It Couldn’t Last

at

This morning.

Helmeted e-scooter riders commuting in Dublin city centre (nanny state, out of pictures).

With an already shaky law governing the e-scooters…

This morning, via Via The Irish Examiner:

E-scooters will be limited to speeds of 25km per hour under new proposals.

They will have to be fitted with ‘speed-limiting devices’.

Fianna Fáil is bringing forward a bill to legislate for the safe use of e-scooters, which are currently illegal on public roads.

It wants e-scooters limited to speeds of 25km per hour, with fines due to anyone found to have tampered with the speed-limiting technology.

Anyone who does travel faster than 25km per hour would also be fined if caught.

And good luck with all that.

‘fro, to be fair.

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29 thoughts on “It Couldn’t Last

  1. george

    “E-scooters will be limited to speeds of 25km per hour under new proposals” – it is an opposition bill, so no, they won’t.

    The real headline here is FF are proposing fines of €1000 – €2500 euros for e-scooter users breaking the (lower) speed limit than the fines that apply to drivers who speed in cars, vans and trucks (only €80 – €200).

        1. Cian

          “They support speed limiters on e-scooters so I assume they would also support them for joggers?”
          “They support speed limiters on e-scooters so I assume they would also support them for dog walkers?”
          “They support speed limiters on e-scooters so I assume they would also support them for wheelchairs?”

          Just because a party supports on thing doesn’t mean you can generalise to other dissimilar things.

          1. martco

            +1

            the car comparison isn’t remotely valid, its nonsense
            come back to me when people are paying Fully Comp @€800+ per annum & tax and then we’ll talk!

            I recently witnessed a fool on one of the larger models coming around a blind 90deg footpath bend & ploughing into a woman with 4 children one whom was teeny tiny. unhurt far as I could tell but he scattered them like skittles on the footpath alongside a busy busy road at 08.30 (prob going to school). all I can say is he was lucky I was travelling the opposite direction.

            these things need a) rules of the road applied (bike lanes only or somesuch) and b) some form of PI

          2. george

            It is similar. There are many cars on Irish roads capable of going far faster than the maximum speed limit. Why not use delimiters?

  2. ReproBertie

    Any justification for the 25kmph speed limit? International best practice on how these scooters are legislated for or figure pulled out of someone’s rear?

    1. Brughahaha

      EU recommended speed limit for all battery assisted or powered transport. Already in place in most EU countries for electric bikes.

  3. Captain Pants

    25k an hour might make sense for scooters, but its too low for ebikes, basically renders them useless – the motor cuts off once you’re above 25km an hour, which is the speed any normal person would exceed on a flat road without breaking a sweat. Upwards of 2 grand for a bike that helps you a little up hills and the rest of the time is 40 pounds heavier than the cheapest bike in Halfords.

    If ever there was a country that would turn you into a gun-toting Libertarian bitching about the ‘gummint’ its this one.

    1. LeopoldGloom

      It’s not though. Most people would probably actually sweat at that speed if they had to do it for any longer than a few minutes. You are moving into Moped territory and will then have to start making even more laws and prohibit them from certain lanes and tax them and noone wants that.

      It’s a perfectly adequate speed.

      Also those fine proposals are quite frankly ludicrous

  4. curmudgeon

    I’ll just go add that to my very long and ever increasing list of reasons to never vote Fianna Fáil.

  5. Bort

    E Scooters no more or less dangerous than bikes. Why are they trying to hamper them? A tax grab? If escooters get people out of cars or off buses I welcome them. The rent by the hour ones I’m against. Copenhagen is ruined by them, the private personal use ones are great. We are years behind the rest of the world again! Where’s our fudging metro????

  6. Skeptik

    Just like the motorbike restriction for lower category bike licences.
    Can (and most are) de-restricted once they get them out of the garage.
    Mechanical/electronic restrictors are worthless.

  7. Jusiph

    Here in Singapore E-scooters are a part of normal life. Not without problems, but a licensing scheme was made mandetory earlier this year which means everyone now has a sticker license number on their scooter. Speed limit of 10kph / 25kph also applies here on footpaths / PCNs (something like a bike lane). Not allowed on roads.
    In addition, everyone with an e-scooter in Singapore needs to upgrade their battery (or scrap their scooter if battery change not possible) by the end of next year due to a new law about lithium batteries. They are a great way to get about in the heat without getting a sweat on.

    1. martco

      interesting @jusiph
      what happens to rogue riders if caught on non-compliant hardware/have a collision & cause injury to pedestrians on the footpath? are there consequences or is a shoulder shrug oh well approach applied like this country?

      1. blahblahblah

        Methinks more than a shoulder shrug, Singapore is infamous for its draconian response to littering.

  8. Christopher

    If you have ever been to a city that uses LIME or any of the other scooter companies and you tried them you would be sold- very easy to find a scooter and you go straight to the location you want. They are easy to use and feel safe. Will Dublin actually get them though? Not a chance.

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