Auckland couple Ross and Judy Thomas say using an e-scooter safely is all about common sense. Photo / Supplied
Auckland couple Ross and Judy Thomas say using an e-scooter safely is all about common sense. Photo / Supplied
E-scooters are getting a raw deal, say an Auckland couple, who believe you just need a bit of common sense while using them.
Ross and Judy Thomas have been e-scooter owners since about March this year and haven't looked back since.
They've used them all around the world, including their most recent trip earlier this month and were surprised to see so many around Auckland after arriving home on Wednesday.
However, Ross Thomas said he's been annoyed at the negative media they've been getting after Lime Scooters announced their arrival into the country last week.
"My wife's used it several times to ride down the length of Ponsonby Rd to Wynyard Quarter. It hasn't been a problem and I think the difference here is we don't go fast when there's pedestrian on the footpath.
"It's just a new phenomenon that people just need to get used to. But it's respecting both sides."
Scooter riders needed to use their common sense when it came to speed.
"If I was on Great North Rd and there's no one there I would go faster. It's being considerate to anyone else. I must say when we approach somebody walking from behind, because [e-scooters are] so silent anyone who goes past them at speed is going to get a hell of a fright so we always slow down and take a wide berth.
"You've got no rights over the use of the footpath."
He believed another key factor in them being used responsibly was those who owned their scooters as opposed to just renting.
Ross and Judy Thomas say they haven't had any dramas with their e-scooters since first buying them earlier this year. Photo / Supplied
"Care is a key word here because we own our scooters and they're not cheap. Those people that are renting them have no care or responsibility as to how they treat the rentals."
He believed an added injury risk for those who do rent them was the fact they're charged by the minute and they likely want to get to their destination as soon as possible.
"People are going too fast because they will then pay less for getting from A to B, it sort of encourages it."
Since arriving home from their holiday on Wednesday they'd seen large numbers of e-scooters being used in Auckland, but it wasn't always a comforting sight.
"In the last couple of days I can see that people are extremely inexperienced. They aren't scooters you had when you were a kid. They are quite special in that if you do turn quickly you will come off."
There was also the increasing danger of pedestrians who have their heads in their cellphones.
"We've just to be conscious of that and not frighten them or startle them and know they're not going to change their direction. I've got nothing against it, we've just got to recognise that those people are in another world.
"They're not going to move or even see you ... just give them a wide berth."
He said some key safety tips included not turning abruptly, keeping an eye on the terrain and watching out for creases and bumps, and learn how to brake in an emergency.
"How you brake is really important. They all have different braking mechanisms, if you don't know how to brake quickly, and you need to, you're going to have a problem."
He said they didn't wear helmets as they never travelled fast enough to worry about it.
A spokeswoman for Lime said all users must abide by all the same laws as if they were operating their own cars, bikes or scooters.
"While Lime's scooters can reach 25km per hour, it is up to the rider to deem what speed is reasonable based off of their surroundings."
