the Crazy eDevice rider thread

[Andy01]

Well today I had to venture into Brisbane CBD (by bus) for a meeting.

Can you imagine what a circus it’s going to be in Bris in 8 years time for the 2032 Olympics ?

Unless the State Gov does something useful to remedy footpath anarchy - before it gets worse !

Do you really think that this is a problem unique to, and/or only affecting BrisVegas??
I think one reason Melbourne pulled the pin on the Olympics was not just the cost, but fears that people would be skittled too easily, too frequently walking around on the footpaths looking at the scenery. Never mind long-gone Chairman Dan and his perceived real reasons (which are now classified as State Secrets!). After all, I never walk on the footpaths if I can avoid them, I'm on the road one way or another. Footpaths are too narrow and congested; you're either crashing into people with eyes glued to phones, dodging mad hire scooters, keeping hands in pockets to prevent thieves on skateboards making free with your dosh or cyclists riding at a speed they just.should.not.be. travelling at.

I don't think anyone suggested that this problem was unique to Brisbane.

I think that Brisbane is possibly some ways further down the path than some other cities since we have had hire bikes & scooters here for some years now. I am aware (through this forum & newsfeeds) of a few nasty incidents in Melbourne during the trail - one where a lady in her seventies was physically thrown a few metres when she stepped out of her daughter's shop and an e-scooter hit her (maybe last year or the year before - time flies).

It would be a brave pedestrian to walk around Brisbane CBD and stay on the roads instead of footpaths I suspect life would be short.

[jasonc]

Urgh. Just read that lime escooters are coming back to Brisbane. More crap littered all over the place. Great

[redsonic]

Homicide by escooter:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-09/ ... /103684610

[Mr Purple]

Homicide by escooter:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-09/ ... /103684610

Probably not an e-scooter if used as a weapon in that way - Razor make plenty of lightweight unpowered kid's scooters as well.

Still not sure how the guy with the axe lost.

[WyvernRH]

Probably not an e-scooter if used as a weapon in that way - Razor make plenty of lightweight unpowered kid's scooters as well.
Still not sure how the guy with the axe lost.

Local goss says ordinary kiddie scooter.
I'd say the axe guy was under the influence of 'something' and when he'd missed once the other bloke just pounded him with the scooter til he stopped moving. Can be a bit of a dodgy area round that way....

[piledhigher2]

Purportedly from 1918

[jasonc]

another one doing 25-ish

got overtaken by this guy again this morning

[g-boaf]

A family on e-scooters were flying past me on the M7 cycleway (south-west Sydney) yesterday. I was doing 25km/h uphill on Elizabeth Drive section (about 4% gradient) and the three of them must have been doing 40km/h.

They came on the path around Elizabeth Hills. Each scooter had two people on it.

[Retrobyte]

Same bloke two days in a row on his ebike disguised as a motor cycle ...

[find_bruce]

An interesting article in the ABC Electric unicyclist's death prompts mother's call for tougher e-vehicle laws
I am sorry that a child is left without a parent and his mother's grief is entirely understandable.

James Barella was riding his e-unicycle along a trail in Melbourne's north when he swerved to avoid cyclists and was catapulted off.
...
He was an experienced e-unicycle rider and had made additions to his vehicle so it could go much faster than the standard 30 kilometres per hour.
"James had tampered with it, and it was tested at going from zero to 126 kilometres an hour in four seconds," his mother Rita Barella told Raf Epstein on ABC Radio Melbourne.
...
Ms Barella said her son's e-unicycle was his primary mode of transport and he regularly rode it well above 30kph.

I don't know where the "standard" 30kmh comes from - as I understand it the speed limit for e-devices in Victoria is 20 kmh, but anyhow, "tougher laws" are not going to stop people like the deceased from riding an unsafe and illegally modified electric motorbike that meets no known safety standards.

The consequences of his stupid & dangerous actions were clearly lost on the deceased. Research as to what deters people from breaking the law has well established that the risk of getting caught is a far more effective deterrent than "tougher laws".

[Mr Purple]

An interesting article in the ABC Electric unicyclist's death prompts mother's call for tougher e-vehicle laws
I am sorry that a child is left without a parent and his mother's grief is entirely understandable.

James Barella was riding his e-unicycle along a trail in Melbourne's north when he swerved to avoid cyclists and was catapulted off.
...
He was an experienced e-unicycle rider and had made additions to his vehicle so it could go much faster than the standard 30 kilometres per hour.
"James had tampered with it, and it was tested at going from zero to 126 kilometres an hour in four seconds," his mother Rita Barella told Raf Epstein on ABC Radio Melbourne.
...
Ms Barella said her son's e-unicycle was his primary mode of transport and he regularly rode it well above 30kph.

