In some cities,
news of more or less serious accidents involving electric scooters is too often
chased in the local news. At the same time, however, the means for the
so-called soft mobility represent one of the possible cornerstones in the
transition towards more sustainable urban travel. The use of hoverboards,
segways, monowheels, bicycles, and scooters is encouraged both by the mobility
bonus and by the need to reduce the crowding of public transport as a measure
to combat the pandemic. In short, an important technological resource, which
collectively we must learn to exploit in the right way.
But what is
allowed and what cannot be done on a scooter? From a legal point of view, the
fundamental reference is an amendment approved on December 27, 2019, published
in the Official Gazette 3 days later, and in force from January 1, 2020. The law
160/2019 paragraph 75, in particular, equates fledged scooters to bicycles,
making them vehicles recognized by Italian law by Articles 68 and 182 of the
Highway Code. The only two constraints that must be respected for the
scooter-bicycle equivalence to be valid are power and speed maximum: the upper
power limit is set at 500 watts (0.5 kW), while the speed limit is 25 km / h,
except in pedestrian areas where it is necessary to stay within a maximum of 6
km / h.
Before getting on
board
It is all very simple:
just like a bicycle, a scooter does not require registration, nor a license
plate, nor to wear special protections (for adults), nor to take out an
insurance policy. On this last point, however, it is possible to organize
independently, through forms of insurance that protect in the event of an
accident. Many of the companies that offer urban electric mobility services on
two wheels already have policies on their entire fleet, for obvious reasons,
but other individual ones can be taken out for damage and accidents. Always
present should then be an acoustic signal (the bell), just like on bicycles.
The rest of the
things you need to know depends on your age, the time slot you want to use the
scooter, and the weather conditions. Under the age of 14, for example, the use
of the electric scooter is prohibited, while between the ages of 14 and 18 it
is allowed only as long as the user wears a helmet. Over the age of 18, the
helmet is only optional, even if there are some stakeholders who (for safety
reasons, or simply of economic interest) push for the obligation to be extended
to everyone. Weather and time slot, on the other hand, affect visibility. When
it gets dark or the conditions are particularly bad, you need to have a
headlight with white light and rear light with red light, with a reflector.
Furthermore, it is mandatory to wear a reflective vest or similar suspenders.
To be precise, the
night mode is foreseen from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before dawn,
obviously including all-night hours, plus all those cases in which visibility
is compromised by the presence of fog, heavy rain, or in general of
perturbations.
Finally, it should
be noted that if the maximum power of 500 watts is exceeded, or if a saddle or
a seat more than 54 cm above the ground is installed, the scooter would
transform from a regulatory point of view into an electric moped, subject to
completely different legislation. In particular, the license plate,
homologation, registration, driving license, insurance, and homologated helmet
would become mandatory. And all the possible fines and administrative penalties
would become much higher.
Once onboard
Scooters can't
drive everywhere, but just like bicycles, they have a wide choice of roads on
which they are allowed. In general, and more than anything else, they can
circulate on all urban roads where the limit of 30 or 50 km / h applies (for
the scooter, however, the maximum is always 25 km / h). On extra-urban roads,
they cannot circulate unless they are flanked by a cycle path: as is obvious
scooters can circulate on all cycle paths, while they cannot go where access to
bicycles is precluded. Finally, even in urban areas, it is not possible to use
a scooter where the limit for cars is higher than 50 km / h, such as on fast
roads.
As for the
relationship with pedestrians, there are two things to know. In pedestrian
areas, they can circulate freely (the speed limit is 6 km / h), while on
pavements they cannot be used, except by getting off and transporting them by
hand. The pavement rule also applies to pedestrian crossings - unless there is
also a cycle crossing next to it - and in general extends to all those
situations in which only pedestrians are allowed.
The rest of the
rules should first of all be of common sense, even before being sanctioned by
law. Only the driver can stay on the scooter, i.e. one person at a time, and
you cannot take large and bulky objects with you. A backpack and handbag are
allowed, but luggage, animals, friends, and children are not. In the case of a
second person on board, one speaks of the infringement of undue transport of
passengers. The handlebar should always be held with both hands, except when
the arm is extended to signal a turn. And of course, it is forbidden to drive
up or make other changes and stunts on the streets and in pedestrian areas.
From the point of
view of multiple scooters in formation, it is generally suggested to proceed in
a single file. In the streets open to car traffic it is mandatory to keep a
single row, while in the pedestrian areas it is allowed that you can proceed
with scooters side by side in pairs, but never more than two.
The administrative
penalties provided, however, are rather mild. Except in the case in which
damage is caused to other people or things (a scenario that is far from rare),
the fines amount depending on the type of infringement from 50 to 200 euros.
With a combo of infringements, you can still go up to 400 euros. Exceptions to
these relatively low figures are the aforementioned cases in which the electric
scooter has been rigged to exceed the power limit or modified effectively
transforming it into a moped: in addition to the confiscation of the vehicle,
penalties of up to several thousand euros are also envisaged, corresponding
lack of insurance coverage, driving without a license and much more.
Finally, a
positive note: if they can be folded to the size of normal luggage, electric
scooters can be taken on board public transport at no extra charge, both on
trains and buses.
