Electric Bicycles & Scooters

[Big Boy]

The e-scooters I've seen in this area are a little larger than those causing the problems in Phuket. Every one here that I've seen are most definitely driven on the roads. There are a group of e-scooter riders that use the dual carriageway to Khao Tao and back.

We have a young kiddie (maybe 10) a couple of doors away who only rides his e-scooter up and down our soi, which is a quiet cul-de-sac, but his parents often use it to nip down to the shops.

When I was in Kuala Lumpur, there were banks of them all over the place for hire, and they were ridden along busy pavements. A bit dangerous because you couldn't hear them coming, but we didn't see any incidents.

To me, I very much doubt they are any more a menace in Phuket than the motorcycles ridden by crazed Farangs who believe they have to ride them crazily because the locals do it. What they don't realise is that although crazy compared to their home countries, the locals have been riding these beasts since birth, and its an orderly crazy.

[KhunLA]

That responsibility and common sense goes both ways. These e-bike, mini motorcyle/ebikes & stand up scooter, if you're dumb enough to take on dual carriageway, and not ride on the shoulder, where a pedal bike would, then oh well.

Same goes with the recent crossing the street / crosswalks ... look both way before stepping off the curb. Think real hard about crossing a 6 lane dual road, with no traffic light, whether on a crosswalk or not. Common sense goes a long way to keep yourself out of harm's way, .... and respecting others' space. Especially if you're the smaller half of the equation of any oops.

That respect goes both ways. If you're motorized, fast of slow, as most e-things only do 25 kms anyway, then yield to people walking, it's simple common courtesy. My e-bike will do 40 kph, though rarely do I do 25 kph. Few reason, get more range, bike frame not made for higher speed (self converted) and I don't wear a helmet, knowing the risk, and my choice, along with keeping a low profile. Mine stretches the legality of e-bike vs motorcycle.

The ones that will perform better, store bought, they are the price of low end e-motorcycles or more, so most would opt for that, a real motorcycle, unless an 'E-hobbyist'. A good one / e-motorcycle starts at 37k.

These mini motorcycles/ebikes, scooters, they're in the < 10k -25k range, most max out at 25 kph, so not much of a danger to anyone. Main price difference is the battery, more range, and not so much performance wise.

But for me to need to register it / e-bike, and insure it like motorcycle, that's just silly. And will kill the industry, just like it did drones. And on the stand up scooters, where the hell you going to put a license plate. That's dangerous in itself, as now you have a sharp edge, probably wider than the platform you're standing on clip someones ankle with that ... ouch.

[lindosfan1]

This is a government statement on escooter accidents in 1 year.

Main points
In the year ending June 2021:

there were 882 accidents involving e-scooters, of these 173 were single vehicle accidents, this is around 20% of all e-scooter accidents
there were 931 casualties in accidents involving e-scooters, of these 732 were e-scooters users
of the 931 casualties, 3 were killed (all of them were e-scooter riders)
our best estimate is that there were 253 seriously injured and 675 slightly injured casualties.

The link to the full article.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistic ... -june-2021

I have seen these weaving in and out of pedestrians narrowly missing them, in a traffic free zone. That is irresponsible.
They should be banned.

[PeteC]

In urban areas I would say the biggest problem is that they are silent. If the rider hasn't installed and uses some kind of courtesy horn, then people are going to be startled and caught off guard if they're ridden on sidewalks and other pedestrian areas.

[KhunLA]

Yes, I've caught more than a few people off guard with my e-motorcycle, while cruising surfside, and they don't hear or expect something to be there as they play tourist. Thinking it's a small street, at edge of surf, well, I'll just step off the curb and get closer for that photo. I toot my horn quite a bit, when I certainly wouldn't need to, if on the old Honda or in the car. Dogs & monkeys don't seem to look both ways either

More an issue on a vendor lined street, for same reason, don't see something big out of the corner of their eye or hear a scooter, they simply walk in the roadway. I can see more than a few incidents once the EVs, cars & motorcycles become more mainstream. Going to be more than a few headliners in the future.

Again, simple common sense, look both ways before stepping on the roadway. Amazing how many here lack it. While others, whether having the green & at a crosswalk, won't even step off the curb, until oncoming traffic stops for their stop light or sign

[PeteC]

This is the only place that I can recall where I slow down and glance both ways going through a green traffic signal, both day and especially at night. This is in addition to a slow start up when the signal turns green waiting to see if anyone will run their red, which is more frequent than it should ever be. Defensive driving thy name is Thailand.

I'm off topic. We'll start a new thread if there are more comments going in the above direction.

