E-scooter riders caught breaking various laws across Adelaide CBD
E-scooter users have been breaking laws across the city – taking them out of bounds, without helmets, underage or in tandem.
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Reckless electronic scooter riders are flouting the law and taking safety risks by not wearing a helmet, riding underage and in tandem.
School holidays has highlighted the illegal behaviour of e-scooter riders across the Adelaide CBD – and one permit holder says there also has been recent damage to its machines.
RIDE Adelaide city manager Sara Lemanski said damage to the electric scooters included lights being smashed and brakes being cut.
“There’s no way we can police (it), because (they’re in) such a large geographic space,” Ms Lemanski told The Advertiser.
Scooters are not permitted in Rundle Mall but geofences enforced by RIDE had at times failed.
Ms Lemanski said occasionally a scooter’s GPS bounced off buildings and allowed them through.
Singaporean e-scooter company Beam has staff at each end of Rundle Mall to stop users from travelling through, but The Advertiser spotted riders in the mall as recently as Tuesday.
Beam head of public affairs Brad Kitschke said the company had taken measures to ensure riders adhered to the laws, including safety advice on its e-scooter mobile app.
“We’re all doing as much as we can … but it may come to a juncture that council and SA Police will enforce stricter laws,” Mr Kitschke said.
He believed self-regulation and user responsibility – such as people telling other riders when they are behaving illegally – would help minimise misuse.
“Our terms of service are that this is the law … as a result (of misuse) we can disconnect your account,” he said. Mr Kitschke said the company had not noticed an increase in damage.
The fine for riders failing to wear a helmet or being carried as a passenger is $104.
Riders caught under the age of 18 are fined $300.
All offences carry a maximum penalty of $2500 with an additional $60 victims of crime levy.
Superintendent Craig Wall said police had not noticed any increase in underage scooter riders during the school holidays and, like any traffic matter, police patrolled and monitored driver and rider behaviour at all times of the year.
“Police take road safety very seriously. If any person spots a person riding an e-scooter without a helmet or believe the rider to be under the age of 18 they are encouraged to call the traffic watch hotline on 131 444 and provide details of the incident,” Supt Wall said.