Keep your eyes on the road! Nosy e-scooter rider is so busy watching police that he crashes into their parked patrol car
- Embarrassing incident was shared in a video posted by police in Swanley, Kent
- Officers had gone to the area to arrest two suspects for public order offences
- Electric scooters are currently illegal on UK streets due to 1988 Road Traffic Act
- However, trials to legalise them will be fast-tracked to help people back to work
A nosy e-scooter rider was so busy watching a nearby police officer he crashed head on into their parked patrol car.
The embarrassing incident was shared in a video posted by the force in Kent, who warned people to keep their eyes on the road.
The smash happened in Lynden Way in Swanley, near Sevenoaks, where officers had gone to arrest two suspects for public order offences.
Footage shows an officer standing on the side of the road as the rider wheels past.
However, he seems distracted by the uniformed emergency worker, takes his eyes off the carriageway and ends up nosediving into the vehicle.
Kent Police's officers in Sevenoaks tweeted: 'Incident where two suspects arrested for public order offences.
'Don't get distracted; eyes on the road. Luckily no serious injury.'
The rider seems distracted by the uniformed emergency worker in Lyden Way, Swanley, Kent
Officers recorded the footage having travelled to the area to arrest two suspects for public order offences
With his eyes off the road, the scooter rider is on a direct collision course with a parked patrol car
He ends up nosediving onto the force vehicle, as officers warned others to not be distracted and keep their eyes on the road
Share this article
Electric scooters are currently illegal on UK roads due to the 1988 Road Traffic Act, while the 1835 Highway Act has also been interpreted as banning them from being ridden on pavements.
They have become increasingly common on roads despite the fact users face hefty fines and penalty points if caught.
YouTube star Emily Hartridge, 35, became the first electric scooter fatality in the UK after she collided with a lorry on the Queen's Circus roundabout in Battersea, London, in July 2019.
Kent Police has been contacted for details on the arrests.
Electric scooters: The way of travelling that is currently illegal but at the heart of the government's 'transport revolution'
Electric scooters are currently illegal on UK roads due to the 1988 Road Traffic Act, while the 1835 Highway Act has also been interpreted as banning them from being ridden on pavements.
They have become increasingly common on roads despite the fact users face hefty fines and penalty points if caught.
However, the government launched a consultation in March into the future of transport, in which the scooters were placed at its very heart.
It hopes the battery-powered vehicles - which can travel up to 30mph and cost between £200 and £500 - will offer an alternative to public transport.
Trials to legalise electric scooters will be fast-tracked in a bid to get people back to work safely after the coronavirus lockdown. Pictured: A man on an electric scooter in London
'The review will consider how we make small changes to our everyday travel decisions and whether we could choose to walk, cycle, bus or one day scoot instead of take the car,' the Department for Transport said.
Travel bosses added that they were exploring requirement for e-scooters, and those using them, to make sure they are safe for use on roads.
This includes a minimum age and vehicle standards as well as insurance requirements.
Meanwhile, the government review will also consider if local authorities should have extra powers to manage the impacts of e-scooters on public space, for example where they can be parked.
Last week, it emerged that trials to legalise them will be fast-tracked in a bid to get people back to work safely after the coroavirus lockdown.
However, widespread concerns about the dangers of e-scooters, both to the rider and to pedestrians in their path, remain.
Even taking safety measures such as wearing a high-vis vest and protective helmet might not be enough.
TV presenter and YouTube influencer Emily Hartridge had adopted similar precautions when she rode her e-scooter down a South London street last July.
TV presenter and YouTube influencer Emily Hartridge collided with a lorry on her electric scooter and was killed last year
Tragically, they counted for nothing when the 35-year-old collided with a lorry and was killed.
Her death and the 31 e-scooter-related injuries recorded in London alone last year have not affected the popularity of the vehicles, with retailers reporting a 50 per cent rise in sales over the last 12 months.
Furthermore, other cities around the world that have legalised e-scooters are having second thoughts amid rising casualties.
Paris offers a sharing scheme, similar to London's 'Boris bikes', with about 20,000 e-scooters for easy hire.
But the city is facing lawsuits from victims of accidents. Critics argue the 12mph speed limit and £125 fines for riding on the pavement are inadequate.
In the UK, rule-breakers face £300 fines.
