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Recommend electric folding scooter for end of commute (Mod Note Post #1)

goz83

Mod Note: I've discussed with site admins, due to the current legal situation recommendations cannot be made for use of electric scooters on public roads in Ireland, but can be made for use on private property. However, we will allow discussion of e-scooters for purchase for use on private property, and other jurisdictions such as France/Germany where they are legal for use. This restriction will be lifted as soon as the legal situation changes, which will hopefully be soon.

I was thinking of getting one of those xiaomi m365 folding scooters to cover the last 5 kilometres of the journey as I come into the city and traffic gets mad. I am looking for peoples experiences with them.

I understand they are in a bit of a legal grey area, but you need to push this scooter to get going, so technically it doesn’t operate on mechanical power alone which is what the rsa site mentions as the definition of an mpv.

I’ll be travelling about 15km each way from urban to city. Due to a back injury, I can’t spend an hour stuck in traffic twice per day. I can’t tolerate public transport and it would be much more expensive (over €100 per month, compared to about €5 per month in my Leaf and m365).

So, my plan would be to drive about 10km and park the car before hitting the city centre. Parking would be free as I would be well outside the cc. I would then scoot the rest of the way to my destination and do the reverse on my return journey. I wouldn’t be stuck in traffic for too long and the range of the scooter should easily cover the return journey without destination charging. The scooter will cost around €400 to buy and claims 30km per charge...I am expecting 15.

What do you think?

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Joseph SEE

Calahonda52 wrote: »

My guess he had it on stand for testing and never deleted the stuff, same as GPS/dashcam. I always clean out that stuff if I am well over

Nah, typically, loaded rpm is about 80% of the unloaded rpm. The most likely explanation is a glitch as alluded to already.

Not the brightest of cops it has to be said. You'd think you'd be knowledgeable about something that's a core component of your job.

15KW hub motors designed for scooters are possible on bikes, but they are very large and would require hefty, modified dropouts. That's clearly not what's being used in the picture.

Cops shouldn't be on social media spreading misinformation or on social media representing the police force as identifiable individuals full stop.

ted1

Interesting article here : https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jul/15/invasion-electric-scooter-backlash
I didn’t realise that there was fatality in the uk involving a lorry and a scooter

ED E

Joseph SEE wrote: »

Nah, typically, loaded rpm is about 80% of the unloaded rpm. The most likely explanation is a glitch as alluded to already.

His wheel circumference was set wrong :rolleyes:

championc

Hi all,

Sorry but I'm new to this. Is there any circumstance where an escooter is legal (maybe once helmet is worn or if it's speed limited).

ted1

championc wrote: »

Hi all,

Sorry but I'm new to this. Is there any circumstance where an escooter is legal (maybe once helmet is worn or if it's speed limited).

Nope, unless you use it on private property

McGiver

ted1 wrote:

Nope, unless you use it on private property

How about in a park, off road?

Joseph SEE

ED E wrote: »

His wheel circumference was set wrong :rolleyes:

That's very unlikely to account for such a mismatch. Those cheap displays typically go from 20" up to 29". The sensor is on the front wheel, which looks to be 26" in the picture. Not much to work with to give an incorrect reading.

ted1

McGiver wrote: »

How about in a park, off road?

Nope only private property. Cops have been confiscating scramblers and quads for use in those areas. They are the same classification

McGiver

ted1 wrote:

Nope only private property. Cops have been confiscating scramblers and quads for use in those areas. They are the same classification

Seriously? That's sick. I get the road, huge potential to self damage but off road with no other vehicles around...

Lumen

McGiver wrote: »

Seriously? That's sick. I get the road, huge potential to self damage but off road with no other vehicles around...

The law doesn't really care about self damage. It's damage to pedestrians that's the issue.

ted1

Lumen wrote: »

The law doesn't really care about self damage. It's damage to pedestrians that's the issue.

Like this: https://www.irishtimes.com//ireland/irish-news/the-motorbike-ran-over-my-husband-and-crushed-his-face-1.3624025?mode=amp

Lumen

ted1 wrote: »

Like this: https://www.irishtimes.com//ireland/irish-news/the-motorbike-ran-over-my-husband-and-crushed-his-face-1.3624025?mode=amp

That link didn't work for me on desktop, this one did

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/the-motorbike-ran-over-my-husband-and-crushed-his-face-1.3624025

biko

Bring it back to e-scooters please

championc

I certainly cannot understand as to why escooters cannot use cycle lanes. Bikes are capable of going the same speed if not faster.

tuxy

championc wrote: »

I certainly cannot understand as to why escooters cannot use cycle lanes. Bikes are capable of going the same speed if not faster.

