E-Scooting for Commuting - Ric

3  minute read

Ric Hyde has never driven a car and has no desire to. Instead he has chosen to walk, cycle or catch the bus. Now, though, his favourite way to get about is on an e-scooter, whether that is to get to work or for travelling into and around town.

‘I’ve been using the Voi scooters pretty much from the start of the trial,’ he says. ‘I did try an e-bike, but found it quite cumbersome compared to the scooters. Before that, I used to catch the bus to work, but the scooters are so much more convenient and quicker, and of course there’s no waiting around. Since Covid, the buses seem to run less frequently anyway.’

Safer on Cycle Paths

Ric’s journey to work takes him about 25 minutes and he uses the cycle paths wherever possible. ‘I find the roads quite dangerous. Scooters have small wheels, so the surface can be quite a challenge. Sometimes I have to weave around potholes, which is obviously not safe for me or the other road users.’

One issue that Ric has encountered is the attitude of some people towards e-scooters.

Scoot Signs for Cycle Paths?

‘It can sometimes feel as though as soon as you get on a scooter nobody likes you. There is quite a strong anti-cycling and scooting attitude from some people. I’ve been challenged when I’ve been riding quite legally on the cycle path; I’ve been reported, even though I’ve not been doing anything wrong. I’ve never been fined or had action taken against me, though, because I’m not breaking any rules.

‘Perhaps the blue signs that show it’s a cycle path should have a picture of a scooter on them, too. It’s a question of educating people about the rules: that and making it known that responsible people of all ages use scooters. It’s not just the young, although this is probably the user base.’

More Scooters Please!

Availability can be a bit of an issue for Ric, especially on his return commute at the end of his shift. ‘Sometimes I’ve used the app to locate a scooter only to find that it’s actually in someone’s garden, which is annoying, it messes up the system and goes against the spirit of a public-use vehicle. There have been a few times when I haven’t been able to find a scooter with enough charge to get me all the way home, but I just have to get off one and on to another. The other thing I’ve noticed is that they’re a bit scarcer in the winter, which is odd. Maybe Voi puts some of them away at this time of year.

‘It would be good if there were more scooters available, maybe even more than one company providing them. The other thing is that at the moment it actually costs me a bit more than using the bus, because the fares are currently lower than they used to be. I started with pay-as-you-go, but now I have a pass that makes it cheaper. Even so, the benefits of speed and convenience outweigh the drawbacks and I’m not tempted to stop using them.’

Public -vs- Private

Ric says the law around privately owned scooters is confusing at the moment, and there’s no point in owning one if you can’t ride it on the road. ‘Even if the law were changed I wouldn’t buy my own. I wouldn’t want the bother of insurance and a licence, and the cost of maintenance might be quite high. The private scooters I have seen around look very flimsy compared to the Voi ones, and if you’re going to use it on the road every day you need something sturdy that won’t let you down.

‘It’s not just that, though. I really like the idea of public vehicles. It’s much better than everyone having their own car; I’m not a fan of cars. We need much better public transport.’

Have a Go

For anyone tempted to try out an e-scooter, Ric has this advice. ‘Just give it a go. There is some online training, but I just jumped on and went for it. You will need a thick skin, but the benefits do outweigh the drawbacks. I definitely recommend them and really hope we get to keep them in Kettering.’ 

If you live or work in, or visit, an area with a public e-scooter trial in place, why not have a go? 

Footnote

E-scooters do not need to be registered, display registration plates or pay Vehicle Excise Duty. However, the ones in the Kettering Voi trial have clear identification numbers.

A trial e-scooter may be used on the road (except on motorways) and in cycle lanes, but not on the pavement. The rectangular blue and white traffic signs indicating a cycle path also apply to e-scooters, unless a sign is displayed prohibiting e-scooters from that particular cycle way.

Which Trips Would You Switch?

Even if you go everywhere by car, which trips would you consider switching to an e-scooter?  What would inspire you or enable you to give it a go? 

Our ‘Which Trips Would You Switch?’ series of case studies are based on interviews with people from Kettering, North Northamptonshire as part of the Brightwayz Get Down To Town project which aims  to support, enable and promote more travel options for short journeys in the town. 

The Get Down To Town project is funded by North Northamptonshire Council with funding from Active Travel England and is designed and delivered by Brightwayz social enterprise.

Here at Brightwayz social enterprise we love to provide information and tips to help you, your colleagues, friends and family travel in safe, active, sustainable ways for everyday journeys.

Our unique range of products is here to help support your active travel campaigns and 100% of profits from sales is ploughed back to support the work we do. Take a look at our range here and find something to help you inspire others to travel in good ways.