Scooter Trail!!

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
Roads would be fine if only they complied with the Highway code.

Personally I think they're a great concept but it has been pisspoorly implemented with F all thought for other road or footpath users.

Yep, good but terrible execution with no consideration for legislation to prevent distracted “driving”
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
They're pretty amazing vehicles. Whilst seeing two on a scooter at the same time is pretty common place, I saw one with three on once, and the lad doing the steering was doing it with one hand because of the obligatory smartphone in the other hand.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
As a regular cyclist I was saying this for years, but people prefer us in the road apparently.
I stayed in Germany (Munich & surrounding areas) in the early 2000's,tgere they has road for cars, a grass verge, a cycle /scooter lane, another grass verge, then a pedestrian path everywhere I went. It worked brilliantly.

The scooters are a great Idea, and I'm all for them, kusy not on roads or footpaths.
 

cj1

Well-Known Forumite
You provide dedicated cycle paths and some cyclists refuse to use them. What's the point in providing dedicated cycling infrastructure at great cost if left unused?
As for cyclists using the pavement is it really an issue if there doing it responsibly and safely? it's safer than using busy main roads.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
You provide dedicated cycle paths and some cyclists refuse to use them. What's the point in providing dedicated cycling infrastructure at great cost if left unused?
As for cyclists using the pavement is it really an issue if there doing it responsibly and safely? it's safer than using busy main roads.
A lot of the "dedicated cycle paths" are useless - Tixall Road, for example.

Cycling on a footpath adjacent to a highway is an offence. It may be safer than cycling on busy main roads, but that is mostly a driver behaviour issue.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
You provide dedicated cycle paths and some cyclists refuse to use them. What's the point in providing dedicated cycling infrastructure at great cost if left unused?

Examples?

As for cyclists using the pavement is it really an issue if there doing it responsibly and safely? it's safer than using busy main roads.

Cycles average what, 20km/h? Put them on a path and one of 2 things happen:

- They slow down massively due to having to stop at each crossing

- They are a risk to pedestrians due to their speed

Cyclists are better placed with cars than pedestrians, the problem is car drivers don't understand the highway code. If I filmed my daily commute when at college I'd guarantee at least 5 fines a week, and likely one or 2 prosecutions.
 

Zylo

Well-Known Forumite
A lot of the "dedicated cycle paths" are useless - Tixall Road, for example.

Cycling on a footpath adjacent to a highway is an offence. It may be safer than cycling on busy main roads, but that is mostly a driver behaviour issue.

Can't remember last time I heard about anyone getting a telling off cycling on the path, everyone does it

If they're responsible give clear warning, slow down around people it's o.k there's even a risk then though with cars coming onto the path from driveway etc, happened to me once down wolverhampton road..... nearly went flying, good job the brakes was good.

Don't trust the roads one bit, feel like i'm risking my life every time I use them.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Can't remember last time I heard about anyone getting a telling off cycling on the path, everyone does it

If they're responsible give clear warning, slow down around people it's o.k there's even a risk then though with cars coming onto the path from driveway etc, happened to me once down wolverhampton road..... nearly went flying, good job the brakes was good.

Don't trust the roads one bit, feel like i'm risking my life every time I use them.
All of that is true, but you do risk a fine up to £600, if somebody ever actually bothers about it. There is minimal enforcement of driver/cyclist interactions on the road, either. Having spent a year cycling in a different jurisdiction, the attitudinal issues here are starkly obvious.
 

number9

Well-Known Forumite
I see the 12 month trial has completed and the scooters have been completely removed from Stafford's streets.

Do we take this to mean that Stafford Council don't consider the trial to be a success?

spoke to the guy collecting the scooters.

the 12 month trial on scooters has finished. there will now be a 12 month electric bike trial. after that, the council consider whether to continue one or the other.

I just hope the cyclists are better than the scooter riders. nearly hit by one twice, they give no warning they're behind you, and don't give a ####
 

Zylo

Well-Known Forumite
spoke to the guy collecting the scooters.

the 12 month trial on scooters has finished. there will now be a 12 month electric bike trial. after that, the council consider whether to continue one or the other.

I just hope the cyclists are better than the scooter riders. nearly hit by one twice, they give no warning they're behind you, and don't give a ####

I hope they're heavy, as the scooters was..... still a few ended up in the river mind..
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
spoke to the guy collecting the scooters.

the 12 month trial on scooters has finished. there will now be a 12 month electric bike trial. after that, the council consider whether to continue one or the other.

I just hope the cyclists are better than the scooter riders. nearly hit by one twice, they give no warning they're behind you, and don't give a ####
I suspect bikes will be more successful because people are used to bikes, a bike on Stafford roads is bad enough but I'd not expect to survive a week riding a scooter legally.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
A lot of the "dedicated cycle paths" are useless - Tixall Road, for example.
Today, on a whim, I cycled up the cycle path on the 'new' part of Beaconside, as I still think of it, from Sandon Road to Marston Lane - I would normally go there via Common Road.

Negotiating the entrance to Tollgate is not for the fainthearted. It involves crossing the entrance in four stages - at each stage, everybody else has priority over the cyclist - it is positively dangerous. I was grateful that one of the many vehicles I had to keep an eye on, coming at me from all directions, was an ambulance.

I would be vastly safer to cycle past on the road.

The next entrance was equally difficult, but with fewer "stages" and less traffic to maintain observation on.

Crossing the end of Common Road has the added excitement of the crossing point being 'round the corner', so you have a very short, restricted view of any vehicle that is about to whizz round the corner at you.
 
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