I don't know where the "standard" 30kmh comes from - as I understand it the speed limit for e-devices in Victoria is 20 kmh, but anyhow, "tougher laws" are not going to stop people like the deceased from riding an unsafe and illegally modified electric motorbike that meets no known safety standards.

The consequences of his stupid & dangerous actions were clearly lost on the deceased. Research as to what deters people from breaking the law has well established that the risk of getting caught is a far more effective deterrent than "tougher laws".

The answer is to actually enforce the laws that are in place. As I was driving to work yesterday I saw a teenager without a helmet on a electric mountainbike passing cars on a two lane road where the limit is 80km/hr. In broad daylight. Flagrantly illegal in many ways, but I can guarantee he's been doing it for months without a problem simply because it's too hard for anyone to catch him to enforce it.

Things like electric unicycles I see above are almost always being ridden far in excess of 30km/hr. Just last week one came at me the other way on the V1 veloway doing 80km/hr+. I disagree with the statement in the article that they shouldn't be banned completely - I think so few of the stupid things are ridden responsibly that banning them completely is the only option. It makes enforcement easier - either you're in the 1% riding these devices legally or we just assume that you're in the other 99%.

Likewise oversized scooters - almost always being ridden illegally. And personally I think any e-bike that has roughly the same dimensions and looks like a motorbike is essentially a motorbike. Outright ban is the only solution.

The problem is you allow shades of grey with these things - 'hey you need to be limited to 250W', 'hey you need to ride 25km/hr or less' and you make it harder to see what's legal. Because at the moment (in Queensland at least) there's a very small minority riding legal devices (mainly e-bikes) and everyone else gets away with riding illegal devices simply because the things that make them illegal also make them almost impossible to catch. We need to stop pretending that people who buy these things have any intention of using them legally and simply ban them outright.

Otherwise more people are going to die. Mind you if you have an e-unicycle capable of 126km/hr and it kills you, I'm not sure why anyone should be surprised. That's just dumb.

[WyvernRH]

Um, this is scuttlebutt at the moment OK?
It apparently happened to the 15 yo friend of the son of one of my friends in Newy. He was stopped by the cops coming off a cycle path when riding one of these 'maybe' legal fat tyred e-bikes with his girlfriend on the back.
I'm assuming he got a bit sassy cos I'm told he was hit with;

- riding an unregistered motorbike,
- riding a motorbike without a license,
- riding a motorbike on a cyclepath,
- carrying a passenger on a motorbike not constructed to do so,
- not wearing a suitable motorbike helmet and carrying a passenger not wearing a suitable helmet.

Sub the official blurb where necessary and possibly can add riding in a dangerous manner to that list, I don't recall exactly.

So, seems he (or his parents) are up for a couple of thousand dollars in fines and maybe he gets 3-6 points on his license upfront when he finally gets one!

Like I said, totally word of mouth at the moment but if true, a few more pings like that might curtail the use of these illegal e-bikes a bit.

Richard

[Andy01]

Otherwise more people are going to die. Mind you if you have an e-unicycle capable of 126km/hr and it kills you, I'm not sure why anyone should be surprised. That's just dumb.

Minor correction - a top speed of 126km/h would be bad enough, but this was 126km/h in 4 seconds (ie. acceleration), which is just insane for a unicycle (or almost anything allowed on public ROADS, never mind shared paths). That is close to superbike fast.

[Andy01]

Um, this is scuttlebutt at the moment OK?
It apparently happened to the 15 yo friend of the son of one of my friends in Newy. He was stopped by the cops coming off a cycle path when riding one of these 'maybe' legal fat tyred e-bikes with his girlfriend on the back.
I'm assuming he got a bit sassy cos I'm told he was hit with;

- riding an unregistered motorbike,
- riding a motorbike without a license,
- riding a motorbike on a cyclepath,
- carrying a passenger on a motorbike not constructed to do so,
- not wearing a suitable motorbike helmet and carrying a passenger not wearing a suitable helmet.

Sub the official blurb where necessary and possibly can add riding in a dangerous manner to that list, I don't recall exactly.

So, seems he (or his parents) are up for a couple of thousand dollars in fines and maybe he gets 3-6 points on his license upfront when he finally gets one!

Like I said, totally word of mouth at the moment but if true, a few more pings like that might curtail the use of these illegal e-bikes a bit.

Richard

Would be nice if this was the case.

The problem with fines is that many/most of the repeat-offending drongos who get them just don't pay them - 6 months ago, the SPER debt (unpaid fines) in Qld was $1.27 BILLION, and many/most of the drongos who get licence suspensions just keep riding/driving anyway.

