Electric vehicle accidents

[OFSO]

Just been a death in Barcelona of a pedestrian hit by an electric scooter using the pavement. City fathers trying to rush thru a bylaw limiting speed to 25kph (!). Likewise in Paris, have been so many accidents they are trying to ban electric scooters from using pavements.

[ExSp33db1rd]

I believe that there is a reported incident of an UBER driverless car killing pedestrian - Phoenix, Arizona maybe ?

If a driverless car faces a head-on with a vehicle that has crossed the centre line, and the road behind is clear, will it override a - presumed- prohibition on crossing the centre line, which a human driver may be able to do, or will it swerve the other way over the bank and into the river ?

(Sorry,not necessarily an E.V. issue.)

[Capetonian]

This a problem with these almost silent EVs. People are used to relying on hearing approaching vehicles and don't always look properly on crossings. A friend of mine has one and I find it quite scary when we see people who clearly only realised at the last moment that it was there. I suppose if he slowed down to 60 in shopping centres it would help!

[OFSO]

I was discussing electric scooters on pavements. Not cars. Must say the Geely electric taxis (new black cabs) are very silent, far quieter than a Tesla.

[Capetonian]

Electric scooters are a menace. I nearly got mown down by one in Weybridge the other day. The doddering old fool riding it was looking at his 'phone, clearly such stupidity is not restricted to 'yoof', and had a cup of **** coffee balanced on his knee.

[OFSO]

I had an accident INSIDE one of the new electric black cabs. So big that I sat down and the seat was over half a metre behind me. Huge, they are. And comfy. (And silent)

[Pontius Navigator]

Electric scooters are a menace. I nearly got mown down by one in Weybridge the other day. The doddering old fool riding it was looking at his 'phone, clearly such stupidity is not restricted to 'yoof', and had a cup of **** coffee balanced on his knee.

There are scooters and scooters so we really need to say whether it was a 3 or 4 wheel mobility scooter where you could balance a cup of Starbucks (I prefer Costa as they pay tax) or the two wheel, or even 3, stand up scooter a la kids.

The stand up electric scooter is banned from public areas in UK though there is a trial somewhere. There was a petrol version but not sure its status now.

The mobility scooter is limited to 8 mph and an electric bike to 15. I had a proper bike and had it converted. It could do 18 on its own and 20-22 with moderate assistance.

[Pontius Navigator]

I had an accident INSIDE one of the new electric black cabs. So big that I sat down and the seat was over half a metre behind me. Huge, they are. And comfy. (And silent)

Apart from the "Oh f***, ow!"

[OFSO]

I suspect that in Eastbourne UK there was a secret tune-up garage for mobility scooters. Some of the old-and-disabled folk came along the pathway at warp speed.

[G-CPTN]

Mitsubishi plug-in hybrid cars have a discernable 'whine' when driving (electrically) through town and so announce their approach as much as any normal IC vehicle.

[1DC]

was on a round the world cruise last year for part of the voyage and it was full of wrinklies the ones wizzing round the alleyways on scooters were dangerous.No priority for pedestrians when they were about. Must have been about fifty mobility scooters on board..

[John Hill]

I always drive our 2.5 ton battery electric forklift on the sidewalk because it is our mobility scooter.

[4mastacker]

I suspect that in Eastbourne UK there was a secret tune-up garage for mobility scooters. Some of the old-and-disabled folk came along the pathway at warp speed.

Not only in Eastbourne. You take your life into your hands in my town with the spaz chariot jockeys thinking they're Lewis Hamilton.

There's one dip-s**t who rides around on an electric mono-wheel. He even uses it at night without showing any lights. Just waiting for a car driver to collect him on the front of their motor.

[Alisoncc]

This is brilliant for getting me around the golf course. Couldn't play without it. Clubs and bag, etc weigh 18 kgs. Given that few golf courses here could be described as flat, took quite a while to get the hang of it going up/down 30 to 40 deg inclines, and across them.

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Alison

[FD2]

For our sins, the Councils in Auckland and Christchurch have seen fit to allow the use of the Lime Company's electric scooters on the streets. They cannot use the cycle paths so are restricted to using the pavements. Most of the people using them seem to be sensible but there are already many claims on the accident insurance scheme (A.C.C.) - nearly 300 since the scooters were introduced in October. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/arti ... d=12168577

Without seeming like a killjoy, what is the point of them? Already a large percentage of the populations of world cities wander around goofing at and prodding their smart phones; not looking where they are going, so they will likely end up being run down. Serves them right I suppose...

[FD2]

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[ExSp33db1rd]

FD2

They cannot use the cycle paths

That's the weirdest one yet, they're BI-wheeled vehicles aren't they ? We have a cycle path on the road leading into our village, not the whole length of the approach road, but as it gets near to the busy centre, a cycle path is provided for the last couple of Km's, and as cars are slowing and queuing to negotiate the first of the many speed bumps, I usually ride my motor bike down this lane, passing inside maybe a dozen cars before turning left into the Supermarket emergency exit ! After all, what's the point of riding a motor bike if you can't take advantage of situations like this ! If ever questioned I will claim in Court that it isn't actually designated as a Cycle Lane, no signs, no letters or pictures stencilled on the surface, no green bands, just a very wide "verge" delineated by a white line about a metre out from the kerb, M'Lud.

The 300 accidents mentioned will doubtless increase. The compulsory ACC levy I have to pay annually for my motor bike registration is about 3x what I have to pay for my car, purely because ACC pay out more for motor bike accidents than car accidents - they say, so why are these scooter excrescences allowed to pollute the roads scot free ?

Maybe there is some rationale for pedal cycles to be allowed to use the roads without charge, after all it's hard work ! but if one falls off ones bike and breaks a limb then ACC pay out just as they do for a motor bike. I reckon all powered vehicles should pay this levy, including electric bikes. When I fitted a 25cc two-stroke engine to the rear wheel of my school bike in England at age 16 - 68 years ago - I was obliged to register it as a vehicle, annually, attach a number plaste, and pass a motor bike test. Why not ?

The stupidity of that of course was that having passed the test, I was then legally allowed to go out and buy a Vincent Black Shadow, or similar, and in fact I've never ever had to take another motor cycle test ! ( Won one I did ! )

[FD2]

I think the time will come quite soon when someone dies as a result of these pesky things, but I expect it won't be anyone's 'fault'.

Your Vincent sounds much more exciting than my Vespa, SP33!

[ExSp33db1rd]

I said I was "Legal" to ride one, not that I did ! As a young apprentice - I DREAMED of a Vespa !! My first "real" motor bike was a 125cc Beeza Bantam.

[FD2]

Mine was a third user hand-me-down. The longest trip was from Bath to North Wales for a climbing trip and it purred all the way, but my brother had thrashed it for a few years so it wasn't a fast journey!

I see Waiheke may be planning to be all electric vehicles in a few years time. As it's only 19 kms long it might happen. They will have to beef up the power supply from the North Island first though, for all the recharging needs.