Loved by some and hated by others, electric scooters have very quickly become a common sight on the pavements and roads of the Orihuela Costa.
Sometimes they can be found in a neat and orderly row but more often than not they strewn across the ground, in the middle of pavements, in front of urbanisation gates and in other unacceptable places, often .
They are easily rented via a downloaded phone app, and they can often be seen riding on the pavements, or perhaps carrying two people (sometimes even two adults and a child), both of which are absolutely .
But what, may you ask, are the Ayuntamiento or the police doing about it. Well, I think we all know the answer to that, which is not a lot!
As is also the case in Torrevieja, there are two rental companies providing scooters on the Costa, neither of which has a municipal license to operate, so they are acting illegally. However, in Torrevieja the scooters are regularly impounded by the Policia Local, although following the payment of a small fine, they are quickly back on the streets.
The fact that the Local Police up and down the coastline are failing to effectively control breaches of current regulations, can often be seen to put road safety at risk.
There is no doubt, however, that this new and sustainable, economical and very practical means of transport, is the future, so it is precisely for this reason that local municipalities need .
In so doing they will be able to ensure that companies carrying out this activity take out the necessary civil liability insurance to cover material and personal damage in the event of an accident. At the same time, the companies will be required to identify the users and oblige them to make a deposit to cover possible penalties for non-compliance with traffic regulations.
By identifying the users and by taking a deposit, it will be easier to take legal action in the event that they are involved in an accident.
One local resident told The Leader “I’m not sure if the benefit of this additional transportation system is outweighing the negative side of having these items winding in and out of pedestrians or scattered about the public realm. It won’t be too long before there is a serious accident” he said.
Another posted on the AVCRL Facebook page, “The lack of care and diligence shown by the riders is really concerning, they weave down the road demonstrating a total disregard for their own safety. There is never an indication of direction at a junction and they, as mentioned, drop them when finished in the most unthoughtful spots. They must be regulated to provide protection for everyone.”
Unfortunately, once again the Orihuela Ayuntamiento are dragging their feet in ensuring that such mobility sharing systems are consistent with the safety and well-being of the public. They must realise that the current problems far outweigh the benefits and above all they must also ensure that the area won’t be overpopulated by electric scooters and other “micro-mobility” vehicles.
With thanks to AVCRL
