TfL May Increase e-Scooter Speed Limit And Lower Age Restriction
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Telegraph.
This is the sub-heading.
Riders would be able to travel at 15.5mph including 16-year-olds who hold a provisional driving licence
I’m now seventy-seven and I’ve never ridden one of these devices. I didn’t even have one of the push-only variety, as a child in the 1950s.
The article says this about serious injuries.
The authority’s own data shows that e-scooter operators have reported 35 serious injuries since 2021. A serious injury is classified as those requiring hospital “in-patient” treatment, fractures, concussion, internal injuries, crushing, burns, severe cuts or injuries causing death 30 or more days after the collision.
A death figure is not given, but deaths have happened.
My feeling is that thirty-five serious injuries in three years is too high.
But then allowing those as young as sixteen to use these devices without adequate training is surely asking for trouble. I was sixteen once and know how irresponsible, I was on an unpowered bike, at that age.
I have to ask the question, if safety would be improved, if some form of training were to be compulsory?
My parents had a relaxed attitude to my road safety training.
- I was allowed on a bike in the suburban streets of London without training.
- I never took any Cycling Proficiency training.
- At sixteen, I used to cycle down the A45, which is now the A14, between Ipswich and Felixstowe amongst all the heavy trucks.
- I never had any formal driving lessons and had my own car soon over my seventeenth birthday.
In all the miles, I cycled and drove, I never had a serious accident.
- But I am still unhappy at the two proposals in the title of this post.
- Is it that many e-Scooters are ridden irresponsibly or outside the law?
- I am also worried about the propensity of e-Scooters and e-Bikes to catch fire.
I would certainly be happier if a reasonable set of rules for these devices had been devised and was strictly enforced.
TfL To Ban Private e-Scooters and e-Unicycles From Its Premises
The title of this post, is the same as this article on City AM.
I am no fan of these devices, especially, when they are ridden on pavements at speed, as they are very often in London.
I have also seen several instances of Darwinian behaviour, which would increase the quality of the gene pool.
The sooner the riders of these devices are made to obey the law the better.
Thoughts On eScooters!
Consider.
- This article on the BBC is entitled Emily Hartridge: TV Presenter And YouTube Star Dies In Crash. It is an extremely sad tale and it has led to the inevitable call to ban electric scooters.
- There is also this article on the BBC, which is entitled Iris Goldsmith: Teenage girl dies in ‘quad bike’ accident. This is another extremely sad tale and many are questioning, what a teenage girl was doing, riding a quadbike.
- And then there’s this article on the BBC, Which is entitled Govia Thameslink Fined £1m Over Gatwick Express Window Death.
Young people and some older ones too, often do stupid things.
Many also crave danger and go mountaineering, riding on the tops of trains or jumping into rivers from a great height.
Doing things out of the ordinary is a natural reaction and is one of the reason, why humans are the most successful species on this planet.
I think the problem is the way we bring up children.
- My parents let me do anything I wanted up to a point.
- They also taught me lots of skills.
- From about twelve, I used to cycle all over London.
- I spent endless hours in my father’s print works doing things that would be frowned upon now, because they are too dangerous.
A couple of months ago, I was interviewed by a sixth-form girl student, in the volunteering I do at Barts Hospital in giving experience to prospective doctors.
She had lived in an over-protective environment and hardly left home on her own.
It was almost child abuse. She didn’t say, but I suspect she’d even been driven to and from school.
When it came to our own children, C and myself were fairly liberal and it was strange how, two became very street-wise and had the occasional scrapes, whereas the other was generally well-behaved.
Perhaps, we didn’t get everything right, but I like to think, we gave them a good appreciation of risk!
And that is one of the mot important things to learn in life, as often, those that ca’t assess risk, come to unfortunate ends.
I do feel my youngest son’s unhealthy lifestyle was a factor in his getting pancreatic cancer, especially if he was coeliac like me! But then he wouldn’t get tested!
His daughter though, seems to have a good appreciation of risk, but then if your father dies, you probably do!
To return to the eScooter, which is where this post started.
They Look Fun!
They certainly look fun and I constantly want to have a go on one.
Remember, I have crashed a twin-engined aeroplae and ridden horses in the Masai Mara.
At seventeen, I also sat on the back of a motorcycle, the wrong way round and went through the Mersey Tunnel.
Was I wearing a helmet? Of course not!
Are They Dangerous?
The risk depends on where they are used and how competent the rider is!
Ask any A & E doctor, what sport causes the most injuries and they’ll say something like rugby or horse-riding!
When A & E doctors start complaining about eScooters that will be the time for action.
Would Training Help?
Training isn’t the important thing.
However experience, especially that gained in a safe environment is important.
But to legislate that training should be mandatory will only have the reverse affect.
Conclusion
It’s a difficult problem, but we must teach everybody to appreciate risk.
When I joined ICI in 1969, I went on a formal Health and Safety course.
It has proven to be invaluable all my life an I haven’t worked on a chemical plant since 1970.
The Anonymous Widower 