ESC0015
Written evidence submitted by Mr Dharminder Gill
Hello. E-Scooters. Last year a 14 year old boy on a top of the range eScooter, crashed into my van door, in a dark November evening. He was wearing all black, had no safety gear and he must have been riding at full speed because as I turned my van into a road, he hit the side so hard the window cover shattered and the door moved off it’s setting. It was a miracle the child survived just minor injuries. The police chastised his mother but the child did not take much heed of the advise. I understand the desire to legalise these items but not for under 16 year olds, and everyone else should wear FULL safety equipment if they are to be made legal. This child is now claiming it was my fault and wants money for his “injuries”. So surely the riders need to have insurance as how do we, drivers, claim for damage? The scooters can go 25KM per hour. I have also witnessed one, near miss a pram as the mother pushed it out of her front garden gate. So where can they ride safely? Answer, nowhere. The bicycle lanes can not handle the speed with which they travel. The drivers can not see them on the roads. The pedestrians can not see nor hear them coming. The owners of these eScooters rarely go slower than maximum speed. Also they are the chosen vehicles for drug dealers, as I’m sure the police will testify to. If you are to legalise them, they should have insurance and a strict guideline of travel, I.E. on the roads if using full speed and in cycle lane if using less than 15kmph. Regards.