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*UK EUC'ers: Share your police run-ins here*


Paddylaz

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Ok guys so I originally thought it would be a good idea to have a new forum section for this - but perhaps that's a bit much so I figured this thread is the next best thing.

We can go on forever debating about whether the uk legislation includes or excludes eucs. But all that is just academic. What really matters is real life encounters and enforcibility.

So let's use this thread for anyone who wants to report (from THIS day going forward) any interesting interactions they have with police - positive OR negative.

This way we can quickly ascertain not only if there's been any change since what's been in the media recently....but also identify any areas of the U.K. that are 'worse' or 'better' than others.

?

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Just today I suggested a forum section for Countries Laws and Regulations to the admins, similar to the Local Meet ups, so people can discuss their countries law in their own language. Its going to be a topic for every country sooner or later.

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It's a much wider topic than EUC's.

Developments in magnet and battery technology mean that rideable objects of various types are going to become cheaper to produce, more numerous and more diverse.  Some kind of 'shared' space between pedestrians, human-powered vehicles (bicycles, scooters, skateboards), sub-automotive speed rideables and hybrids* is going to be the only possible solution in the longer term, with some use of road-space for faster rideables.  Some more forward-thinking countries are almost there.  The UK, as ever, struggles to cling on to the late 19th Century...

At first many Governments will want every device to display number plates and have specific, separate public liability insurance, but once electric bikes have no visible difference from normal bikes (we're practically there now) and rideables blend seamlessly into clothing (a few years away yet), they are going to find the old ways difficult and expensive to enforce.

* - at the moment, just electric bicycles and the very occasional electric skateboard, but I can see the potential for rideables with a human-powered component to supersede many of the clumsy options available at the moment

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How about positive encounters? I went past a police van and noticed they where all staring at me, but none got out to stop me or say anything, just looked curious. Hopefully the new announcement won't make them decide they have to stop me now. This whole issue is annoying because I've got to delay buying a new EUC until I know if I can use it in the city, because otherwise it's a bit of a waste of money.

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Just buy one, there are few enough police about as it is never mind having this on their plate as well. As long as you use common sense, give pedestrians a good wide berth you will be fine. I have had nothing but admiring looks from the police and the community support officers that have seen me out and about on mine, not stopped once yet and unless someone complains i tried to run them over probably not likely to be.

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Just buy one, there are few enough police about as it is never mind having this on their plate as well. As long as you use common sense, give pedestrians a good wide berth you will be fine. I have had nothing but admiring looks from the police and the community support officers that have seen me out and about on mine, not stopped once yet and unless someone complains i tried to run them over probably not likely to be.

This is what I hope but at the same time I'm interested to know if the police feel obliged to stop us from now on due to the media attention regarding the laws on this type of thing. Hopefully not, and if so hopefully it's just a warning and not confiscation..

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There was the same hysteria with quadcopter/Drones, i have one of those too, and as long as you arent an idiot nobody gives you any notice except to say what is it its coool where did you get it?? Remeber these laws have been around over 20 years since the sinclair c5 (have one of those in my shed too)

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Ambling back from the supermarket, laden with enough groceries to make me doubt the BMS...

Gave a couple of PCSO's a wide berth (I assume that's what they were - two very slow cyclists in high-vis), then a proper bacon wagon drove slowly past, completely ignoring me.

I guess when they come out at night these days they've got better things to be getting on with.

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Everyday I ride past police officers stationed at Buckingham Palace (guns and all), then onto Green Park where the officers are on bicycles. I do not get told to get off my wheel even though there are "No Cycling" signs. Just yesterday I rolled past a guy getting a fine for riding in the park and the policeman didn't even flinch at giving me one.

This morning there was something going on outside Buckingham Palace and there were loads of police on foot, in vans, on motorbikes and not one gave me a second look. One actually stood aside and let me through the walkway. I presume that if you don't start acting like a boy racer in crowds and show consideration for pedestrians then there's not an issue.

I've also been past many cops on the road and no reaction whatsoever. Just roll on...

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I wish I could wheel over the Kurfürstendamm or Unter den Linden and through the Brandenburg Gate. We simply can't. I was fined with almost 100 Euro a few weeks ago :-/

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Everyday I ride past police officers stationed at Buckingham Palace (guns and all), then onto Green Park where the officers are on bicycles. I do not get told to get off my wheel even though there are "No Cycling" signs. Just yesterday I rolled past a guy getting a fine for riding in the park and the policeman didn't even flinch at giving me one.

