1y ago

Bike Riders of lemmy, you okay with me riding my eScooter in the bike lane?

The sidewalks are really dangerous where I am, where they are super uneven, have "artistic" curves, and trees that are overhanging really low so like will hit my body.

I go max 15 MPH on my escooter and if I hear a ding ding I jump onto the sidewalk and go a bit slower until you guys pass, since I'm slower and can dismount easier it only makes sense for me to make room. I figure as long as I make room it "shouldn't" be a problem.

But just wondering if there are any bike riders that are just like shaking their fist at escooter riders.

EDIT: USA!

121 comments

In my eyes having someone on an escooter in front of me is no different to having a slower cyclist in front. So it wouldn't bother me.
- Slower? The guy said he does 15mph, that's pretty standard bicycle speed for me, I could go faster if I'm trying to really race somewhere but then my leggies get tireds >.<
  Electric motor scooters are pretty neat, I wish I had one, but they're sooo expensive :-(
  One day, after the apocalypse makes money obsolete, I'll take one from an abandoned shop while I'm scavenging for food :-D
  
  Have you figured out how you will keep charging it after the apocalypse?
  
  25 km/h (15miles/h) is slow. A racing bicycle will without sweet do 40-50 km/h.
  https://www.flobikes.com/articles/6750279-how-does-your-average-bike-speed-compare-with-tour-de-france-pros

Thingsthat go bicycle speed belong in the bike lane. Things that go faster go in the car lane. Things that go slower belong inthe people lane,
- Bundle the squishy things together on a segregated path.
  Make the squishy things who invade the 2-ton hard things' designated areas attract a penalty except at marked crossings. Double that penalty when they whinge in that privileged voice.
  
  Yeah because every road has a segregated pedestrian path, no it fucking doesn’t

It’s not really up to Lemmy.
Please check your local laws regarding scooters and other electric powered vehicles bike lanes. If it’s legal, go ahead and ride there all you want.
- No laws against it, but I'm just curious if I'm angering the faster and more athletic folks!
  
  I'll be much more irritated if you're on the sidewalk. It's more dangerous for pedestrians and for you. When you're biking you expect to have to pass people whether it's because they're a slower cyclist or using a escooter. My old apartment had an exit at a blind corner and dealing with escooter riders on the sidewalk was hellish. I would pull out slowly so that pedestrians had plenty of time to stop, but when scooters became popular I had to start creating forward at a painfully slow pace because people going bike speeds somehow thought it was okay to be on the sidewalk.

Please ride in the bike lane, not the sidewalk. Go whatever speed feels safe for you.
- Not only do I agree on the basis of everyone's safety, but I WANT to see crowded bike lanes. Because eventually, I'd like bike lanes to replace cars, and outgrowing infrastructure is a basic part of expanding and changing it.
  
  i love crowded bike lanes (well, multi-use paths in sweden) next to slower roads, because it gives me the justification for biking on the road.
  
  As someone who doesn't ride bicycles. What's the huge issue with cars? They're a ton more effective than bikes.
  I think motorised vehicle owners and cyclists just have a universal hate for each other. Well, a lot of people do. There's a ton of people on bikes that are absolute cunts, and that comes from bad experiences with them.
  Maybe if we all use the things how we're supposed to, a lot of this hate would disappear.
  Edit: Thinking about it, as someone who rides a motorbike, some car drivers are just as bad. I've genuinely noticed that actual licenced motorbike riders tend to be the best out of them all. My main asking point was that you can't really do a full weeks worth of shopping with anything other than a car. U less you get it delivered.

I figure as long as I make room it “shouldn’t” be a problem.
👍
As a cyclist, I'd say "welcome" because more people using the road means motorists are going to see more varied road users and thus be more conscious of them. So that should make the roads safer. I hope that reasoning works out.
15mph (24 km/h) is pretty quick. I could keep up with you, and I'm only using leg power. I average around 12mph.

I cycle every day to work and back and see e scooters everywhere, doesn’t bother me none as long as they follow road signage.

Bike Riders of lemmy, you okay with me riding my eScooter in the bike lane?
As far as I'm concerned, you're just another bike :)
- ... with tiny wheels 🛞

I don't mind bikes, E or otherwise, in the bike lane, I do mind gas powered scooters, vespa etc. I'm not sure I can put a pin in why, except they stink and often are riding too fast and weaving in and out wrecklessly and just using the bike lane as a passing lane, returning to the regular road when they can
- Why? Because the gas ones will actively ruin the bike path. They are much heavier and will cause much quicker wear and tear. Of course you also shouldn't have to breathe the fumes from them.
- Noisy and stinky should be enough. But yeah they often seem to be driven by people who don't regard others.
- Hell i don't even really mind electric golfcart-like vehicles on bike infrastructure, so long as they're for commercial use, there's enough space to very comfortably pass them, and they go really slow.
  Way i see it that just means businesses are going to be pushing for more and better bike infrastructure rather than expanding the roads.
- My thoughts exactly. I welcome my scooter bros.
- It's illegal here. Motorized vehicles must ride in the road and obey traffic laws. Bicycles must ride in bike lane or road and obey traffic laws. Sidewalk for walking people or wheelchairs or similar.
  
