Unless motorised scooters are banned from footpaths in the inner city, a serious accident or death is likely to result from their use in areas people rightly should feel safe.
Only by taking evasive action recently did Herne Bay resident Diane Hudig and her 5-year-old grand-daughter Lizzie avoid serious injury when two scooters, side by side, propelled their machines towards them forcing them to shelter pressed up against a fence.
Diane’s husband Dirk Hudig, is co-chair of the Herne Bay Residents Association (HBRAI). He says the association wants the machines banned completely from footpaths where people have a right to feel safe.
We want a rigorous and urgent review of existing regulations and monitoring of the current “anything goes” attitude by enforcement authorities. There is unlikely to be any footpath user who has not been shocked by a scooter passing them from behind at speed, leading to major concerns that one slight error by the scooter operator will cause them serious injury
Electric scooters first made an appearance in Auckland in 2018 as an alternative means of transport to cars and buses. Their use is in fact encouraged by the New Zealand Transport Agency. While Auckland Transport (AT) claims they are an alternative to vehicle use, the regulations surrounding scooter use are minimal at best and require rigid enforcement, something that is just not happening. When it comes to AT, it seems to ignore pedestrian safety.
Today there are about 10,000 rental scooters in Australasia. The growth is worldwide with 5 million scooters in the USA and the numbers are predicted to reach 129 million by 2028 at which time they are expected to reach 8% of all 2-wheeler traffic.
However, research has shown that between 2018 and 2021, claims totalling $17m were made to ACC for scooter related injuries, averaging about $2,400 per claim.
The problem is that we can all attest to the fact that the way scooters are driven on sidewalks show little consideration for the “original” sidewalk users such as walkers, mums with prams and buggies and those using assisted mobility equipment.
NZTA currently has two defined scooter categories; either below or exceeding 300W power and where each category of scooter can travel on sidewalks, cycle paths and roads. Rental scooters are limited to 300W, private scooters have no maximum power restriction.
Wording in local regulations, commercial rental agreements broadly define what is allowed, with our comments included:
· Speeds ‘shouldn’t” exceed 35 kms. That’s far too fast on sidewalks.
· Helmets are encouraged. Why not mandatory?
· No licence is required, nor a minimum age for their use. Must be minimum age required.
· Sidewalks are able to be used; share cycle paths are not allowed. No Sidewalks Please
· Scooter user “advised to slow down” near people, always give way to other sidewalk users, keep left, pass right etc. Find someone who says they slow down!
· It is illegal to travel at speeds that is “hazardous” to others. If you are hit above 10kms per hour you could die.
· Scooters are for single person use only. This is regularly ignored.
In New Zealand commercial scooter providers are meant to obtain a 92% compliance record with use and storage of their products and for their details to be published to enable complaints to be lodged.
This requirement is useless unless there is rigid Auckland Council monitoring or public reported. For example, there is no monitoring place for the placement of scooters before and after their use. After use, scooters are often like litter on footpaths and pubic areas. We receive many reports of discarded scooters blocking footpaths and public spaces.
Increasing global concerns about scooter use has led to the following regulations in other countries and cities. Why are we not smart enough to track the global concerns and follow the lead of countries more concerned about pedestrians than scooter users?
· Italy. No private users. Rental users must be minimum 16 years and licensed.
· London. No private scooters, rental users only. Not allowed on footpaths, not allowed on public transport.
· Sydney. Approved rentals only.
· Victoria, Australia. No private scooters, approved rentals only. Maximum speed 20km per hour. Helmets compulsory.. Minimum 18 years of age.
· Paris. Private scooters only. No rental scooters allowed.
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