E-mobility Electric Scooters Electric bicycles

[#Metro]

I got pulled over on a scooter by a police car (!) for riding a scooter on a CBD road.

Bicycles use roads all the time, even electric ones. You can even ride your horse on the road if you want to and own one, because a horse is considered a vehicle. In NSW you can even ride your bike on the side of a highway/freeway.

But apparently, a scooter of comparable speed to a bicycle is a big no-no on CBD streets and bike lanes/paths elsewhere.

Let's allow scooters wherever we also allow bicycles.

[ozbob]

[Ari 🚋]

I got pulled over on a scooter by a police car (!) for riding a scooter on a CBD road.

Bicycles use roads all the time, even electric ones. You can even ride your horse on the road if you want to and own one, because a horse is considered a vehicle. In NSW you can even ride your bike on the side of a highway/freeway.

But apparently, a scooter of comparable speed to a bicycle is a big no-no on CBD streets and bike lanes/paths elsewhere.

Let's allow scooters wherever we also allow bicycles.

Completely agree, escooters should be allowed in all the same places as bikes. Even with the current speed limit of 25km/hr they can keep pace (especially considering the quick acceleration), and if you allowed them in bike lanes that would almost certainly be removed/upped anyway.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1467505267403231234

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1470851349218672641

[ozbob]

[#Metro]

Absolutely ridiculous

(In NSW it's also illegal to ride a bike on a footpath if you're an adult because of "safety")

[Ari 🚋]

Absolutely ridiculous

(In NSW it's also illegal to ride a bike on a footpath if you're an adult because of "safety")

The fact that you can't ride escooters in public in NSW is ridiculous, it's not meaningfully different from riding a bike to commute! Great way to make sure that we don't move on from cars any time soon

[ozbob]

ABC --> Queensland police penalise speeding e-scooter riders on Brisbane bikeways

Key points:

E-scooter use in Brisbane has boomed, but private e-scooters are being caught speeding on bikeways
Queensland police have fined 54 people this year riding above the 25kph speed limit on bikeways
The state government is looking at new legislation governing e-scooter use ...

[ozbob]

ABC --> Increase in e-scooters and e-skateboards accidents across Queensland, Ambulance Service says

Key points:

Incidents involving e-scooters and e-skateboards have increased throughout Queensland, officials say

The Queensland Ambulance Service says head injuries and fractures are of particular concern

The Transport Minister says new regulations will soon be imposed ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandWalks/status/1494493074424479750

[ozbob]

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/94513

E-Scooter reforms: speeds slashed, new fines and parking changes
20th February 2022

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

Roads and footpaths will be safer for Queensland commuters as the Palaszczuk Government rolls out new measures to better regulate e-scooters.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said stronger laws like lower speeds on footpaths, mandated safety measures, a safety education campaign and clearer signage and markings would be part of a suite of new actions to help ensure e-scooter riders, cyclists, motorists and pedestrians can safely share spaces.

"The rising popularity of e-scooters is a clear sign they aren't going to disappear," the Minister said.

"We know that people are going to keep using them so the key is making sure that shared spaces like footpaths and bike-lanes are as safe as they can be.

"That's why I joined industry and user groups, disability advocates, health, police and government experts late last year to understand what needs to be done to make e-scooters and their use safer for people riding them and those they ride near."

Immediate action will include the rollout of a proactive safety campaign focussing on the correct way to wear a helmet, how to ride safely, how to overtake pedestrians safely and how to park to keep the footpath clear for people with disabilities.

Mr Bailey said the reforms would see speed limits slashed on footpaths to 12 kilometres an hour.

"We are seeing far too many injuries in e-scooter users that are the result of speeding and many pedestrians feeling unsafe on footpaths," he said.

"Our footpaths are there for everyone so e-scooter riders will need to slow down on footpaths to 12 km/h in future.

"We'll also be allowing e-scooters on segregated bikeways, like the Veloway and bikeways such as the Ipswich Motorway & Gateway Arterial North as we examine further their use in relation to on road bike lanes.

"For e-scooters to use footpaths less, they need more safe routes to use as an alternative.

"We'll examine further whether on road bike lanes are appropriate with all stakeholders, with extensive consultation with local government associations and councils to come."

The State Government will also work with Brisbane City Council and other LGAs on making sure signs and markings make it clear where e-scooters can and can't be ridden and where they can and can't be parked.

Tougher laws to give police better tools to enforce speed limits and drink riding will also be further explored to crack down on rogue e-scooter riders endangering others.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the Queensland Police Service would be part of a new Personal Mobility Device Safety Reference Group.

"We know many people do the right thing and our officers do a great job at policing dangerous behaviour already," the Minister said.

"But with new rules and regulations we will be better equipped to keep the public safe."

