rsa supporting e-scooters

In the news again..

RTE news : Scramblers to be banned in all public places from Friday

http://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0401/1566196-cabinet-updates/

I hope the Garda involved successfully appeals that driving ban, and gets that fine quashed, just ridiculous, indemnify each and every Gard from having to suffer the indignity of a court case for doing their job.

Although I would say that the front line Gards need to be given specialist pursuit training and decent cars not just a 1.6 Hyundai Diesels. Those big BMW Garda bikes are also useless when it comes to pursuing lads on Electric scramblers etc.

The Garda is being done for not following procedures. He should never have hit the cone because he should not have been chasing the bike. Standard procedure in nearly all police forces is to not chase dangerous drivers or riders, an illegal motorcycle with a rider not using PPE is never chased.

If you don't want the Gardaî prosecuted for doing dangerous things we need to change our laws and that's never going to happen

".. all police forces.."

Tactical Pursuit and Containment (TPAC)

".…The number of chases across the UK has soared. According to figures from National Police Chiefs’ Council after a freedom of information request, there were 4,473 recorded pursuits in 2018-19 and 11,198 in 2020-21.

Forces such as South Wales and Greater Manchester started to get tougher on off-road motorbikes and electric bikes – which became more popular and can be being “tuned” to go at more than 50mph...."

You're seriously asking .... did the illegal riders on illegal vehicles riding illegally do any things illegal.

They aren't road legal on the roads never mind the pavement. The odds of them being insured or taxes is unlikely because they aren't road legal in the first place. Then there's the reports that preceded it.

There is zero focus here on the criminality.

Splitting hairs In fairness.

Hang on a second there, is dangerous driving not a criminal offence?

Also how do you know these scrotes were not involved with the sale/supply of drugs and weapons that the Gard knew about?

I think its important to pay attention that the media and certain people on this thread use the terms, e-Scooters, e-Bikes, Electric Scramblers mopeds, motorbikes and bicycles at random and inaccurately to suit an bias narrative and for click bait.

To the point where someone gets hurt of killed by a electric motorbike and they use it as an excuse to create legislation for cyclists.

Pretty good odds someone masked up on a illegal bike, riding illegally isn't going to have a clean sheet. Or that they will eventually have an accident and hurt other people.

I'm genuinely lost at this point as to what's being argued here anymore. Am I doing something wrong/ is there a correct terminology that I should be aware of? Is it really just a rant about working class youths clad in tracksuits and hoodies? Do e-scooters/ e-bikes even come into the debate or are they just collateral? Are we even talking about the Garda's driving in this case anymore??

The article linked has nothing to do with legal eScooters or eBikes or cycling.

It would be better classed as garda chasing off road motor bikes being used illegally in public spaces.

Exactly. Before there was also the issue there's was no mechanism to tax them, they had no legal status so it wasn't possible to tax or insure then. So higher powered bikes couldn't be legally used on the road. I dunno if you can today.

Scramblers are different again. "...they are designed for off-road use only, lack safety compliance"

"…The Department of Transport spokesperson said: “Under the Road Traffic Act 1961, a mechanically propelled vehicle such as a scrambler, can only be legally used in public places if it is registered, taxed, insured, roadworthy, and has a registration plate. The driver must hold the relevant driving licence. Most scramblers are designed for off-road use only and do not meet these requirements. Their use on the road is illegal.”

“As most scramblers are designed for off-road use only and are unregistered, they cannot be taxed. Exercising powers made by regulation under Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 1994, An Garda Síochána has the power to seize vehicles being driven on public roads that have not been taxed or lack insurance, or where the driver does not hold the relevant driving licence,” the Department said...."