~~I'll let you know when my town gets a bike lane.~~
this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2023
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In addition to the things already said - rules of the road and not riding against me in the bike lane - I’d ask as a cyclist please be informed on local politics. A lot of us silly folks you see in the full racing get up are also the folks who have fought to get bike lanes in place. We need more pedestrians, cyclists and other modes of non-car transportation to be a united voting front. Especially in the US where one bad local election can see bike lanes and dividers get removed. It’s happening right now in a few parts of LA, which also has a large amount of rental scooters.
True!
The bike lanes are... not impressive around here and often missing from where I most need them.
But the ones I do have were probably fought for by the bike riders.
I go max 15 MPH on my escooter
How fast is it capable of going? If it's 20mph or less (same as a Class 2 e-bike, which is typically the max allowed on multi-use paths) then I'm fine with it.
15 is the max for this little one!
I'm in Canada but I would definitely say the scooters in the bike lane are no more trouble than a slower cyclist. Scoot a away!
I wish there were more moderately paced e-scooters using bike lanes. I like to race them lol. Instead they're usually going against traffic and/or on sidewalks. Please avoid doing those things if you can.
I know you've basically spelled it out by using MPH and by simply being on the internet, but you might want to make it clear which country you're in. I mean, where I'm living, it's 100% ok for you to be in a bike line. Legally and socially speaking. But I doubt we're in the same place right now!
For what it's worth the UK uses mph and we've had the Internet for a little while now too, and here e-scooters are technically illegal to ride anywhere other than on private land, i.e. not on pavement, on bike lanes or on the road.
The exception is if you're in one of the cities which is operating a "trial" rental scheme, in which case the rental company will let you know where they think you should ride. But I believe even in those areas privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use in public.
As long as you follow the rules of the road, I’m cool with it. The problems I have are with scooter users who ride against traffic
And personally I wouldn’t want you to go on the sidewalk. I’d rather you stay the course and let me pass as it is a bit more predictable that way
True! But I would assume you are passing me on the passing side, so I just do it so that way you can pass me by being in the bike lane, while I go more towards the sidewalk.
But yeah going against traffic in bike lane is cringe.
Even if you're going off to the side you're on, it's a distraction. It will draw my attention back to see if you've fallen, crashed, or gotten hurt. I will check my mirrors for you to see if there are additional dangers to me. I ride around bike-like objects all the time. Passing you isn't even going to be a thing that I notice. You'll get a "On your left, passing" from me when I'm about to go by so you know not to do any funny business in my direction. I don't expect you to exit the lane. Heck, if you're doing 15MPH, we might ride and bullshit with each other for a bit.
I was behind someone on an escooter on my city's multi-use paths lately. Neither of us was supposed to be there, and no one cares, nor is the street a good option for either of us, me on my class 3 ebike and them on their electric scooter. I just make sure to stay under 20 on paths and to ring before passing anyone so i don't startle them (or their dogs). You sound very considerate, so as long as you are going the right direction, I think you should be okay.
yes, we have a bikeshare network here in Estonia
Not here. More annoyed about them on side walks than bike lanes.
Speed in MPH? Totally fine then.
The best place for electric scooters on most city streets is in the regular traffic lanes. This is also the best place for bicycles in most cities. Unless your particular city and route have actually safe bike lanes, you're better off just acting like any other vehicle, using the regular traffic lanes, and following all traffic laws and signs.
(Yes, you're slower than cars; but so is a horse rider, and they've been allowed on city streets since long before cars existed.)
Many sorts of "bike lane" make the streets less safe for cyclists and scooter users. Lanes that are also used as streetside parking are not safe, as attempting to use them requires swerving in and out between parked cars. Narrow lanes that are adjacent to streetside parking are not safe, because of the "door zone" problem. "Lanes" that are really part of the gutter are not safe, because they accumulate debris (tire chunks, mufflers, road sand) -- all of which are much more dangerous for cyclists and scooter users than for drivers.
There do exist high-quality bike lanes in some cities. They are clearly marked and separated from the regular traffic lanes (sometimes with barriers); they don't share space with streetside parking; they often have their own traffic signals.
If there are safe bike lanes, then yes, they're an appropriate choice for electric scooters. The reason for this is that the speed, maneuverability, and vulnerability of electric scooters are much closer to those of bicycles than to either cars or pedestrians.
But if there aren't safe bike lanes on the specific route you need to take, just use the "slowest" (in most of the world, rightmost) regular traffic lane. Most of the time, be in the center of this lane, not hugging the right edge; this makes you more visible, keeps you out of the "door zone", etc. You may move right to allow faster traffic (i.e. cars, trucks, motorcycles) to pass, if it is safe to do so.
(Note: In some places, such as California, cyclists are required to stay to the right insofar as it is safe. This does not mean biking in the gutter or "door zone", because those are never safe.)
Like bicycles, electric scooters should never be ridden on city sidewalks adjacent to buildings. This is because of the risk of colliding with pedestrians coming out of building doors. Blind pedestrians, very elderly pedestrians, pedestrians pushing delivery carts, nearsighted pedestrians who have lost their glasses, and other pedestrians with limited eyesight are all legitimate users of sidewalks. Do not expect that pedestrians can see or dodge. When using pedestrian features such as sidewalks or crosswalks, both cyclists and scooter users should dismount and walk their vehicle.
Yes, you’re slower than cars; but so is a horse rider, and they’ve been allowed on city streets since long before cars existed
"Allowed" isn't really the most important metric for me when I'm trying to work out where to ride. I'm mostly interested in being less likely to be hit by a car. It sucks for me and the pedestrian if I hit a pedestrian. It sucks if I come off my bike from hitting a piece of rubbish in the kerb and channel alongside the road. But I die if I get hit by a car who isn't paying attention when I'm in a car lane, even if I'm doing everything right.
Like bicycles, electric scooters should never be ridden on city sidewalks adjacent to buildings.
In my city, it's illegal to ride a scooter on the road (aside from dedicated bike lanes). If there is no dedicated bike lane, then the sidewalk is where you are legally required to use the scooter.
There are bike lanes in the US?
As long as you're matching speed of (bike) traffic and not salmoning you're fine.
Please don't go on the sidewalk, it's unsafe for both you and pedestrians.
Oh more like I slow down to walk on sidewalk if bike lane traffic is too much.