This morning there was something going on outside Buckingham Palace and there were loads of police on foot, in vans, on motorbikes and not one gave me a second look. One actually stood aside and let me through the walkway. I presume that if you don't start acting like a boy racer in crowds and show consideration for pedestrians then there's not an issue.

I've also been past many cops on the road and no reaction whatsoever. Just roll on...

Must be the Chinese President visiting Buckingham Palace.

If someone does stop you, you can always say that you are trying to strengthen UK / China relations because you are riding a product that is solely China made.

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I'd like some clarification on how legal it is to use an EUC on a footpath.

The "cloudy" laws regarding electric unicycle use on paths could be getting quite murky for me and my commuting and freedom may be short lived....


I was stopped on my way home from work by a Community Support Officer who said that had I been riding a bike he would have given me a fine but as it isn't clear at the moment and he had never seen an electric unicycle before he was going to give me a friendly warning about using it on the footpaths as I am not actually walking on it which is it's intended use. He kept going on about how dangerous bikes are and how an elderly person, on his route, complained about almost being hit by a cyclist on the path and he thinks my wheel goes faster than a bike and if someone walked out of a doorway straight in front of me I could do some damage.
 

He said he would look into the legality of it and get back to me with a DEFINITIVE answer but if he sees me again then he will give me a fine. I just hope he contacts me and doesn't just make sure he sees me again to fine me.
 

At one point he said I might be able to use it on the road but as far as I am aware we can't? He also mentioned cycle lanes (none on my way to/from work) or the canal that I could ride on but it's a fair trek to get to and from it.

.
I explained I have mobility issues and don't drive so this is my freedom and commute but his strong opinion is regarding the footpath and the wheel being motorised or powered and someone not actually walking on it.

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They have very few  legal powers at  all as far as I am aware, they can issue a fixed penalty notice but I would be intrigued as to what it Would actually be for?? I would point out the number of invalid carriages that are road legal but use the pavement to.

image.png

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they can issue a fixed penalty notice but I would be intrigued as to what it Would actually be for?? I would point out the number of invalid carriages that are road legal but use the pavement to.

His way of thinking is that I am not walking - I am using motorised transport on a footpath meant for walking on and it's this he said he would give the fine for...

When you think of it his way how do you argue otherwise? 

As for invalid carriages - so long as they don't do more than the 4mph limit they are allowed on paths?

Edited by TremF
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Today I got stopped on my commute home... But it was the good officers at Buckingham Palace to say that the Chinese President is on his way and he can't let anyone pass. I stood at the entrance right in front of him with my foot on footplate for about 4mins, waved at the cars when they came, Officer said all clear and I then rolled on my merry way to Victoria. :D

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Today I got stopped on my commute home... But it was the good officers at Buckingham Palace to say that the Chinese President is on his way and he can't let anyone pass. I stood at the entrance right in front of him with my foot on footplate for about 4mins, waved at the cars when they came, Officer said all clear and I then rolled on my merry way to Victoria. :D

This is encouraging but doesn't mean anything? The CSO still hasn't got back to me and, although I have never seen him before, he said that is his area so I may see him again.

Surely if Whistl (previously TNT) are trialing them for deliveries in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool they would have checked the legality? 

http://www.whistl.co.uk/news/posties-use-airwheel-for-deliveries/

Newspapers that reported on it said "The AirWheel, a contraption with two steps and an internal balancing mechanism, is legally allowed to travel on pavements and other pedestrian routes."
 

I'm not sure what to do. This is my freedom and way of getting about independently. I don't drive and don't fancy a mobility scooter :(

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Today I got stopped on my commute home... But it was the good officers at Buckingham Palace to say that the Chinese President is on his way and he can't let anyone pass. I stood at the entrance right in front of him with my foot on footplate for about 4mins, waved at the cars when they came, Officer said all clear and I then rolled on my merry way to Victoria. :D

This should cheer you up Trem ?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FwYxkZ9jTvk

Edited by paddylaz
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His way of thinking is that I am not walking - I am using motorised transport on a footpath meant for walking on and it's this he said he would give the fine for...

When you think of it his way how do you argue otherwise? 

As for invalid carriages - so long as they don't do more than the 4mph limit they are allowed on paths?

the average person walks at about four miles an hour, I have never kept up walking with an invalid carriage, many of them  should be on the road and be taxed, I think you are working way too much.

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