Discussions started about legalising e-scooters, could this mean insurance insurance for e-bikers?

[Deleted member 25121]

According to my newspaper, hidden away amongst endless pages of coronavirus scare stories, discussions have started to legalise electric scooters.

The Department of Transport will today launch a consultation into proposals to allow e-scooters to share roads with other vehicles. Like e-bikes its seems probably that there will be a minimum age limit of 14 years and a maximum assisted speed of 15.5mph, the consultation will also consider whether compulsory insurance will be required because of the risk of pedestrians being hit.

Could this also result in e-bikers requiring compulsory insurance particularly after the recent cases of pedestrians being killed by them, we'll see......

 

[Nealh]

No because the scooters in law are mopeds with no rider input needed, they are twist and go throttle propelled.
If Pedelecs had to have compulsory 3rd party insurance then so would all Push bikes as both are in the same vehicle class.

 

[flecc]

If Pedelecs had to have compulsory 3rd party insurance then so would all Push bikes as both are in the same vehicle class.

And that would mean registration and number plates for all bicycles to allow enforcement, and that is never going to happen.
.

 

[mike killay]

I doubt that we will have restrictions. The whole Government policy is to encourage people out of cars.
Having said that, I did see a scooter in Swansea with what appeared to be a Czech number plate, so if some countries are registering them, who knows?
I am not too sure of the current legal position re scooters, but presumably you could turn up at a VOSA station as with ebikes in NI and try to register it.
Clearly these trials seem to envisage no restrictions on use.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

And that would mean registration and number plates for all bicycles to allow enforcement, and that is never going to happen.
.

The registration and number plates on a vehicle indicate something about the vehicle and nothing about whether the driver has insurance or even a driving licence.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

I am not too sure of the current legal position re scooters, but presumably you could turn up at a VOSA station as with ebikes in NI and try to register it.

No, e-scooters are currently illegal to use on any road, track or pavement where there is public access.

 

[BazP]

The registration and number plates on a vehicle indicate something about the vehicle and nothing about whether the driver has insurance or even a driving licence.

Tell that to the ANPR users.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Tell that to the ANPR users.

I don't understand your point there....

 

[BazP]

My point being that if you have a registration plate and are driving then the police can tell your address, if you have insurance and a current licence to drive the vehicle via their automatic number plate recognition camera. I think that you stated that a registration plate only indicated something about the vehicle.
Parking companies also have access to SOME of this information.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

My point being that if you have a registration plate and are driving then the police can tell your address, if you have insurance and a current licence to drive the vehicle via their automatic number plate recognition camera. I think that you stated that a registration plate only indicated something about the vehicle.
Parking companies also have access to SOME of this information.

But the police can find out the address etc of the registered keeper of the vehicle, not necessarily the driver.

Anybody can drive my car with 3rd party insurance cover.

 

[Nealh]

But the police can find out the address etc of the registered keeper of the vehicle, not necessarily the driver.

Anybody can drive my car with 3rd party insurance cover.

Yep and you are liable for the points and fine should an infringement/offence occur unless you identify the driver at said time of infringement/offence.
The owner is and will be the default person to be prosecuted, unless of course the vehicle is reported as stolen.

 

[Craiggor 2]

Boris may have to rush the legislation through for the cean up.

 

[flecc]

The registration and number plates on a vehicle indicate something about the vehicle and nothing about whether the driver has insurance or even a driving licence.

Wrong, ANPR signal cars without insurance to the police.

And the number plate gives traceability.
.

 

[flecc]

But the police can find out the address etc of the registered keeper of the vehicle, not necessarily the driver.

Anybody can drive my car with 3rd party insurance cover.

When the police get any ANPR alert on a vehicle without insurance they have the owners address and start to target them, the traffic police knowing those to watch out for. They regularly nick them driving the vehicle since being without insurance is a police hate thing.

I'm amazed you didnt know that.
.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Wrong, ANPR signal cars without insurance to the police.

And the number plate gives traceability.
.

That's incorrect, ANPR flags cars whose registered OWNER doesn't have an insurance policy covering the vehicle, not the validity of the insurance policy of the driver.

For example, my daughter's car is insured fully comp for herself and 3rd party cover for named drivers only. ANPR wouldn't flag the car up if somebody with no licence or insurance was driving it.

Didn't you know that? Amazing.

 

[BazP]

But the police can find out the address etc of the registered keeper of the vehicle, not necessarily the driver.

Anybody can drive my car with 3rd party insurance cover.

In my post I did qualify that you must be driving.
Anyhow, I don’t let other people drive my car and certainly not my Ebike. I suspect that most people’s bikes are personal.

 

[flecc]

That's incorrect, ANPR flags cars whose registered OWNER doesn't have an insurance policy covering the vehicle, not the validity of the insurance policy of the driver.

Of course, and I didn't disagree. But you are being unrealistic. How many owners lend their cars to others?

I pointed out that the police target the vehicle shown as uninsured and watch for it since they know how it's usually the owner driving. Then they do a routine stop to check who is driving and whether they are insured. That way they catch many owners risking driving without insurance.

They do exactly the same with owners who get banned, watching out for their car number plates, knowing it's usually the owner driving.
.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

We've digressed somewhat from the topic of compulsory insurance of e-scooters, apparently the Department of Transport is opening up the topic for consultation so they must think it's feasible, maybe it wouldn't be necessary to have a registration plate but still make it a legal requirement for the riders to have insurance.

Routine testing for insurance would be impractical but the fact that riders would be guilty of an offence if their lack of insurance became known after an accident may be enough to ensure that they take some out.

I think that the majority of people in this country are law abiding, although I can't say that for the majority of ebikers with their apparent disregard for the assisted 15.5mph limit.

As I said, we'll see...

 

[flecc]

maybe it wouldn't be necessary to have a registration plate but still make it a legal requirement for the riders to have insurance.

I can't see this ever being done with untraceability, most wouldn't bother to get insured. And what about the under 16s, they can be just as dangerous, even more so, but they cannot buy insurance.

We had registration and number plates for all bicycles in Guernsey from before WW2, but it was scrapped afterwards. That was the other way round, registration but no insurance required.
.

 

[Wicky]

Electric scooters to get green light to go on Britain's public roads

Legalisation of e-scooters part of government’s wider plan for ‘transport revolution’

www.theguardian.com

But the scooters, which are already in widespread, if unlawful, use across the UK, will initially only be allowed in four “future transport zones”: Portsmouth and Southampton; the West of England Combined Authority (WECA); Derby and Nottingham; and the West Midlands.