The few times that I watch TV shows like Highway patrol or RBT usually leaves me shaking my in dismay - because half the offenders are serial offenders who already have no licence etc etc.

To me the real solution is to confiscate and destroy whatever vehicle or device the offender is using. Do that often enough and things might slow down a tad. It might create an increase in "vehicle" theft though

[jasonc]

what could go wrong?

[blizzard]

The other day I came upon a private scooter rider on the V1 wearing a motorcycle helmet and jacket. I fully expected them to accelerate off into the distance but they actually sat at 25km/h for the next k or so I followed for. I couldn't believe it

[uart]

what could go wrong?

I clicked a thumbs up to this comment by thewalrus (in reply to something like "don't other path users get the shits with you"). Summed up my sentiments pretty well.

@thewalrus1968
he doesn't care .. its all about him and his fun... others don't come into his consideration

[Mububban]

Being from Perth, I had to laugh (cynically) when reading the current list of regs for e-rideables as they relate to kids under or over 16. 10kph limit for those under 16 hahahahaha, as if!!! How about 3-up doing 40+ in thongs and no helmets?

The laws for children using personal mobility devices — which include e-scooters, e-skateboards and e-bikes — differ from state to state.

Queensland
Illegal for under 12s; riders aged 12–16 require adult supervision and are prohibited from using sharing schemes

ACT
Allows children under 12 to ride an e-scooter with adult supervision

Victoria
Minimum age is 16. Riders are limited to shared-use footpaths or below 60kph signposted roads

Tasmania
Restrictions for under 16s to a device that does not exceed 200 watts or 10kph

NSW
Personal e-scooters are illegal unless ridden on private property. Shared e-scooter trials are underway for over 16s

SA
Personal e-scooters are illegal unless ridden on private property. Shared e-scooter trials are underway for over 18s

WA
Restrictions for under 16s to a device that does not exceed 10kph. E-rideables or devices that go faster than 25kph are allowed for those over 16

NT
Riders have to be over 18 to use a shared e-scooter scheme on public roads and footpaths

[g-boaf]

Ouch:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/vid ... 5flle.html

Unfortunately it makes it more difficult for other riders on bicycles.

[MichaelB]

Ouch:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/vid ... 5flle.html

Unfortunately it makes it more difficult for other riders on bicycles.

I’m sorry, but gotta laugh.

Karma’s a bit…..

[find_bruce]

Illegal motorbike rolling along at over 30km/h, no pedaling natch, whatever I sat a decent distance behind, Starts to slow for no apparent reason so I move to overtake when he performs a no look u-turn.

In more positive news, my emergency braking techniques are aok

[antigee]

.........
Victoria
Minimum age is 16. Riders are limited to shared-use footpaths or below 60kph signposted roads

possibly being a pedant but think that should read " shared-use footpaths, cycle paths or roads with 60kph limit or below "

think it is quite recent that Vic changed rules to allow on 60kph speed limited arterials think that last year limit was streets with 50kph speed limit or below, that is residential streets not Highways ... noticed it at the time as pretty much in line with what mouth breathing just about car driving face book scribblers believe cyclists should be limited to

[g-boaf]

I scared one of these e-device riders the other day, he was zooming along pretty fast so I caught him on a bicycle, pedal power. I didn't go too closely, still kept a safe distance.

They only know one response to that, go even faster. It's an outrage to them that pedal-power can be faster.

What I thought I saw was the guy carrying a small kid as well in his arms while riding that thing. I couldn't quite see but it looked like it. Not very safe.

[Mr Purple]

I scared one of these e-device riders the other day, he was zooming along pretty fast so I caught him on a bicycle, pedal power. I didn't go too closely, still kept a safe distance.

They only know one response to that, go even faster. It's an outrage to them that pedal-power can be faster.

I've done this a few times. The increasing look of fear on their face when they realise their 500W+ e-device is about to be passed by a dude without a motor is priceless.

You're correct in that you don't want to get too close though. They usually have absolutely no idea what they're doing. My favourite is when they clearly get bored cruising along at 40km/hr+ with no effort so start weaving erratically side to side to self stimulate their ADHD.

[jasonc]

came upon a guy on an overpowered eBike this morning riding right down the middle of the bike way. As I got closer her moved further right. So I overtook him on his left. Told his his rear light wasn't working. He obviously stopped and turned it on as he overtook me on one of the longer climbs. Caught up to him a little while later, riding up the middle again. genius.

The amount of fast PMDs this morning on bicentennial bike way was scary.