Electric scooter seen overtaking cars in Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast

Hair-raising footage has shown an electric scooter rider overtaking cars at high speed and weaving through traffic on the Gold Coast. See the video.

A Gold Coast resident has shared hair-raising footage of an electric scooter travelling at high speed and weaving between traffic.

The man was driving home from work along Oxley Dr in Runaway Bay at about 3.45pm on Friday when he noticed the scooter overtake him.

“I was doing 60km in the left lane when a guy in an electric scooter overtook me in the right lane,” he said.

“He must have been doing 70km. Further on he nearly came off going around a roundabout then sped off again.”

An electric scooter seen overtaking cars at high speed in Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast.

Authorities have been raising alarm over the antics of scooter riders, with dozens of accidents recorded on the Gold Coast this year.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey last week announced fines of up to $6192 for e-scooter riders and cyclists found responsible for dangerous riding.

“E-scooters are a great way to get around, but their social licence depends on users doing the right thing,” Mr Bailey said.

“These new laws ensure e-scooter riders will need to play by the same rules as the rest of us and significant penalties will apply for those that ride irresponsibly.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey at a press conference last week announcing the introduction of harsher penalties for e-scooters riders. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Speaking earlier this year, Queensland Ambulance Service Assistant Commissioner Dr Claire Bertenshaw said ambulances were being called to multiple accidents involving e-scooters every day of the week.

“We go to numerous cases per week. Probably two to three a day. … It puts a significant burden on the healthcare system,” Dr Bertenshaw said.

“.. They (e-scooters) are good in regards to tourism and providing a way for people to get around in congested cities, however they do have a few concerning safety issues.

“So when someone’s riding an e-scooter, we need to have that helmet on. We can’t have it on the handlebars, it can’t be hanging around someone’s waist, it needs to be on their head and done up.

“We also need to be aware of speeds. People need to take some responsibility in going slowly with a helmet on. We need to also worry about pedestrians so it’s not just you on the scooter, it’s also the people that you’re sharing the pathway with.

“ … So people going for walks through South Bank, or along the Gold Coast, we need to really be careful, because we can hit someone out for an evening walk at speed, and that’s going to cause serious injuries.”

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