Paris Votes to Ban Rental E-Scooters

deme on 03/04/2023 - 15:14

Paris has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a ban on the use of for-hire electric scooters on its streets, in a public consultation organised by mayor Anne Hidalgo. The ban will be a blow to operators and is a victory for road safety campaigners, with nearly 90% of the votes cast against the scooters. Paris is set to become the only major European capital to outlaw the widespread devices, which are booked on apps such as Lime. The referendum will not affect privately owned electric scooters.

The city's residents were asked to weigh in for or against them in a public consultation organised by mayor Anne Hidalgo, with nearly 90 percent of the votes cast against, official results showed.

Should Australia follow and ban rental e-scooters?

Poll Options

  • 56
    Yes
  • 23
    No
Automotive Electric Scooter

Comments

  • cookie2 on 03/04/2023 - 15:19
    +2

    Imo, rentals probably discontinue. But open up to all Aus states allowing for privately owned escooters. Then at a later stage, it may be more feasible to bring back rental.

  • MS Paint on 03/04/2023 - 15:20

    What is ChatGPT's response to this?

    • deme on 03/04/2023 - 15:22
      +4

      Something boring…

      As an AI language model, I cannot provide an opinion or make decisions. However, I can provide some information that might help you make an informed decision.

      The decision to ban rental e-scooters in Paris was primarily driven by concerns around road safety, with many accidents reported involving e-scooters. There were also concerns about the impact of e-scooters on the city's infrastructure, as they were often left blocking pavements and causing obstructions.

      If Australia is facing similar concerns, then it might be worth considering a ban or stricter regulations around the use of rental e-scooters. However, it's important to also consider the benefits that e-scooters can bring, such as reducing traffic congestion and providing a more eco-friendly mode of transport.

      Ultimately, any decision should be based on a thorough analysis of the pros and cons, as well as consultation with relevant stakeholders and experts in the field.

  • Euphemistic on 03/04/2023 - 15:25

    We’ve got a scooter rental ‘trial’ going on here. Not sure, but they seem to be speed limited to REALLY slow, like half the speed of private ones or only slow jog pace. Can’t see them staying on as I reckon anyone who hires one wouldn’t be likely to repeat.

  • foxpants on 03/04/2023 - 15:28
    +5

    Privately owned is best from my perspective, people tend to respect them more and have a higher likelihood of wearing a helmet which is shockingly low across both private and rented. As an eScooter rider/commuter, it definitely bothers me that the media and police jump all over scooters on the whole when it's muppets not wearing helmets or the odd few giving a bad name for the many. What on earth is it about humans that makes that subset so against protecting their own skull? When I was in school it was perceived to be cooler to not wear one, but every time I see somebody riding without one all I can think of is how much of a flog they are.

    • pjetson on 03/04/2023 - 16:38
      +1

      so against protecting their own skull

      When you don't have anything in the skull worth protecting, why bother with a helmet?

    • coffeeinmyveins on 03/04/2023 - 17:02

      it definitely bothers me that the media and police jump all over scooters on the whole when it's muppets not wearing helmets or the odd few giving a bad name for the many

      Nothing to do with wearing helmets and everything to do with 100kg of mass travelling at 20-50km/h on a sidewalk. I've seen too many idiots on e-scooters ripping down sidewalks beating the cars on the road to count. It's more than "the odd few", let's be real.

      • foxpants on 03/04/2023 - 17:20

        So a 90KG cyclist on a 10KG bike riding at 30++ kph, not stopping at stop signs, taking dodgy caps and risks, that isn't much different and I see it all the damn time but know I'm only seeing and remembering those bad few that stood out, the good ones are so unremarkable that they're easily forgettable.

        Imo your observations aren't a sample size worth hanging your hat on as to draw a conclusion about what proportion of riders abuse the rules. To be clear, I absolutely welcome Police enforcing safe, responsible use and wearing helmets, to their hearts content. Catch those ones that are riding irresponsibly, and leave the rest of us to get from A to B.

  • AustriaBargain on 03/04/2023 - 15:31

    There was no electronic voting, even though most scooter users were younger people who would have preferred to vote electronically.

    • Boioioioi on 03/04/2023 - 15:44
      +4

      Tough luck if you want to share your opinion then do it the way required

      • AustriaBargain on 03/04/2023 - 15:45

        Even though the results will have a bias towards old people willing and accustomed to voting with paper at a polling station? And even though Paris has a massive public transport problem and the scooters helped alleviate some of those transport issues?

        • freefall101 on 03/04/2023 - 16:57
          +2

          Kids still learn how to write these days and understand how pens and paper work.

          • AustriaBargain on 03/04/2023 - 16:59

            @freefall101: Right, but if you know that if they allowed electronic voting too that the results could have gone the other way, was it really a fair poll of the opinions of the people of Paris? Old people know how to use electronic devices too, they understand how when you touch a screen on your phone that the touch is registered as inputs on the application and votes are countered on the central database, or whatever.

            • freefall101 on 03/04/2023 - 17:03

              @AustriaBargain: Why are you explaining how old people know how to use a touchscreen? You need to be explaining how young people don't know how to tick a box on a piece of paper. Because, as I said, they know how pens and paper work.

              • AustriaBargain on 03/04/2023 - 17:16

                @freefall101: So was this vote meant to be a test of Parisians ability to tick a box on a piece of paper at a specific location, or was it meant to be a poll of how they feel about e-scooters?

  • payless69 on 03/04/2023 - 16:10

    Australia could sort the submarine mess by buying all them street flower urinals when LePen wins' their fed election.
    It might just put Sydney on the world map?

  • freefall101 on 03/04/2023 - 17:01
    +3

    These rentals are just daft, I'm surprised the majority of the ones in Melbourne haven't wound up in the Yarra already like all those bike programs did.

    Renting it pushes a "drive it like you stole it" behaviour, no responsibility for where it's dumped, how it's ridden and are generally adopted by idiot tourists. Unless they plan on having a fine system (which wouldn't be hard, push fines directly to Lime/etc and let them forward it to whoever was riding at the time) people will just continue to be stupid.

    I'm all for allowing scooters, but registering and actually punishing crap behaviour needs to happen along with it.

  • Hackney on 04/04/2023 - 05:41
    -2

    The things should be banned right across the country.

    • Clear on 04/04/2023 - 09:57
      +2

      Start with cars first. They kill significantly more people and the roads would be safer without them.

    • foxpants on 04/04/2023 - 11:41

      Banning the vehicle type is a fruitless exercise, believe me. They can't do anything about sales, as they're legal on private property anyway, the path forward has to be regulation and enforcement.

      • Clear on 04/04/2023 - 13:03
        +1

        Legal on roads and footpaths in most parts of the country too :)

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