Over the weekend, a Straits Times article reported that sales of e-scooters have risen in the past few months, ever since the safety regulations of the e-bikes kicked in.
The article mentioned how an owner of a bike shop that sells e-scooters went from 3 sales a month to 10 – that’s an increase of more than 300%!
A manufacturing company Mobot, that sells such devices as well, has also seen an increase in their e-scooter sales by 30%, selling more than 400 of their products in a month.
However, despite sales going up, it seems that some Singaporeans are still not for the idea of e-scooters being driven on the roads.
A Menace On The Roads
Comments on The Straits Times’ Facebook showed that locals were unhappy of the rise of e-scooters being ridden in Singapore.
Many commented about how this would only lead to more accidents caused by the riders themselves, and how e-scooters are dangerous to both pedestrians and drivers.
One citizen even revealed that she herself was a victim of a reckless e-scooter driver.
In her comment, she said was knocked down by the motorist, who didn’t even apologise after he hit her. Fortunately, she did not receive major injuries.
However, not all comments were anti-e-scooters.
Some commented that these vehicles promoted a car-lite society, by using electricity instead of emitting carbon monoxide.
The Rider Or The Vehicle?
E-scooters have been linked to a few injuries over the past year, one even leading to the death of a man who fell from the vehicle, resulting in serious head injuries.
Another 53-year-old housewife was left in critical condition after an accident with an electric scooter in Pasir Ris, and a four-year-old girl allegedly had to receive surgery on her nose after being hit by an e-scooter at Marina Bay Sands.
These incidents have since left a bad taste in many Singaporeans’ mouths, leading them to call for a ban on these scooters.
However, the question here lies in whether the cause of the incidents were by in any fault of the scooters, or in fact by the irresponsible actions of riders themselves.
In all of the previous cases, the riders of the e-scooters were reckless and ran away from the scene of the crime. The e-scooters were more of a ‘weapon’ used in the accident, rather than be the cause of it.
Take for example this e-scooter rider, who was caught on video (Straits Times) for trying to overtake a public bus on the road.
It can clearly be seen that the rider was at fault here.
Therefore, it may be best to have the Land Transport Authority (LTA) regulate the use of e-scooters and create similar safety rules, as they did with the e-bikes. In that way, riders have to adhere to the rules and maintain the similar precautions, which ensures safety to pedestrians and drivers.
Do you think LTA should regulate e-scooters as well? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature image credit: Big Wheel Scooters Singapore Facebook