Thoughts on E scooter?

MsryJsrchers

hmm

pblakeney

MsryJsrchers said:

hmm

Hmm.

shirley_basso

oblongomaculatus said:

They've been trialling Voi e scooters in Cambridge for a while now. I haven't tried one but might if I needed to get somewhere more quickly than I could by walking, and didn't have a bike. I've spoken to a couple of people who've used one on that basis, and both said they're tricky things to handle, due to the small wheels and relatively narrow handlebars. One pointed out that to indicate right you have to take your hand off the throttle, so you instantly lose power and slow down dramatically, which isn't ideal.

The main problem seems to be the way they're ridden by a lot of users, ie very badly. On pavements, through red lights, two or even three people on one scooter, etc. Plus, as people have pointed out, there are the privately owned ones, which are not currently legal at all, much less at the higher speeds they seem to be going. So from a cyclists point of view, not a good thing. Motorists in Cambridge already hate cyclists, and seem, if you read comments on the Cambridge News site, to lump scooter riders in with cyclists, eg "Saw someone on an e scooter (insert horrendous behaviour) - typical cyclist!"

I've also seen powered skateboards whizzing along at an impressive lick, and a while ago something which was basically a single, central wheel with a sort of step either side for the feet, flying along a cycleway at at least 30mph. I must admit it looked pretty cool, but I wouldn't like to have one overtake me while I was cycling.

I've ridden them in Cambridge and they're great. Take a small amount of getting used to and I agree about the indicating.

Your comments about them being ridden badly are much like those of cars vs cyclists: they are invisible to everyone until they do something wrong.

Also I had no idea motorists hate cyclists in Cambridge - never had an issue in my 3 years here.

oblongomaculatus

shirley_basso said:

I've ridden them in Cambridge and they're great. Take a small amount of getting used to and I agree about the indicating.

Your comments about them being ridden badly are much like those of cars vs cyclists: they are invisible to everyone until they do something wrong.

Also I had no idea motorists hate cyclists in Cambridge - never had an issue in my 3 years here.

The way one friend put it was,"I wouldn't want to scratch my nose riding one." ie, you need both hands on the bars.

I think there's an attitude problem with motorists towards cyclists generally in this country. I'm told by those who have ridden in German, Danish and Dutch cities the difference is like day and night. But in my experience it's worse in Cambridge. There seems to be about a twenty mile "hate cyclists" zone, with Cambridge at its epicentre.

I live in a town west of the city, and occasionally ride from there to my sister's place, near Diss, going though Cambridge on the way. I've noticed that the further east from Cambridge I get, the more considerate drivers tend to be. The route includes a lot of narrow, twisty lanes. If there's a car coming the other way there isn't room to pass. More often and not it's the car that pulls over before I can. You don't get that in Cambridge very often.

In the city, you don't have to do anything wrong to incur the wrath of the motorists. To be fair, most are fine, but there's a real hardcore of impatient morons, happy to cut you up, close pass, or yell something abusive. I've ridden a freight bike in the city for 12 years now, and I'm afraid I came across examples of the above every day. (I broke my collarbone about two years ago after a driver left-hooked me so closely I fell off braking to avoid going into the car's side.)

If you have a look at the comments on cycling stories on the Cambridge News or Cambridge Independent websites, you'll find the worst bigots. I've tried reasoning with some of them but it's a futile exercise.

The invisibility thing is confirmational bias, of course. "Cyclists are all the same - ride through red lights, always on the pavements, no lights at night"… etc. Some cyclists do these things, but I've done one or two impromptu surveys, and in fact about 85% of Cambridge cyclists do have lights at night, for example. It's a similar thing with red lights. Some do ride though them, but the majority don't. But motorists see one or two doing it, and think, there's one going through a red light, there's another one, and another. It's all of them! It seems they literally don't see the big group of cyclists in the advance stop box, waiting for a green.

Anyway, rant over. I'm not looking forward to today much. It's meant to rain heavily all day. The driving's always worse in wet weather.

monkimark

oblongomaculatus said:

One pointed out that to indicate right you have to take your hand off the throttle, so you instantly lose power and slow down dramatically, which isn't ideal.

That's exactly the same as for a motorbike, which is why hand signals are all done with the left hand. Likewise, car hand signals are done with the right hand or you'd need to be Mr Tickle to indicate left

https://www.lexhaminsurance.co.uk/blog/essential-hand-signals-for-motorcycle-riders/

I guess that most drivers wouldn't have a clue what the right turn signal means but a large proportion of them don't seem capable of indicating themselves anyway.

oblongomaculatus

monkimark said:

oblongomaculatus said:

One pointed out that to indicate right you have to take your hand off the throttle, so you instantly lose power and slow down dramatically, which isn't ideal.

That's exactly the same as for a motorbike, which is why hand signals are all done with the left hand. Likewise, car hand signals are done with the right hand or you'd need to be Mr Tickle to indicate left

https://www.lexhaminsurance.co.uk/blog/essential-hand-signals-for-motorcycle-riders/

I guess that most drivers wouldn't have a clue what the right turn signal means but a large proportion of them don't seem capable of indicating themselves anyway.

The right turn hand signal is done with the left hand tucked behind the back, yes? Don't think I've ever seen anyone do that, apart from a club cyclist or two at the front of a group ride. Don't remember seeing motorists' hand signals either. I suppose they haven't really been used since the indicator was invented.

My pet hate re motorists' indicating is the lazy way some don't signal until they're already half way round the corner. They might as well not bother at all for all the use that is to other road users.

pblakeney

oblongomaculatus said:

My pet hate re motorists' indicating is the lazy way some don't signal until they're already half way round the corner. They might as well not bother at all for all the use that is to other road users.

A common technique which I observed and commented on is to flick the indicator switch when turning the wheel. A bit late to indicate your intentions.