It's probably because currently it is not legal to use an escooter on a public road. Also the cycle lanes in this country are poorly designed and may contribute to causing more accidents than if they were never created.

Is Shane Ross back from his holidays yet? He did promise a swift decision on this.

ted1

championc wrote: »

I certainly cannot understand as to why escooters cannot use cycle lanes. Bikes are capable of going the same speed if not faster.

Because they are classified as MPVs. Until they legislate them
They are no different than cars. The recent death in the UK won’t help. Shane Ross is incompetent and will be gone will be gone soon enough. So I wouldn’t hold my breath

antodeco

ted1 wrote: »

Because they are classified as MPVs. Until they legislate them
They are no different than cars.

In law only in fairness. Not in physicality or structure.

championc

ted1 wrote:

Because they are classified as MPVs. Until they legislate them They are no different than cars.

Not wanting to drift off topic, but I can only assume that eBikes are illegal too ?

Johnboy1951

championc wrote: »

Not wanting to drift off topic, but I can only assume that eBikes are illegal too ?

Any bike that requires the user to apply some force to the pedals to maintain movement is legal, even if that force is assisted by a motor.

A vehicle capable of maintaining movement only by motor power is an MPV ... similar to a car.

[Deleted User]

championc wrote: »

I certainly cannot understand as to why escooters cannot use cycle lanes. Bikes are capable of going the same speed if not faster.

An awful lot of laws make little logical sense.

McGiver

championc wrote:

I certainly cannot understand as to why escooters cannot use cycle lanes. Bikes are capable of going the same speed if not faster.

Because you eventually have to use the road as well as the cycle path network isn't proper. And they are illegal on the road, hence cycle lanes are a no go.
Compare with the cycles, they can use roads so if you stride off the cycle lane, you're legal.

Naked Lepper

any idea on if/when we will know if it is worth buying one?
apparently they are being seized by the gardai at the moment
would prob buy one but want to follow the law - get insured if necessary etc.

[Deleted User]

I think proper targeted legislation is needed to encourage the right sort of mobility devices. ie speed restricted safety tested etc. An outright ban is totally counter productive.

After that I think we need to go the whole hog and ban cars from large parts of the city centers. Starting first with single occupancy diesel powered cars.

beauf

Naked Lepper wrote: »

any idea on if/when we will know if it is worth buying one?
apparently they are being seized by the gardai at the moment
would prob buy one but want to follow the law - get insured if necessary etc.

Because of the recent fatal accident in the UK. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a token increase in seizures before they go back to ignoring them again.

I am open to correction but I don't think anyone who tried had managed to get insurance. Maybe thats they lack of type approval or classification (other than mpv) I don't know. That said the insurance industry don't seem to want to insure anything these days.

pablo128

There was an idiot woman driving along the N4 in the bus lane on one of these scooters the other day. You can blame morons like this for the scooters not getting approved.

ED E

Irish insurers won't ever take on a driver without requiring a motorbike licence (unless DTTAS made a new license, I doubt it). Those kidna hurdles will discourage many would be users.

Henry Ford III

Why shouldn't these vehicles be insured? They are capable of causing plenty of damage.

They are faster and have greater range than a push bike so licensing is not unfair either.

Lumen

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Why shouldn't these vehicles be insured? They are capable of causing plenty of damage.

They are faster and have greater range than a push bike so licensing is not unfair either.

They don't have greater range than a bicycle, and they aren't faster either. Bicycles routinely travel at 30-40kph on the flat, and 60+kph downhill, and I don't see many e-scooters going that fast.

As a pedestrian I'd rather be hit by someone on a e-scooter than a 25kg e-bike.

My main issue with e-scooters compared to bikes is the crap stopping distance and tiny wheels.

ted1

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Why shouldn't these vehicles be insured? They are capable of causing plenty of damage.

They are faster and have greater range than a push bike so licensing is not unfair either.

Because how much damage can they do ? Card have compulsory insurance because the damage they do is often outside the means of the driver.

Compulsory insurance fir something that might do low cost damage only puts money in the pockets of insurance companies and encourages false claims

Henry Ford III

ted1 wrote:

Because how much damage can they do ?

Enough to cause a fatal injury without doubt. It's the speed and weight of the rider and machine that'd impacting potentially.