Mr Bailey said more information on the safety reforms would be made available in the coming months, as engagement with industry and stakeholders progressed.

"I look forward to seeing the work we can do in this space, and the benefits the reforms can have in community moving forward," he said.

"I expect our Personal Mobility Action Plan outlining these, and a number of other initiatives around e-scooters, will be available shortly."

More information on the current road rules for personal mobility devices can be found on the Queensland Government website.

Fast Fact – E-Scooter Reforms

• Slashing footpath speed limits in half, to 12km/h
• Proactive safety campaign to inform users of road rules, parking and their responsibilities
• Partner with industry for a new e-scooter users guide at point of sale (privately owned e-scooters)
• Mandate warning devices (such as a bell)
• Establish an e-scooter parking working group to create clear rules for e-scooter parking to keep footpaths clear for pedestrians and people with disabilities
• Allowing e-scooters on segregated bikeways, including the Veloway
• Examine further e-scooter use on shared bikeways and on road bike lanes, pending further stakeholder and local government consultation
• Improved data recording and injury reporting
• Improved signage and markings
• Road rule amendments
• Creation of high-risk e-scooter offences, including drink and drug driving penalties, through legislative reforms
  
• Cracking down on dangerous and irresponsible e-scooter behaviour such as speeding through tougher enforcement and appropriate penalties

ENDS

[#Metro]

Mr Bailey said the reforms would see speed limits slashed on footpaths to 12 kilometres an hour.

Wow, that is very low speed. Speeding at 12 km/hr?  And fines/potential court appearances at that speed?

What is the research behind that speed limit?

Also, will eScooters allowed on urban and suburban roads?

People are going to buy private scooters that aren't electronically controlled to get around all of this regulation if it doesn't get the balance right.

[verbatim9]

It's going to be a very hard thing to police, similarly to jay walking.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> E-scooters slowed on footpaths as e-speedster crackdown begins $

E-scooters will be slowed to 12km/h on Queensland footpaths in the first – but not the last – measure to improve the safety of one of the most popular additions to personal transport.

Bells will be compulsory and police will be able to fine e-scooter riders who are speeding, riding drunk, or influenced by drugs.

There have been more than 6.5 million e-scooter trips made in Queensland – mostly in Brisbane and the Gold Coast – since they were introduced in 2018. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandWalks/status/1495500568714158080

[Jonno]

This is not great news!! The issue is, as it has been for bikes for decades, our cities have introduced these whilst adding absolutely no infrastructure for them! Whilst vehicles have wide lanes, slip lanes and ample room!! People (the public not this forum) need to to stop fighting the scooters and start fighting the Councils not building bike/mobility lanes!

[verbatim9]

Yeah it's still difficult on a bike or scooter to navigate the city without using the footpaths.

This includes suburban areas as well where traffic is really heavy.

[Cazza]

Exactly. Discouraging people from using something does not make it safer! It only creates further division, frustration and non-compliance.

I agree there needs to be some sort of regulation (as with pretty much everything in life) but the fact that we take soooooo looooong to put in any sort of separated bike infrastructure (you know, where e-scooter riders would much prefer to be rather than these crowded footpaths), we would not have all these people fearful and complaining about how much of a nuisance they are. The reality is, they are one of the most sustainable methods of travel for short-to-medium haul journeys to replace car travel and will revolutionise cities and regions if used right. Their relatively cheap cost, limited maintenance costs, easy charging, impressive manoeuvrability, and usage with other transport modes such as trains (and hopefully soon buses, ferries and trams too) will complete these first and last mile problems that so many people (including myself) have when trying to access the transport network.

It's coming up to 2 years since the first COVID wave and lockdowns now, when we saw a large push and plenty of words coming from Governments to get people onto more sustainable modes of transport, for both commuting and recreation. But, aside from the CBD bike lanes and across the Vic Bridge, has there actually been any more pop-up (or easy to install) bike lanes around the suburbs? There have been bike lanes/bikeway projects progressively opened up since then, but most were in the pipeline pre-COVID anyway.

Surely, it's great spending hundreds of millions of dollars on new green bridges (that I do believe will be game changers for the City and active transport networks), but putting in separated bike lanes costs a fraction of that price-tag, can be installed within weeks and go so much further in filling in gaps in our bikeway and (separated) bike lane network. Plus, since e-scooters cannot ride on the road (any road with a centre line that is), we can only use footpaths and whatever piecemeal bike paths just happen to be on our route. No wonder there is such angst amongst the community with us riders having no choice in most cases than to use the footpath!

