EU and UK law

[TiagoFigueiredo]

Good afternoon to everyone and thanks for reading my topic.

 

 

 

Im kinda begginer but i got myself a electric unycicle and im loving the experience, it took me a while to learn but helps me on a daily basis and I constatly travel with it and understand law might change depending on where i am.

 

 

 

 

Altough i've never been asked to stop in the UK i live to the mindset better safe than sorry so, apart from my ID i searched the web and havent found much, i would like to ask to the most experienced here for some help.....does anyone know if there are any articles or recommendations that we should carry around with me, i mean is there a general EU or even UK law about electric unycicles ? and if so where can we find it online ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opionions are welcomed

 

 

Happy weekend and a better week, all the best 

[Keith]

3 hours ago, TiagoFigueiredo said:

Altough i've never been asked to stop in the UK i live to the mindset better safe than sorry so, apart from my ID i searched the web and havent found much, i would like to ask to the most experienced here for some help.....does anyone know if there are any articles or recommendations that we should carry around with me, i mean is there a general EU or even UK law about electric unycicles ? and if so where can we find it online ?

In practice, if riding sensibly and slowly and with due care near pedestrians (and don't attempt to steal a crate of Lucozade: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35061099 ) you are unlikely to be stopped. 

However, legally see the following two articles which, I think, sums up the current UK position:

1) This BBC article describes a 2011 Segway prosecution: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-12215326. This says the individual was prosecuted under the "1865 Highways Act" I think they may actually mean the 1865 Locomotives on the Highways Act. This is the act that required a man with a red flag to walk 20 paces ahead of a motor vehicle.

Another Segway rider was prosecuted under the 1835 Highways Act for riding on a footpath. This is the act that bans children's bikes, trikes and scooters as well as buggies and prams from the footpath.

2) This article summarises these Highways acts: http://www.prsp.org.uk/factFigures/redFlag.aspx

I.e. Out of date acts that have almost universally been ignored/forgotten until electric pedestrian vehicles came along. (There was a case a couple of years ago of a father being stopped by a police officer due to his 3-year old cycling on the pavement, the officer apparently tried to insist the child cycled in the road! So long overdue being repealed then!)

Probably a key statement I found here: http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1896_Locomotives_on_Highways_Act sums up these acts well: "The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 removed the strict rules and UK speed limits that were included in the earlier Locomotive Acts which had greatly restricted the adoption of motorised vehicles in the United Kingdom. It came into operation on November 14, 1896.

The powerful railways lobby and those with interests in transport using horse-drawn vehicles advocated the original Locomotive Acts which imposed very low speed limits and other restrictions on the use of "locomotives" and motorcars on the UK public highways. "

I.e. These laws were drawn up by vested interests and badly damaged the UK's ability to develop and adopt new technologies. Does that sound familiar?