ELECTRIC SCOOTERS

[Petrol Pete]

Unfortunately his slightly left field purchase was dictated by his personal circumstances , not vanity at 55 years old although he has a beard and covered head to foot in tats.

No car licence so it had to be two wheels.

Taxis not an option every day when you are pretty much on the "living wage".

Inept public transport when travelling to suit a three shift system.

Living in a high flat there is no secure parking for a motorbike of which he has had numerous stolen , or attempted thefts previously.

The machine is light enough to fit in the lift and be kept in the flat , something a fossil fueled scooter cant be.

Should have been cheap to run with charging taking place at work.

More comfortable (when not pedaling) over seven miles than a stand on scooter.

Should have been less strenuous @55 than cycling after a "shift" cleaning printing presses.

So i can see his logic , to a point.

K

I hope the battery charger has been PAT if he is charging it up in the office .

 

[KennyN]

I hope the battery charger has been PAT if he is charging it up in the office .

As he is a contractor , that is his (companies) problem along with the rest of their equipment.

K

 

[219]

I’m not sure you saw that only the authorised rental companies will currently be legalised e.g. the Limes and Ubers so only likely to be in town centres. Privately owned ones are still illegal to use anywhere in public. The tental fee will include insurance. Most likely 3rd party.

So , if they don't have number plates , how can one tell a privately owned scooter from a rented one - it will be easy to copy decals , logos etc ( just rent one and copy the artwork ) ....

 

[Petrol Pete]

As he is a contractor , that is his (companies) problem along with the rest of their equipment.

K

Have a quick look next time he plugs it in, those Cheap chargers are sometimes dodgy. Domestic use only.

 

[Petrol Pete]

So , if they don't have number plates , how can one tell a privately owned scooter from a rented one - it will be easy to copy decals , logos etc ( just rent one and copy the artwork ) ....

It's going to be a nightmare. People already interpret the law and 'guidelines' to suit themselves, this will be no different.

 

[219]

A chap in the work has been using a type of E-bike (similar to this one - The Super 73 Electric Bike) for around four months now , he has a seven mile commute.

It has been the most unreliable piece of junk that he has ever owned , the build quality is woeful and the bloody thing keeps cutting out and he ends up pedaling the thing most of the way on a product that cost three times and is four times the weight of an actual bike , the supplying dealer have no clue and just keep sending him bits to swap and try.

I think they have their place as inner city transport but with conditions , which will be un-enforceable in the real world but no doubt will be cleared for use under the "green" banner.

You can imagine the amenity sites in a few years , they will need to have a huge area for WEEE waste which will be full of months old cheap E-transport from the far east , not very "green" at all.

K

We can always load the junk into a Hercules and then overfly China and drop our load back to them ; should be a condition of sale that they take back their junk when it reaches end of life .

 

[219]

That could be most stupidly designed piece of junk I've ever seen. Wheels and tires the weight and rolling resistance of a motorcycle with the propulsion system and brakes of a bicycle. Anyone who buys that because they think it looks cool deserves what they get.

Not only that , but if he hits something , that bottle is going to cause some pain !

 

[219]

The Super 73 Electric Bike

Electric vehicles have existed alongside steam and internal combustion engines as a way of moving people for well over 150 years, in fact the first

silodrome.com

There is a reason bicycle frames are generally made in a double diamond shape. Strength. The super-73 electric bike frame will have the strength & rigidity of wet cardboard, especially with those double crown forks. What a piece of junk.

A good 5 + years ago a friend bought a Smart electric bike from MB Newcastle. He went through 2 of them due to warranty issues and in the end just rejected it. They gave him all his money back luckily. Junk.

I remember when MB made a pedal cycle ( at 3 times the cost of a normal decent bike ) which used a V belt instead of a chain .

 

[John N]

We can always load the junk into a Hercules and then overfly China and drop our load back to them ; should be a condition of sale that they take back their junk when it reaches end of life .

Change Hercules to A400 Atlas and just drop the whole Aircraft!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It's a variation on the cycle theme.

For a three mile journey at a quarter of the walking time, it's a viable option. (15 minutes instead of an hour to go from Pimlico to Monument)

For 12 miles from Greenford to Monument, not so much - even though, at one hour, it's theoretically feasible.

These things are being used, over the right surfaces, in cities all over the world. For the right situation, it's a variation on walking or cycling.

How we use them is down to us.

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[Dickie Fix]

Shared scooters don’t last long

Scooter lifespan is a key factor in scooter economics (scooternomics, if you will).

qz.com

When you read this it makes you wonder how these rental firms ever make a profit:

 

[ChipChop]

I remember when MB made a pedal cycle ( at 3 times the cost of a normal decent bike ) which used a V belt instead of a chain .

They were marketed as Smart bicycles, sold through MB dealerships. Some used the Gates carbon belt drive instead of a traditional chain. No maintenance required.

Gates Carbon Drive™ System for Bicycles | Gates Carbon Drive™

https://www.gatescarbondrive.com/

www.gatescarbondrive.com

 

[Petrol Pete]

Shared scooters don’t last long

Scooter lifespan is a key factor in scooter economics (scooternomics, if you will).

qz.com

When you read this it makes you wonder how these rental firms ever make a profit:

In the UK it will probably be government 'subsidies' AKA Tax payers money that make them work financially , a bit like many other 'green' pieces of junk the figures will be massaged to fit the agenda.

 

[ChipChop]

It's a variation on the cycle theme.

For a three mile journey at a quarter of the walking time, it's a viable option. (15 minutes instead of an hour to go from Pimlico to Monument)

For 12 miles from Greenford to Monument, not so much - even though, at one hour, it's theoretically feasible.

These things are being used, over the right surfaces, in cities all over the world. For the right situation, it's a variation on walking or cycling.

How we use them is down to us.

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I wonder how many dystopian films like WALL-E Hollywood will be releasing in future, seeing as we are now living in a dystopian present.

 

[190]

Shared scooters don’t last long

Scooter lifespan is a key factor in scooter economics (scooternomics, if you will).

qz.com

When you read this it makes you wonder how these rental firms ever make a profit:

In the UK it will probably be government 'subsidies' AKA Tax payers money that make them work financially , a bit like many other 'green' pieces of junk the figures will be massaged to fit the agenda.

No surprise that this green initiative is economically unsound and as ever the tax payer will pick up the bill for the greens, vandals and thieves. Lets hope is it's the city tax payers that have to subsidise them rather than people in the country side that will never have an opportunity to use them.

 

[John N]

No surprise that this green initiative is economically unsound and as ever the tax payer will pick up the bill for the greens, vandals and thieves. Lets hope is it's the city tax payers that have to subsidise them rather than people in the country side that will never have an opportunity to use them.

I don't know about you but HMRC appear to raid my Salary on a Monthly Basis no matter where I live!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

“Grrrrrrr” What’s this? The bloody Beano!

Don’t forget to shake your fist in the air!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

We can always load the junk into a Hercules and then overfly China and drop our load back to them ; should be a condition of sale that they take back their junk when it reaches end of life .

If the West keeps demanding low cost, low quality products, then the East will keep making it for us. Why should China be accountable for the rest of the world expecting stuff to cost peanuts? We should be accountable for our own decisions.

 

[grober]

If you present something as rental/ temporary/ disposable people will treat it accordingly.
Its easy to blame a technology when its asked to perform beyond its design capability- in this instance I'm thinking the average American may be considerably heavier than their Asian counterparts?

 

[Petrol Pete]

And the photo used shows the scooters carrying 2 people, OK none of them were overweight but still not what these things were designed for.