e-Scooter parking at North Dulwich station?!

[Dulwich_Dad]

I am one of the few people commuting at the moment. To reduce my journey time I've bought myself an electric scooter to get me from home to North Dulwich Station.

The only trouble... I then have to carry my e-scooter around with me all day! On the train, into the office and back again. It would be so much easier if there was locker storage or something similar at the station.

Is anyone else in the same boat?

[Spartacus]

Are e-scooters legal yet ?

[slarti b]

I don't think private e-scooters are allowed on public roads or pavements though this may change. However, I think rental e-scooters are now legal.

[macutd]

good luck finding a locker Dulwich Dad

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

Do these things not lock up to bike racks/railings, then?

[Metallic]

Dulwich_Dad Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I am one of the few people commuting at the

> moment. To reduce my journey time I've bought

> myself an electric scooter to get me from home to

> North Dulwich Station.

>

> The only trouble... I then have to carry my

> e-scooter around with me all day! On the train,

> into the office and back again. It would be so

> much easier if there was locker storage or

> something similar at the station.

>

> Is anyone else in the same boat?

If it is "yours" then you are using it illegally - ?300 fine plus licence points so its a good job you are anonymous.

[macutd]

"?300 fine" get a life! there are hundreds of them being used all over central London

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

That's definitely an argument to win friends and influence people! 😂

[Nigello]

They?re not yet legal on road or pavement. I think they?re a good idea in theory ? keeping the number of vehicles down and reducing pressure on public transport - but need to be policed. I?ve seen people waving in and out of traffic on roads and footpath and felt unsafe for the rider and those nearby. Accidents can happen and they have effects on not just the rider and the injured but their loved ones. Insurance is needed for all riders because they can go at a fair lick.

[Shaggy]

In answer to the actual question....

I wouldn't leave an electric scooter locked up for any length of time. There is no lock I know of that could safely secure it. A small lock through the wheel would just be a small lock, so easy to break, in a wheel that can be removed. A cycle lock across the stem would be equally easy to disable.

All these options are fine for a couple of mins as they have an alarm and can alert your mobile if tampered with. But not while going off to work for the day.

Also, most escooters don't react well to being rained on, and are likely thief-magnets. So best kept indoors and away from sticky-fingered teenage drug dealers.

Also, I'm a Brompton commuter. And I own an electric scooter which I don't use because, generally speaking, the bike is much better at most things. However, it is a bit of pain lugging a folded Brompton up the stairs to my office desk. It is much easier to wheel a scooter from door to desk, and throw it over you shoulder with a strap when going up stairs. It's not ideal, but I think lugging it around is the least worst option and is what I would do in the situation.

As for the law, it is rarely applied and practically unenforceable. The police are more likely to stop and confiscate the scooters of the many idiot kids who haven't worked out which side of the road to travel on and are putting themselves in danger, than people cruising sedately down the cycle lane to the staton.

[AylwardS]

They are not yet legal but I see no reason they won?t be and they are in use. As Shaggy says the law is unlikely to be enforced if you use it responsibly.

A few suggestions for Dulwich_Dad:

Wear a helmet - they can go along as quickly as a cycle so take the same precautions you would if you were riding a bike.

If you have to travel on the pavement, and I can see that is safer than being on the road most of the time, give way to pedestrians and give warning that you are approaching. I?ve had scooters come up behind me I had no idea were there until they passed me. A bicycle bell or shout out Excuse Me / Good Morning (probably a bell in London!) with time for the pedestrian to stand to one side if needed before you get to them will make it safer and more pleasant for all.

Consider waterproof over trousers / gaiters for when the weather is less pleasant. If you have waterproof over trousers you can travel in your normal work attire. Gaiters will at least protect the bottom of your trousers from spray the scooter kicks up in wetter weather.

Yes there will always be some thoughtless riders just as there are cyclists and drivers but responsible use should be welcomed.

[Earl Aelfheah]

I believe the government are looking to make them legal. In reality they are used fairly widely now and the police seem to tolerate them.

[Nigello]

If you have to travel on the pavement, and I can see that is safer than being on the road most of the time, give way to pedestrians and give warning that you are approaching. I?ve had scooters come up behind me I had no idea were there until they passed me. A bicycle bell or shout out Excuse Me / Good Morning (probably a bell in London!) with time for the pedestrian to stand to one side if needed before you get to them will make it safer and more pleasant for all.

Nice sentiment but rather too Enid Blyton for my reality. Pavements are for pedestrians and wheelchair users. Why add to some people?s sense of unease by allowing (by virtue of not ticketing) illegal use of machines that can go much faster than the average pedestrian/wheelchair user? If you?re barrelling along a pavement with no helmet and no way of others identifying you it?s unlikely you?ll chirrup a jolly hello or ring a tinkly bell to announce your presence.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Trials going on at the moment apparently: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/e-scooter-trials-guidance-for-users

[Nigello]

The trials are for hireable ones so people?s details will be traceable and insurance is provided by the hire firm. It stresses they?re to be used on roads only. This is sensible.

Where you can use a trial e-scooter

You may use a trial e-scooter on the road (except motorways) and in cycle lanes.

You must not use an e-scooter on the pavement.

[redpost]

I've yet to see one locked up probably because they've already been stolen.

I think they are a very good transport solution if riders are educated.

I go to Tel Aviv every year, and last year the city was filled with hire scooters from Lime, Bird and some other smaller companies. The scooters weren't docked, you just leave them on the pavement in a non-obstructing place. Every night you would see guys with vans picking them up for charging ... they get paid to charge them up and re-deploy them before the morning.

When they make it to London, I think they will prove to be extremely popular.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Nigello Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The trials are for hireable ones so people?s

> details will be traceable and insurance is

> provided by the hire firm. It stresses they?re to

> be used on roads only. This is sensible.

>

> Where you can use a trial e-scooter

> You may use a trial e-scooter on the road (except

> motorways) and in cycle lanes.

>

> You must not use an e-scooter on the pavement.

Yeah, definitely shouldn't be used on the pavement.

[exdulwicher]

Yeah, definitely shouldn't be used on the pavement.

The trials in Coventry have just been paused after complaints of pavement riding!

The reality is that the police aren't going to do much about it unless you're mowing down pedestrians or bouncing off cars along Red Post Hill.

Echo the comments above about locking it up - it's unlikely to survive long on the open Sheffield Stand bike racks outside ND although if there's one of those Cycle Hangers anywhere nearby, that might be worth a conversation with a resident to ask about sharing it.

Could ask TfL / Network Rail if they have any plans to install a bike parking shed or lockers at ND. Or is there anything at London Bridge? At least that'd save carrying it to/from the office. Most stations got rid of lockers (too easy to put bombs in) but LB bike parking (out the station, turn right towards the underground) seems pretty extensive and safe, it's always full of bikes and it's got CCTV. Tuck it away down there with a hefty lock around it?

[northernmonkey]

I think as others have commented, it doesn?t seem wise to leave it around. The whole advantage of scooters is that they?re very portable