When is a form of transport both legal and illegal simultaneously?
I wanted to understand the situation more.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
z Its legal to buy, sell, and own escooters.
Theresno age limiton ownership.
But you might only ride them on private land.
The problem is that illegal escooter riding on roads, bike paths, and sidewalks is abundant.
Many people are using their purchased escooters for commuting, despite the fact that its illegal.
He suggested
I think that theyve actually done it the wrong way around.
If youre a private owner, youre much more likely to wear a helmet.
Also, youre much more likely to test out the scooter to avoid injury before you ride it.
Notably, its not illegal to ride an escooter without a helmet.
However, rideshare companies like Dott offer incentives to riders.
These include bonus points towards free rides for those that take a selfie wearing their helmet.
Wiles also raises an important point: the risk of injury.
How common are escooter injuries?
There were 258 collisions in the capital in the first six months of last year.
In 2018 there were 9.
Its unclear exactly how many of the injured riders are private owners riding illegally or rideshare participants.
We do know that those injured are most like to be inexperienced riders.
According toDott, data revealed that 33% of accidents happen within the first three rides.
In response, the company limits the engine speed for these first few trips.
Dott says this helps riders get comfortable with the scooters and reduces the likelihood of accidents.
Dott also requires users to complete a training course via its app.
Such actions are not possible with privately-owned escooters.
Further, according to Wiles, conviction rates against illegal owners vary according to location.
Boroughs outside London are more likely to give verbal warnings to offenders, for example.
Officers in London seized 3,637 privately-owned e-scooters in total between January and November 2021.
According to Wiles:
Part of the problem is that these escooters may be imitation Xiami or Segways.
At present, the legalization of escooter on UK roads and bike lanes is up in the air.
Rideshare trails have expanded to 34 areas of England.
They were originally due to last 12 months but are nowextended to November 2022.
Rideshare companies are working hard in their communities to ensure rider safety (and those surrounding them).
Regardless, Im not sure private escooters will collectively suddenly town the line.
Attempts to curtail private owners riding illegally show no sign of succeeding.
Further, every accident, collision, or impounding only serves to damage their cause.
Story byCate Lawrence
Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin.
