All systems go for e-scooters in Wynnum
In his Summer newsletter Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced that the extended trial of e-scooters in Wynnum and the Bayside (read about e-scooters in Wynnum here and here) was going to be made permanent given the clear ongoing demand for the scooters and an ongoing petition supporting the scooters. In his newsletter the Lord Mayor also referred to safety initiatives having been implemented.
The introduction of the scooters has not been without controversy though, with a very brief poll on our first story (which is still live by the way) showing 70% of those polled ‘hating’ them and only 30% ‘loving’ them.
Concern in many communities (not just Wynnum) about scooter riders travelling too fast and leaving scooters lying around all over the place have been addressed by the Queensland Government substantially increasing fines for scooter riders for speeding and for not wearing a helmet or using a phone while on the scooter.
Further reforms (read more here) will see speeds reduced again to 12kmh on all footpaths and the State Government working with Brisbane City Council to make sure that “signs and markings make it clear where e-scooters can and can’t be ridden and where they can and can’t be parked.”
These rules will be in addition to the current rules regarding e-scooter use, which can be found here.
Although the original poll here on WynnumCentral showed opposition to the scooters, the two petitions lodged on the Brisbane City Council site (for scooters here and against scooters here) told a different story, with 189 signatures for the scooter versus only 11 signatures against.
So maybe the community has just got used to them.
What are your thoughts now? Were you against them and now are for them, or vice-versa, or maybe you haven’t changed your opinion at all – let us know…
Main photo by Eliobed Suarez on Unsplash
Both scooters and riders should be registered, licenced, and insured. We are already reading about collisions between scooter riders and pedestrians, with some serious injuries. The commercial scooter companies should have this as a condition of their public use. It would be easy to include the necessary computer code in their software to validate and record the hirer, and their speeds and locations while hired.
Well said and I’m in total agreement . Went to put clothes in bin at Manly station recently only to find it is now, assumedly, a scooter parking lot. Not to mention others lying on the footpath. I have posted pick on fb to verify this. What are the council making out of this is what I’d love to know!
I find it difficult to understand what the justification for these scooters might be, beyond the Brisbane Council making extra dollars. I would have thought these devices would not be used to take anyone to their place of work, more likely just to the train or bus station. Carrying shopping on one is quite awkward. Going by anecdotal reports in the media, there has been an upsurge in injuries by users and to others as a result of their use. Recent legal changes would seem to reflect they are recognized as becoming somewhat of a hazard. Footpaths were designed for walkers, not a human being traveling at 12Kmph.
They are quite simply a revenue stream for Council. Dangerous to pedestrians and an overall eyesore in the community. The results of questionable ‘surveys’ reflect a bias to their popularity. They are ridden mostly by the ‘Hoon’ brigade at full speed with no thought to the newly instituted Council regulations. Get rid of them!!