  But electric is ok? Is it just combustion engines?
- If it's a 2 stroke vespa, yeah, they have that smell. It's also an easier way to differentiate between old classics and new ones. I don't have any experience with new vespas, but I think they would've gone to 4 strokes now.
  I'll also point out. At least in the UK, 50cc riders tend to be absolutely brain-dead morons.
  You can usually tell which ones are the culprits because they've fucked their exhaust. And ride around like, "yeahhh look at me, I'm so cool with my shit sounding underpowered bike." No mate, you get maybe 35mph if you've de-restricted it, and you're borderline red lining it. Calm down. You just look stupid. Same goes for 125's sure they get a bit of extra speed and can get to 70, but it'll take like 2 minutes to get up to speed and abusing your engine.
  Fuck most delivery drivers as well.
- They’re faster than a bike, but not by much. That guarantees you have their stink in your nose for a long while, usually until paths separate.

In Denmark youre essentially considered a bike.
I would personally have an easier time you rode and acted like a cyclist. Much safer for you.

It matters less where you're riding and more which set of rules you are following. If you're on a sidewalk, or opposing traffic, you need to behave as a pedestrian. If you're riding with traffic, you need to behave as a vehicle.
There is one rule underlying all traffic rules: Be Predictable. Even if you're following all the applicable laws and regulations, if people can't figure out what you're trying to do, you are wrong.
To that effect, if you hang a red light on your ass and a white light up front, everyone will expect you to operate like a vehicle.

15 mph is plenty fast enough to belong in the bike lane. You're good bro.

We just had law amended to take into account eScooters. This is the exact thing they decided was okay. Up to 25km/h on bike lane or bike track or 6km/h (walking speed) on pedestrian paths. So I don't personally mind eScooters as long as they behave properly, signaling turns, paying attention and not dangerously overtaking. This also applies to cyclists and all the other users of these lanes.

I'm Swiss but I reply because that's an interesting topic 👍
Yeah please ride on the bike lane, I'm shocked to see how many people ride their e-scooters on the sidewalk

I'm not in a major city but I absolutely believe you have full rights to use the bike lane, no questions asked. I would say you're going far above and beyond by jumping off for a second and letting people pass.
- As long as you limit weaving side to side. I generally wouldn’t mind pedestrians except they’re so damn unpredictable

I don't care where you ride it as long as you don't act like a douchebag

I'm the Netherlands where everyone and their mom rides bikes and we have bike lanes everywhere, escooters / ebikes / regular scooters all go on the bike lane. It's less dangerous to go a bit slower than a fast biking person (like a grandma on a regular bike) and just staying on the right, than the dangers on the sidewalk.

I say it's perfectly fine to be in the bike lane. Much better than the sidewalk, when you're going at that speed.
However, I would like to emphasize the importance of staying to the right at all times unless passing someone. Cyclists, bikers (less adept cyclists), and escooter riders should all adhere to this, but in my experience escooters are far less likely to do so. Same with signaling --- tell people around you with hand signals which way you're going to go well in advance, and go (gradually, carefully) toward that side of the bike lane / bike path before turning to ensure you don't cut anyone off. Don't weave between people. Be aware of your surroundings. Please don't kill or maim anyone.
Good luck out there! Welcome to the land of the free from cars!

In my country electric scooters are classified as bicycles, so they must use bicycle lane if one is available. To clarify, E-scooters like
not like electric Vespa or something. Their top speed must be limited to 25 km/h.

Just give me some notice you're passing me, that was always my fucking gripe with the food delivery guys in NYC. They just show up in your periphery and scare the fuck outta you. Ring a bell! Say hello! I'll say hello back! Goodbye!

It annoys me that now in 2023 we have so many vehicles that we call "scooter". I can think of three different types that fit the description.
- I don't think they're talking about a rascal. And a vespa type would be in the car lane, not sidewalk.

in the Netherlands, scooter can ride on the bicycle lane.