[KhunLA]

This is the only place that I can recall where I slow down and glance both ways going through a green traffic signal, both day and especially at night. This is in addition to a slow start up when the signal turns green waiting to see if anyone will run their red, which is more frequent than it should ever be. Defensive driving thy name is Thailand.

Ditto

[STEVE G]

In the UK there is an old law from 1861 of "wanton or furious driving" which can still be used against any type of vehicle and which goes to show that whilst technology might change, people don't!

[KhunLA]

I'm reading the Phuket PoPo are warning e-scooter folks, that they'll be fined (given a receipt) if scooter not registered with DLT.

DLT stating, there is no system to register e-scooters ...

Expect the usual knee jerk reaction, and e-scooters & e-bikes to be banned shortly in other provinces, as they love to one up each when it comes to restrictions ...
So glad I don't live in one of the sh!thole tourist area of Thailand.
Tourist are simply embarrassing.

273703671_1337462726769081_746579495537636802_n.jpg (259.93 KiB) Viewed 378 times

[handdrummer]

At least you won't be "fined more than baht." That's better than taking away your supper.

[PeteC]

More on this Phuket issue can be read at the link:

https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/elec ... -crackdown

I'll quote two sections of the article, read it 5 or 6 times and when your mind stops spinning come to your own conclusion as the law stands now. Basically, if they are not recognized as vehicles, you can't be fined for operating something that is not a vehicle. Lawyers could have fun with this one.

"Anyone caught riding an electric scooter on a public road could be fined up to 10,000 baht under section 6 of the motor vehicle act for operating an unregistered vehicle on a public road."

"The Department of Land Transport does not recognize the scooters as vehicles, so they can’t be registered and no license given for their operation."

[Big Boy]

I was wondering about that yesterday, especially when fines for 'real' offences are normally so ridiculously low. It has to be a Farang money grabbing scam. Fine them, and ship them home before they realise they've been scammed.

Then, I started thinking TIT, and there's a law for everything, but just not enforced. I'm sure there will be a law that will vaguely fit the bill.

[STEVE G]

These stand up electric scooters have caused problems in many cities around the world and normally they get banned or controlled by local authorities irrespective of what national laws allow.

[KhunLA]

Whilst I’m with you on the making it a case of policing the “irresponsible operator”, I wouldn’t go as far as having no regulations - driving e-scooters on a main dual carriageway would be asking for trouble - by all means make provision for their use to help combat city pollution/congestion, but here in Thailand most of us have witnessed the irresponsible driving by many who would not be at all concerned at wiping out an e-scooter rider if they got in their way. Be careful what you wish for!!

Agree, and simply have a minimum speed limit (or specific use lane) would solve that, especially now, since 120 kph is allowed. Of course enforcement.

You'd really have to be a special kind of idiot, to drive less than 60 kph on a dual carriageway, if not on a very WIDE shoulder lane, and still iffy.

The e-scooters (stand up) most do 25 kph, some 40, then other, will compete with cars @ 90, though damn expensive.
The little moped / ebikes about the same, most rated, realistically @ 25 or 40, with the rare, again, knocking on 90, and again, not cheap.

My DIY ebike will do 40 kph, but not made (frame/shocks/brakes) to do 40, so I keep it at <25 kph usually. I'm in not hurry to go anywhere OR attract attention.

[KhunLA]

New battery for my E-Bike, (48v/1000w), now sporting a 'true' 20Ah battery. Earlier battery I'll use as a spare, in case I misjudge if out for a cruise. Old battery, rated (falsely) at 30Ah, and after testing, decided to keep anyway, as fit my needs, though when going from Green/Yellow/Red (my crap meter), way to much stress when in red

New one @ 20Ah, gives 2X the range of the old 30Ah , so reality was, a 10Ah battery. that's fine, as only cost ฿2900 vs new 20Ah for ฿5600. Hmm ... just about right, besides being 2X price & the range, also almost exact 2X the size; 950 vs 1950cm³. Go figure

#1 test run ... Got 24 kms in about 1+ hr, with 2 short (100 meter) speed runs (37 & 47 kph), and 2 short (1/2 km /RR overpass) inclines.

#2 test run ... consistent & conservation 15 kph for 2hrs. Both runs with a 30% reserve on battery left. So I got more battery now than I'll need for any cruising, as 2 hrs is more than I really want to be on a bike. Was nice ride though, in the future, definite a coffee/pasty pit stop to rest the bum. Some rumbling in distance, so didn't want to get rained on, hence no major pit stop. Just a range test.