Not everything can be enforced by law - nor should it be.
Etiquette - noun - the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group:
synonyms:
protocol · polite behaviour · acceptable behaviour · code of behaviour · courtesy · politeness · civility · propriety · punctilious
Etiquette around the world:
· In Aotearoa/New Zealand, take your shoes off when entering a wharenui.
· In Japan, never stick your chopsticks vertically in your bowl of rice – this resembles a funeral ritual.
· In Britain, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ for any service is de riguer.
· In the Middle East, don’t show the soles of your feet. It’s bad manners.
· In China, don’t point your finger. Instead point with an open hand.
· In Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland, when parking a shared e-bike or e-scooter…
Recognising how we get around the city is changing. Auckland Council has just awarded Beam and Lime new licences to operate in our fair city, but within an improved Code of Practice. This is good news.
E-scooters and e-bikes solve a lot of problems as sustainable, carbon neutral, affordable, efficient modes of transportation. Hiring a dockless e-bike or e-scooter is a quick and convenient way of getting around. Riding from A to B through the streets of Ponsonby and the inner city can also be a fun commute. Providing you ‘share with care’, I’m sure you’ll be in a better mood than you were before you started your ride.
But not everyone has been a fan of these new micro-mobility modes of transport as regulations surrounding e-scooters and e-bikes have up to now been confusing. However, NZTA has recently decided to clarify some of the major issues: any e-scooter can be ridden on the footpath, shared paths and on the road; e-bikes can be ridden on shared paths, separated cycleways and on the road, but not on footpaths.
Auckland Council’s new Rental Micro-mobility Code of Practice (Version 1.0) will also help solve issues of non-compliance, including non-compliant parking, as among other things, it encourages Lime and Beam to influence user behaviour and quickly resolve issues.
Nevertheless, users themselves have a responsibility too. While most users are aware that the increasing use of micro-mobility devices mean new guidelines for acceptable behaviour - a new etiquette – some users are yet to adopt this, and plain for the eye to see, after finishing their ride park without others in mind.
When I walk through the inner-city streets of Ponsonby and surrounds, I can quickly find an e-bike or e-scooter to hire. But sadly, some are lying on the ground - as if dead or dying – neglected - when they should be standing upright, defying gravity, and tempting us to go for a spin; I have to put my mind right and stand them up again.
Here’s a user guide to shared e-scooter and e-bike parking:
· Use the kickstand. Ensure that the scooter remains standing upright by using the kickstand. A fallen scooter can be a real hazard to the visually impaired and to those with limited mobility.
· Don’t block traffic. Ask yourself if your parking choice will work for everyone else. Keep roads, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian crossings free for other vehicles.
· Keep it neat. Place your scooter parallel and close to a wall, in a scooter rack, or within a designated parking zone. When in doubt, a good tip is to park your scooter next to obstacles that already exist.
· Don’t block the pavement. Be sure not to obstruct the path of pedestrians. Poorly parked vehicles are accidents waiting to happen.
· Park it proudly. You’ve just used a 21st century environmentally friendly means of transport.
In the meantime, and until more users familiarise themselves with parking etiquette, when you do see a pair of wheels lying on their side in the middle of your path and frustratingly in your way, ‘turn that frown upside down’ and stand them upright again. It’s a small thing perhaps, and you may not have solved a major world issue within the cosmos, but I bet you’ll feel just a tiny bit better. I’m sure others will too.
After all, don’t they say that if a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian rain forest, it can change the weather half a world away. (William Greig)
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