Queensland police handed out more than 70 infringements to Lime scooter riders overnight

More than 70 infringement notices were handed out to scooter riders overnight during a police crackdown.

MORE than 70 infringement notices were handed out to scooter riders overnight Friday during a police crackdown on unsafe use of the increasingly popular transport mode.

Dubbed Operation Romeo Overture, more than 30 police officers from Mount Gravatt, Brisbane city and Fortitude Valley stations were assigned to crack down on people they said were operating electric scooters in an “unsafe manner.”

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Police said 67 traffic infringement notices were issued to people riding the scooters without a helmet, while eight tickets were doled out for a variety of other offences, including rider distractions.

File photo: Lime scooter rider passes a policeman on the footpath, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston.

In a written statement released by Queensland police, Officer in Charge of the Fortitude Valley Police Beat, Acting Sergeant Simon Rowe said the operation’s focus was on reducing the amount of unsafe behaviour and potential serious injury by riders doing the wrong thing.

“The number of offences detected as part of this operation was concerning and we want to remind everyone that we do not tolerate people disregarding their own and others safety on scooters,” he said.

File photo: Lime scooter rider, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“These scooters are generally used in urban areas such as the Fortitude Valley and Brisbane City, so you can image how dangerous it is when you have someone not wearing a helmet or doing the wrong thing in control of one with so many pedestrians and vehicles around on a bustling Friday night.

“We just want to make sure that people aren’t putting themselves or others at risk by making stupid decisions and taking unnecessary risks.”
The State government will launch an information campaign on dangerous usage of e-scooters later this year, as new statistics show injuries are soaring.

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Data released by Transport and Main Roads minister Mark Bailey revealed 120 people have gone to hospital with scooter-related injuries since their introduction late last year, and another 300 had been nabbed by police breaking rules.

Mr Baily said the new campaign aimed to educate riders where scooters can and could not be ridden.

“By rolling out the campaign on city streets, people will be reminded about the rules before they get around town,” he said.

The campaign aims to emphasise the following rules:

• You must be over 12 to ride while supervised, over 16 to ride alone.

• You must wear a helmet.

• Scooters cannot be ridden on bike paths or CBD roads, only on footpaths.

• Scooter riders must give way to pedestrians.