TLDR: Full video review available below!
If you live in the Klang Valley, you’ve probably seen Beam and Tryke electric scooters lying around town by now. They’re a fun and convenient way to get from place to place, but these e-scooters actually come with a pretty limiting set of rules now.
According to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, micro-mobility vehicles, personal mobility devices, and personal mobility aids are not allowed to be used on public roads. Yes, that includes e-scooters.
More recently, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) also chimed in to assert that e-scooters can’t be ridden along Dataran Merdeka as it’s considered a public road.
So, is that the end of e-scooters?
Well, not exactly. Tim Wong, the founder of local e-scooter startup Tryke, told Vulcan Post that we’re allowed to scoot on private roads, which include roads in housing areas and private developments, and essentially anything that isn’t controlled by public authorities.
We can also ride e-scooters on sidewalks, footpaths, as well as public and recreational parks.
Authorities have been in discussion for clearer guidelines for micro-mobility users. In April, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said that micro-mobility vehicles on the road will be considered if local authorities can appeal for better safety measures.
On June 13, the minister wrote in a Facebook post that he received several ideas that can be considered for follow-up action. Suggestions included having micro-mobility vehicle associations and operators included in the transport ministry’s joint committee as well as continuing safety awareness campaigns to educate the public.
Though the Facebook post didn’t mention it, we think some possible scenarios that might happen include:
- You might be required to have a valid driving licence to use a micro-mobility vehicle that is capable of going faster than 50km/h.
- If you want to use micro-mobility vehicles on public roads, you may need to apply for a special licence from JPJ.
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There’s definitely still a lot of work to do when it comes to micro-mobility vehicles. Infrastructure and education on the subject are still lacking, and of course, more rules and regulations should be in place.
To listen to our interview with Tryke’s founder, Tim, and see our video producer Matt scoot around, check out the video below:
- Read other articles we’ve written about e-scooters here.