Forget Share Scooter — Let’s Have a Trial of Own-Your-Own Scooters!

By Stephen Coulter

Scooter sharing trials in cities around the world are creating headlines, but what about the many of millions of people, just like bike owners, who would like to own an electric scooter?

In many countries, including Australia and the UK, archaic laws, often written before the motor vehicle was invented — prevent people from legally commuting on their own electric scooters and other personal mobility vehicles — even though they are legal to own.

Think of the benefits of own-your-own scooters:

• Clear sidewalks — owners will take their scooters into their homes and offices
• Responsible riders — they ride for a regular purpose — not 15 minutes of fun
• Reduced traffic — these people will be the most regular first and last-mile riders as they have invested in their own assets
• Cost savings — not just from other transport — compared to regularly using a scooter sharing scheme, a good quality commuter scooter can be purchased from 3 to 6 months of scooter sharing savings
• Better quality scooters than share scooters which aren’t subject to centralised remote control issues. Owners can choose a scooter to suit their needs and customise it as required- just like our cars and bikes.
• Insurability — owners of scooters can secure insurance to cover themselves and others in the event of an accident
• Wear your personal helmet — hygiene.
• The gradual growth in scooters rather than having 500 or more dropped into a location overnight.

The law in many places was designed for an ass — quite literally — as well as horses, donkeys, swine, etc. — preventing “carriages” (the definition electric scooters are captured under in the 1835 UK laws), from being used on public paths and roads!

If any person shall wilfully ride upon any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers; or shall wilfully lead or drive any horse, ass, sheep, mule, swine, or cattle or carriage of any description…. every person so offending in any of the cases aforesaid shall for each and every such offence forfeit and pay a [fine]

Fortunately, the UK is currently reviewing this law!

Surely some simple law changes could be used to start trialling own-your-own scooters much quicker than the complexities and other issues required to manage scooter sharing programs. Here are some thought starters:

• Vehicles must meet minimum legal standards — many legislators have already defined sensible standards — I’ve reviewed them in Singapore and Australia — they make sense and ensure vehicles meet safety and design rules — PLUS they give law enforcement the teeth to stop poor quality and dangerous scooters from being sold and used.
• Riders must wear helmets — yes I know some people don’t like this — but if we ride responsibly with helmets it is safer and reduces the seriousness of injuries, plus it addresses government concerns making short term changes to laws easier.
• Provide a common-sense framework where scooters can be ridden and environment appropriate speed limits. Again Singapore and the Australian state of Queensland have made this simple and workable.

These laws/regulations apply to all scooter users, irrespective of whether their own or shared scooters.

The key to sensible laws is having an overarching legal framework apply as broadly as possible for simplicity and consistency. The structure should provide for local governments to use a set of tools to tailor the regulations for local conditions — areas where scooters are banned, or lower speed limits for instance. Again the Queensland laws do this well and the local government, the City of Brisbane, has used the tools to ban scooters in some high pedestrian CBD areas.

Trial Own-Your-Own Scooters Before Share Scooters in Some Markets

Adopting and encouraging own-your-own scooters should be part of any urban mobility strategy. Trialling them makes sense as they will be part of any long term transport mix.

Cities changing laws to only accommodate scooter-sharing companies, and not allowing own-your-own scooters, are just helping scooter-sharing companies and not focussing on an equitable solution for all commuters.

Stephen Coulter is Co-Founder of Zipidi, based in Sydney