The key is building a network of active transport infrastructure and there are currently too many black holes in our bikeway network for cycling/scootering to be a viable alternative for most.
- Sylvan Road/Land Road, between Milton Road and Coro Dr underpass to connect the Western Fwy Bikeway and Bicentennial bikeway
- Witton Road, between the Indro Riverwalk and Moggill Road
- Sir Fred Schonnel/backstreets, between Toowong (Bicentennial bikeway) and UQ
- Gladstone Road/Dornoch Tce/Orleigh St, between Dutton Park Station and West End Riverwalk
- Annerley Road (actually having separated cycle lanes in the first place, not randomly ending for bus stops or being shared with left turning vehicles). Side note, I can't tell if e-scooters can actually use these lanes or not. I believe not with the current state of them when looking at the legislation, but many people including myself do...
- Logan Road, between Wellington Rd/Hampton St cut through and Ipswich Road, including allowing outbound cyclists a dedicated crossing at Ipswich Road, rather than the current mess of an arrangement
- Shaftson Ave/Lambert Street, between Mowbray Park and Deakin Street (this MUST be constructed and opened before the KP green bridge is)
- Oxlade Dr, between New Farm Park and New Farm Riverwalk
- Riverwalk between Teneriffe Ferry and Newstead Tce (including a dedicated connection to BC green bridge from day one like above)
- Bowen Bridge Road, between RBWH/Northern Bikeway and Fortitude Valley/Storey Bridge
- Jackson Street/Dickson Street, between the Northern Bikeway and Kedron Brook Bikeway (currently in planning)
- Park Road/Kent Street, between the Northern Bikeway and Kedron Brook Bikeway, as previously planned:


- Uxbridge Street/Kedron Brook Road/Noble Street, between Kedron Brook Bikeway and Enoggera Creek Bikeway for this key commuter and recreational corridor
- Fagan Road/Aberleigh Road, between Enoggera Creek Bikeway and Herston Road, to complete this short, missing link between the ECB and Northern Bikeway. Consideration should be made to construct the path through the western side of Vic Park (as in the Vic Park Masterplan) with a new shared bridge over the ICB/Normanby tracks near BGS
- And of course the CBD grid, including the length of George St, Ann St (into the Valley), some sort of connection into Spring Hill and much better access to/from the Bicentennial bikeway.

With nearly 1/3 of the countries privately owned e-scooters located in QLD (and the majority of which I can safely assume in the South-East corner), local governments (in partnership with the State's funding support for Local Governments: https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Cycling/Cycling-investment-in-Queensland) really need to pick up the pace with separated cycle infrastructure.



Remember, every $1 spent on cycling infrastructure provides around $5 worth of benefits back into the community. Compare this with the billions being spent on road projects each year. Bike infrastructure benefits everyone, cyclists, car drivers, PT users, delivery vehicles, everyone. Less people in cars and on PT, more space for those who actually need to drive or use PT, meaning faster travel times. It truly is a shame just how much politics is holding back our City and not wanting to educate or upset the loud minority. If BCC really wanted to be BrisBetter, then they really need to start updating and creating progressive policies and putting their money where their mouth is, because spending $100 million "upgrading" a 1km section of Wynnum Road or looking at duplicating the Walter Taylor crossing is just laughable.

[#Metro]

I'm just teasing trying to get my head around how going 13 km/hr is "speeding".

Are we going to police people who are jogging or running on footpaths as well?

[Cazza]

From what I've gathered, you can't actually be fined (as you're still considered a pedestrian when you're on a footpath on an e-scooter). So they can ask you to slow down, but can't fine or charge you... at this stage.

[Jonno]

What Cazza said!!!

[Stillwater]

The proposal is for electric scooters to have a maximum speed of 12 kph. However, mobility scooters favoured by older Australians to get about on the same footpaths and paths used by electric scooters, in Queensland, are limited to 10 kph. It doesn't make sense -- mobility scooters should have their speed limit put up to 12 kph and the necessary changes made in legislation.

What happens when a rider of an electric scooter doing 12 kph comes up behind an old codger on a mobility scooter doing the maximum speed of 10 kph allowed by law as the maximum speed?

Will we have to have dual carriageway paths to allow safe overtaking?

[verbatim9]

From earlier reports there will not be any geo speed limiting put on the scooters. The new rules are a guide to ensure good footpath etiquette by users.   

[verbatim9]

I don't why certain scooter riders and bike riders for that matter don't have consideration for others using foot and bike paths.

Plus people shouldn't be using motorised vehicles when intoxicated with substances either.

[locojoe67]

Consideration goes both ways. Im no fan of many rental scooter behaviours, but those on foot need to come to the party with more spatial awareness, less walking four abreast, and so on.

Ive also seen pedestrians walk straight into an e scooters path and expect them to stop or swerve. Its unnerving.