Shouldnt be called bike line. It should be called "faster than walking lane", "above 15km/h" lane or something. The point is, it is for objects going faser than walking. No, i dont mind.
- That's an interesting thought but I'm not sure I agree. Should runners use bike lanes? I'd say it's more to do with the danger each transport poses.
  A runner is very capable of avoiding people walking, and even if they were to collide the impact is minimal.
  A cyclist is much less capable of dodging a pedestrian, hence why they don't belong on a pavement. Same would apply to scooters.
  Cars and large goods vehicles are a threat to cyclists due to the speed disparity.
  
  I mean theoretically, if a runner goes as fast as a bike they wouldnt interfere with each other but I get your point. A bike hitting a runner is gonna be a bad time. Maybe maneuverability is more important than speed.
  
  Someone on a different thread explained to me that runners do this for visibility. Its still annoying though to be riding down a bike lane at 20-30 mph and all of a sudden someone is jogging the other direction. I have to remind myself that pedestrians are vulnerable road users and its actually the cars I should be ticked at, not the joggers who are just trying to avoid getting smooshed.
  
  Cars and large goods vehicles are a threat to cyclists due to the speed disparity.
  If you're worried about getting hit, you're not bright and flashing enough. I've never feared being hit by a car while wearing red and white strobes and a reflective vest.

Yeah go for it, but I need you to know you look goofy af
- Haha well I feel less goofy than having a dumb car.
  I do not like cars. Glad I got rid of my car and feel much happier with my scooter.
- What, even next to the lycra-wrapped cyclists with that "I've just shat myself" seat taint pad in their shorts?!?

Bike lanes IMO are good for anything that needs a even level surface (as long as it's not a car).
Most sidewalks I come across always seems to ramp up and down for driveways. I would even say a mobility scooter or even a wheel chair is perfectly acceptable in a bike lane. Most sidewalks are way to narrow unfortunately.
- People really shouldn't be in a bike lane on a wheel chair when there's a sidewalk.
  
  Highly depends on the quality of the sidewalk. While I love the aesthetic of my neighborhood much of the sidewalk is barely maintained brick and cobbles. Wheelchairs are safer in the road in many areas.
- way to narrow
  You need to go to Lubbock. And then it's on Broadway, right new Avenue N.
  Now you know the way to Narrow.

It doesn't bother me unless you go super slow, which is rare.

For me, bike lanes should have a weight limit (<100lbs / ~50kg or so). It seems like you're talking about the handlebar scooters as opposed to vespa scooters. Those are fine in my opinion. You're going fast enough to not cause a traffic jam and you're smaller than a bike, so you're not taking up any more space. In my city, the eScooters are usually faster than most bike commuters.

So long as you’re going the right direction of traffic I see no problem. Although every single person I encounter on an e-scooter in the bike lane is going the wrong direction so we might have a problem.
- Ew that just would feel so wrong. Maybe it's mostly people that never drove? I actually got rid of my car in favor of e scooter cause where I go is super close and it's nice not owning a liability.
- I came here to write the same thing. Why do they do that?

You should not be on the sidewalk so, if there is a bike lane, where else would you be?

15mph is usually at where ebikes are limited to aswell. Not many cyclists are passing me at those speeds.
- aswell
  Nope. They can't go into the swells. The salt water will wreck them.

Scooters are fine with me. What I can't stand are boneheaded joggers thinking the bike lane is some extension of the sidewalk.
- Love it when they run in the opposite direction too

I think for the most part it’s just you being a fairly faster biker than me. e-scooter or mechanical scooter/bike, it’s all the same. IIRC calistenia just allowed e-scooters to ride in the bike lane :)

In my town here in sweden like at least 25% of the bike path traffic is e-scooters, i personally use both an e-bike and e-scooter and it's lovely.

NL checking in here, under the circumstances you describe you are all cool and the gang. Do not ride on the sidewalk!

Fine by me, as long as you're not in a car lol
Feel free to stop by !micromobility@lemmy.world btw

~~I'll let you know when my town gets a bike lane.~~

To me, the key is remembering that slower traffic belongs on the right (in the US at least). So pay attention to traffic around you, travel on the vehicle side of the road rather than facing oncoming cars, and if you're passing then pass on the left (in the US) .

Just as long as you aren't going 30mph with a can of strongbow in one hand then sure.

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 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!

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.

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'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 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.

Speed in MPH? Totally fine then.

yes, we have a bikeshare network here in Estonia

Not here. More annoyed about them on side walks than bike lanes.

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.

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.

In Seattle they are illegal to ride on sidewalks or streets signed >25MPH.

I wouldn't mind you using the lane, especially with how considerate you are!

There are bike lanes in the US?

121 comments