Author Topic: e-scooter trial (Read 93504 times)

barakta · « **Reply #425 on:** 06 December, 2021, 09:53:03 pm »

Most of my blind friends hate e-scooter schemes cos it's wrecked their mobility a lot. I helped fund a legal challenge to UKGov for allowing it without proper safeguards in place.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #426 on:** 09 December, 2021, 06:21:58 pm »

Today I happened to be at that same place just when a Voi distributor, on cargo bike, was there. All the distribution is, of course, contracted out, and can be done by cargo bike, van or even on a Voi. He, of course, said that if the scooters were left blocking the pavement or cycle lane it was users who had done it, because the distributors are given detailed instructions with a photo of exactly how it should be. In his case, as he was on a bike, I'm inclined to believe him. Not sure whether I'd believe it of all them.

Kim · « **Reply #427 on:** 09 December, 2021, 06:25:10 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 09 December, 2021, 06:21:58 pm

Today I happened to be at that same place just when a Voi distributor, on cargo bike, was there. All the distribution is, of course, contracted out, and can be done by cargo bike, van or even on a Voi. He, of course, said that if the scooters were left blocking the pavement or cycle lane it was users who had done it, because the distributors are given detailed instructions with a photo of exactly how it should be. In his case, as he was on a bike, I'm inclined to believe him. Not sure whether I'd believe it of all them.

Sounds about right. You can tell when they've been set out by the distributors, as they're in neat rows in sensible scooter-parking places.

The stupidly parked ones are usually solitary scooters abandoned on the pavement outside whatever destination.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #428 on:** 09 December, 2021, 07:05:23 pm »

I'm slightly dubious in this particular instance as the scooters frequently are set out in a neat row right on the cycle gap (and foot gap, but there are conventionally placed footways too for foot).

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #429 on:** 22 December, 2021, 06:52:25 pm »

Today I saw the rider of a private (non-hire) e-scooter, all lit up with a row of blueish lights down the sides, do something that very few car drivers, or cyclists for that matter, do: as the only vehicle on the road, they stopped just before a pedestrian island to let someone cross the road.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #430 on:** 22 December, 2021, 11:58:14 pm »

Have to go a long way to beat this:

Forza Italia! by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

for pose value

grams · « **Reply #431 on:** 23 December, 2021, 12:19:33 am »

Not even trying.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnM8HzDBLvx/

Kim · « **Reply #432 on:** 23 December, 2021, 01:06:41 am »

Bet they still get SMIDSYed thobut.

Jaded · « **Reply #433 on:** 23 December, 2021, 09:58:04 am »

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-birmingham-59747082

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #434 on:** 23 December, 2021, 01:24:30 pm »

Grams and Mr L, both most excellent and entertaining. Though a closer inspection is needed to work exactly what drives what on Mr L's.

Kim · « **Reply #435 on:** 23 December, 2021, 01:37:36 pm »

Quote from: Jaded on 23 December, 2021, 09:58:04 am

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-birmingham-59747082

Fucksake. They could at least mothball them until they sort the law out, or something.

On the subject of illumination, I came across someone riding an exceedingly well lit electric unicycle thing on the cycleway the other day.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #436 on:** 30 December, 2021, 09:44:27 pm »

Apparently Bristol has the most popular e-scooters in Europe.

Quote

Swedish firm Voi Technologies said a higher proportion of people were using the e-scooters in Bristol than in any other place in Europe where their hire scheme operates.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/voi-scooters-disabled-over-new-6397117
It doesn't say how they're calculating that.

It does say they'll all be out of action on New Year's Eve night, presumably to stop too many being thrown in the harbour by revellers.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #437 on:** 02 January, 2022, 02:37:08 pm »

Fire in a scooter warehouse. 200 scooters destroyed. The fire might have started in a battery but it's not known for certain yet.

Quote

As many as 200 scooters were damaged, while the fire also affected a number of their batteries. It is unclear at this stage if the blaze broke out from one of the scooters.

Eight crews and a ladder device were needed to tackle the flames, which also damaged the warehouse.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/hundreds-voi-e-scooters-damaged-6431203

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #438 on:** 02 January, 2022, 06:07:50 pm »

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-59854204

J

SoreTween · « **Reply #439 on:** 02 January, 2022, 07:37:07 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 23 December, 2021, 01:37:36 pm

Fucksake. They could at least mothball them until they sort the law out, or something.

I'd be more amenable to sorting out the rules for the use of private scooters 5 or so years after proper standards for the safe construction of the things became enforced. At the moment they are either:
a) a particularly charred patch in the middle of your burned out flat/house/car/shed/tube train etc
or
b) not yet a particularly charred patch in the middle of your burned out flat/house/car/shed/tube train etc

But once those construction rules are developed it will not be practical to apply them retrospectively. So in the mean time the more that are recycled the better.