[#Metro]

They are wearing noise canceling headphones, nothing can disturb them as all background noise gets blocked out.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1533458186589483009

[ozbob]

Milton pic.twitter.com/mgXaQMXysE

— ozbob13 😷🔬💉💉💉💉💉+💉 Flu (@ozbob13) June 6, 2022

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1533894222516211713

[Jonno]

Time for dedicated scooter/eBike parking facilities!!

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1535727068515774464

[Jonno]

Tell me your Transport Department prioritises driving over all things without telling me your Transport Department prioritises driving over all things.

[ozbob]

Starts around 3 minutes in ..

[ozbob]

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/95386

Scooting up a notch on reforms
12th June 2022

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

Safety reforms are now mapped out as the Palaszczuk Government continues to improve the regulation of e-scooters.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey today released the Personal Mobility Device Safety Action Plan.

"It's hard to miss how successful the uptake of e-scooters has been here in Queensland, from the Coast up to Cairns," Mr Bailey said.

"E-scooters are an emerging form of transport, and they aren't going anywhere – if anything, their use continues to gain popularity with those who want to leave the car a home or connect with public transport.

"That's why it's important we have a plan on how we improve safety for e-scooter riders, and for those who use our cycleways, footpaths and roads."

Mr Bailey said the action plan, developed in consultation with the Government's Personal Mobility Device Safety Reference Group and details short, medium and long term goals.

"In the short term, we will be delivering a package of regulation changes, including speed limits on some footpaths, mandating warning devices (like bells), enforcement of non-complying devices, increased penalties for high-risk offences, and clearer signage," he said.

"This package of regulations will be delivered by the end of the year.

"In the medium term, we want to finalise an improved parking plan, produced by the working group, which has already met multiple times, and rollout the signage in specific areas, which will be done over the next year.

"Getting a solution on parking is critical and that's why we created a working group with pedestrian and disability advocates shared scheme providers and local government representatives to work on e-scooter parking solutions for pathways around the inner-city.

"This parking plan can then be adopted by councils across Queensland.

"In the long term, we want to build better active transport infrastructure, develop import rules with the federal government, and continue working with stakeholders.

"All of which will help deliver safer outcomes for everyone when it comes to e-scooters."

Mr Bailey said e-scooter symbols had already been rolled out on the Veloway and a combined government and industry stakeholder reference group had been established.

"The plan strikes the right balance and acknowledges that this technology is here to stay, but we need to continue to adapt the framework that supports these devices to ensure everyone's safety, particularly people with disabilities," he said.

"Through stakeholder engagement, it was identified that the location of parking and speeds were the biggest issues for the community.

"The action plan aims to develop a simple and effective parking scheme to ensure our footpaths are safe for everyone, without barriers.

"We'll also be increasing the penalties for high-risk offences to ensure e-scooter riders are aware of the consequences of unsafe riding.

"This will include speeding, using a mobile phone while riding and riding on prohibited roads."

Mr Bailey said penalties followed the announcement of 12 km/h speed limits on footpaths.

"Earlier this year we announced that speeds would be halved to 12 kilometres per hour on footpaths which was a really important step in reducing dangerous, high-speed interactions between pedestrians and riders," he said.

"This was a quick win and pushes us in the right direction to support our transition to larger regulatory reform."

Mr Bailey said Queensland Police were supporting the reforms through behaviour blitzes, to ensure e-scooter riders are complying with rules and regulation.

"The blitzes aim to crack down on people riding in a dangerous manner, which might mean speeding, using a mobile phone, carrying passengers or not wearing a helmet," he said.

"They will be focusing on the urban areas of Brisbane where e-scooter use is particularly high, so I ask everyone do the right thing – not just when Police are around, but every time you get behind the handlebars."

The proposed changes come after the Palaszczuk Government hosted a round table discussion on personal mobility device safety in November last year (2021).

Mr Bailey said the conversations thus far had been incredibly productive, with all stakeholders in agreement about the steps necessary to improve e-scooter safety in Queensland.

"It was very encouraging to see the willingness from stakeholders to be involved in this process and we know they're going to play an important role in getting a lot of these actions over the line," he said.

"We've listened to the issues that are being raised in these conversations and the action plan represents a comprehensive approach to address them."

For more information about e-scooter use in Queensland and to view the action plan please visit the Queensland Government website.

ENDS

[ozbob]

Personal Mobility Device Safety Action Plan

> https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Road-safety/Road-safety-strategy-and-action-plans/Personal-Mobility-Device-Safety-Action-Plan

[ozbob]

Are you an e-scooter commuter? Do you hire one on the weekend?🛴 We've released an action plan around making e-scooters safer. If you haven't already, check it out 👉https://bit.ly/3IbFlnf

Posted by Mark Bailey MP on Sunday, 3 July 2022

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/judithkerr1/status/1547750101241982981

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/StreetsYarra/status/1561623868590108679

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1581019659767119872