Over the past year it feels like e-scooters have taken over many cities around the world. They are cheaper than cabs, less effort than a bike, and more convenient than a bus. You can see the appeal…
But after a number of accidents involving e-scooters, there is also a growing backlash against them.
In London, Emily Hartridge, a 35-year-old YouTuber and TV presenter was killed while riding an e-scooter in London after colliding with a lorry at a roundabout. And in Paris, arguably Europe’s e-scooter hub, a young man died in an accident with a truck while on his e-scooter.
In both those cases a truck was involved, but that’s not the issue. These fatalities have led many to question just how safe (and visible from a truck’s cab) people on e-scooters actually are.
Even in a city such as Copenhagen, where cycle lanes are wide and plentiful and there is no reason why an e-scooter should be anywhere near a truck, accidents involving e-scooters are happening. Frequently.
There needs to be a conversation about the safety of these e-scooters and whether it’s a good idea they are allowed on the pavement, let alone the road…
