This is a reader's letter which was published in the Oxford Times this week.
Are our police going to do anything at all about the menace of people riding recklessly fast around our city on illegal, unregistered, uninsured, very powerful, no-pedalling required 'bicycles'?
Please?
Paddy Watson (Oxford)
What is an e-scooter?
Electrical scooters (also known as e-scooters) come under the category of “powered transporters”.
This covers a range of personal transport devices which are powered by a motor.
E-scooters are classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988.
This means the rules that apply to motor vehicles, also apply to e-scooters including the need to have a licence, insurance and tax.
It's not currently possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters, which means it's illegal to use them on the road or in public spaces.
If you're using a private e-scooter you risk the vehicle being seized under S.165 Road Traffic Act 1988 for no insurance.
If you cause serious harm to another person whilst riding an e-scooter the incident will be investigated in the same way it would if you were riding a motorcycle or driving a car.
Legal use of e-scooters
Thames Valley Police states it's legal to use an e-scooter on private land with the permission of the land owner.
Where a trial rental scheme is running, it's legal to use a rental e-scooter on a public road and cycle lane.
What is the punishment for misuse?
If you don't have a licence, or the correct licence, or are riding without insurance you could face a fixed penalty notice.
This could include a £300 fine and six penalty points on your licence for having no insurance.
Those riding without the correct licence could get up to a £100 fine and three to six penalty points.
Using a mobile phone while riding could land the user with a £200 fine and six penalty points.
And riding on a pavement could equate to a fixed penalty notice and possible £50 fine.
Riding through red traffic lights could incur riders to a fixed penalty notice, £100 fine and possible penalty points.
The same rules apply for drinking apply as it would for driving a car.
You can send reader's letters to The Oxford Times by contacting letters@oxfordtimes.co.uk.
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