Voi). There is an infestation of them in my nearest city, causing blocked pavements and delayed journeys where they can't be safely overtaken.
They are speed limited (15.5mph?) and supposedly geofenced. You have to have a driver's licence and be 18+. That does not, of course prevent youngsters getting hold of them and injuring themselves and others.
They are promoted as a fun instant-gratification way of getting around a city (cf a bus!). That leads people to being too carefree and thoughless, and hence ride dangerously.
Not sure whether the riders are required to have insurance, which will be an expensive problem for a car driver involved in an accident.
All other electric bikes are legal only on private land with the landowner's permission.