Adam · « **Reply #440 on:** 01 March, 2022, 07:20:27 am »

There's an interesting development - all the trial e-scooters will be required to display number plates.

https://www.micromobilitybiz.com/all-trial-e-scooters-will-have-to-display-number-plates-from-april/

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #441 on:** 01 March, 2022, 07:55:16 am »

Interesting.

Quote

The guidance say: “We know it is difficult for the police and the public to distinguish between private (illegal) e-scooters and those being used in rental trials. This, in turn, has an impact on the monitoring and evaluation programme, making it difficult to determine, for example, whether pavement riding is more common for private (illegal) use.

“To help address these issues we want further requirements to be introduced to improve user identification and reduce the illegal use of e-scooters.”

Is it really difficult for police and the public to distinguish between scooters in standardised colours and those not? Okay, the general public might not be aware of such differences, particularly if they're only visiting a hire area, but the police should be. And as for reducing "the illegal use of e-scooters" that horse has long bolted. I think this is either "we must be seen do do something" or there is another motivation. Obviously it makes commercial sense for the hire schemes to track individual vehicles (yes, these are vehicles) and the same applies to bikes. All the Bird Bikes, for instance, have nice friendly public-readable names (Anne to Zacharias) along with their machine-friendly QR codes.

The improved parking and geofencing might be a good step. Possibly.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #442 on:** 11 March, 2022, 11:05:36 am »

Quote

Between midday and 1pm, Voi scooters are currently blinking blue and yellow to show the company’s support for Ukraine.

All of the money that Voi makes during this hour-long period will be donated to the UN Refugee Agency.

But this display of solidarity comes as it has emerged that one of Voi’s major shareholders has close links to the Russian state.

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/voi-solidarity-ukraine-while-also-having-links-to-russian-state/

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #443 on:** 15 March, 2022, 10:01:28 am »

Quote

In an email to Voi chief executive Fredrik Hjelm at his Stockholm headquarters, Labour mayor Norris said: “I trust that Voi is taking steps to ensure that this link between the company and the Russian regime currently pursuing an illegal invasion of Ukraine is severed.

“The outcome of this matter will strongly affect my thinking regarding the future use of Voi scooters in the West of England.”

Quote

In a statement, a Voi spokesperson said: “In regards to investors, in order to ensure consistency with our aims and values as a company, Voi conducts background checks on all our investors before agreeing on terms with them.

“None of our investors were under any sanctions when we accepted their investment, and, at the time of writing, none are currently under any sanctions.

“We are currently reevaluating all our partners in light of the recent developments in Ukraine and will take any and all actions deemed necessary to comply with sanctions.

“This includes the removal of shareholders should they no longer align with our core values. We will always abide by any laws or sanctions that are in place.

“Alongside many international businesses, we believe Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a severe violation of international law and we stand on the side of democracy and the Ukrainian people at this time.”

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/metro-mayor-threatens-to-stop-voi-trial-over-russia-links/

Kim · « **Reply #444 on:** 20 March, 2022, 09:23:31 pm »

Absolute carnage on the Isle of Wight: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-60806459

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #445 on:** 20 March, 2022, 09:40:20 pm »

They haven’t quite got the hang of the pony and trap down there, so it’s not really surprising.

nicknack · « **Reply #446 on:** 20 March, 2022, 10:23:16 pm »

Unfortunately they don't say what that is as a percentage of hires.

drossall · « **Reply #447 on:** 21 March, 2022, 07:57:55 am »

Or whether all the complaints related to hired scooters, or to things that would have happened anyway with private ones. Though arguably hire schemes might promote use of all kinds and therefore increase such incidents.

toontra · « **Reply #448 on:** 30 March, 2022, 07:36:45 pm »

20+ house fires caused by e-scooters and e-bikes in London in the last year:

https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/north-east-london-escooter-battery-linked-fires-mapped-8793008

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #449 on:** 03 April, 2022, 05:40:43 pm »

Quote

In response to a brief by RNIB, funded by Dott and HEIF, Salford Acoustics have created a series of sounds that underwent extensive testing in their renowned acoustic research facilities. The preliminary research results have indicated that improved noticeability of e-scooters using sound can be achieved without adding to noise pollution in cities.

Quote

The project is aiming for the roll-out of a future global standard on light electric vehicle technical standards and is continually seeking out collaborations with other partners to complement and enhance its research.

https://www.salford.ac.uk/news/new-funding-backs-progress-towards-universal-sound-e-scooters-part-safe-and-sound-project

It would seem they're intent on using a different sound from that of e-cars. Why?