English tourists ‘on the road’ in Brisbane Lime app glitch

International travellers are being caught in a potentially deadly situation due to a problem with the Lime scooter App. Here’s what you need to know.

International tourists are being caught in potentially deadly situations on Brisbane city streets due to a glitch in the app used to book the popular Lime scooters.

The company has confirmed some users are being diverted to its US site, which instructs them to ride the scooters in bike lanes.

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The situation has been highlighted after two English tourists who downloaded the app this month got caught in a flurry of abuse from Brisbane drivers because they were in the wrong place.

After downloading the app the couple followed the rules which included “do not ride on sidewalks. Use the bike lanes when available”.

They almost came to grief as motorists tooted and abused them for being on the road.

Lime scooters are proving popular in Brisbane but it has been revealed a glitch in the app is steering many international visitors into a dangerous situation.

They said they had no idea they were in the wrong.

They were following the instructions on the app, necessary to register, which also included: “you must agree and follow the rules and conditions” including “have a driver’s licence” and that you had to be 18 years or older.

The app also instructed riders not to ride “downhills”.

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The couple said they were lucky they weren’t killed as they dodged inner-city traffic.

“I can’t believe we were taking such a risk without knowing it,” one of the young visitors said.

“We rode in the bike lane because we thought that was the right thing to do and couldn’t understand why drivers were blowing their horns at us.

Malgorzata Pasieczna rides a Lime scooter in the city.

“Imagine how many other visitors from overseas are doing the same thing.

“It’s a recipe for a tragedy.”

A Lime spokeswoman said the company was working to ensure the app was more Queensland specific and was investigating why it diverted users.

“We are working to update the app so that local rules are easier to access,” she said.

“In the meantime, Lime provides in-app messaging to keep users up to date on region-specific laws.”

When contacted for comment, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) provided a link to the road rules for use of e-scooters and skateboards.

Queensland Police Service was approached but “respectfully declines to comment at this stage”.

Rules for personal mobility devices:

A broad range of personal mobility devices or rideables can be used in public spaces and road related areas in Queensland. You must comply with the road rules to use them.

Remember, people of all abilities use our paths and not everyone can easily move around a device that is obstructing free movement.

A rideable in Queensland must:

■ Be designed for use by a single person

Only fit the following dimensions:

■ 1250mm in length by 700mm in width by 1350mm in height or 700mm in length by 1250mm in width by 1350mm in height

■ Have a maximum speed of 25km/h

■ Have a maximum weight of 60kg — when not carrying a person or load

■ Be powered by an electric motor

■ Have one or more wheels

■ Have a braking system

■ Have no sharp protrusions.

Rules for rideables

■ For everyone’s safety, ride in a safe and respectful manner, especially around pedestrians.

■ Rideables don’t need to be registered.

For your safety, you must:

■ Be at least 16 years of age, or 12 with adult supervision

■ Wear an approved bicycle helmet, that is securely fitted, at all times (unless an exemption has been granted for medical or religious reasons)

■ Not carry passengers

■ Not use a mobile device

■ Not drink and ride

■ Have a working flashing or steady white light on the front, and a red light and reflector at the rear when travelling at night or in hazardous conditions.

When riding on a path, you must:

■ Keep left and give way to pedestrians.

■ Travel at a speed that allows you to stop safely to avoid colliding with a pedestrian.

■ Travel at a safe distance from a pedestrian so you can avoid a collision.

■ Keep left of oncoming bicycles and other personal mobility devices.

■ Only use the bicycle side of a shared path.

Using a rideable

■ Rideables should be used on paths wherever possible.

■ Some limited access to roads is permitted but only in specific circumstances. For example, you can use your rideable to cross a road or avoid an obstruction on a path for up to 50m.

■ You are allowed to stay on your personal mobility device to cross a road at a designated crossing.

■ You can also ride on local streets, where it is safe to do so. A local street is a road with a speed limit of 50km/h or less. It must have no dividing line or median strip and if it is a one-way road, it can’t have more than one lane.

■ You must not ride on main roads or streets in the Brisbane CBD.

■ When permitted to ride on a street you must keep as far to the left side of the road as practicable.

■ Just like bicycle riders, you may ride alongside 1 other person or vehicle travelling on a road in the same direction. However, you must not cause a traffic hazard by moving into the path of a driver or unreasonably obstruct the path of any other road user.

You must not:

■ Be towed by another vehicle

■ Hold onto the back of another vehicle

■ Ride within 2m of the rear of a moving motor vehicle continuously for more than 200m.

Penalties for noncompliance

If you get caught not complying with these rules you will be fined at least $130.

Source: Department of Transport and Main Roads