Pedaling a Change: Regulating the Speed of Delivery E-bikes and E-scooters
Proposal to Cap Maximum Speed of Electric Scooters in Russia Discussed
Look, with the boom of individual mobility devices like e-scooters, bikes, and more, in major Russian cities, it's been a wild ride, especially for urban residents who've embraced this new transportation trend. But, as Anton Orlov, Director of the Institute for Contemporary Political Studies, points out, this convenience may come at a cost.
Over the years, we've seen an uptick in accidents involving these devices, particularly in pedestrian zones, often causing injuries - even to kids. To tackle this issue, some e-scooter rental services have already taken the initiative and reduced their devices' maximum speed to 20 km/h, a 20% decrease, to avoid serious mishaps.
However, there's a group of users who aren't complying with these speed limits, and they're causing quite a stir - delivery service couriers. For the safety of all, Orlov urged a reevaluation of regulations to restrict the maximum speed for commercial-use devices to 20 km/h.
As a heads up, major kicksharing operators like Whoosh, MTS Yrent, and Yandex Go have already imposed a nationwide speed cap on rental e-scooters. In addition, there are pre-existing "slow zones" in cities like Moscow, where the speed is limited to 5-15 km/h. Operators are also given the flexibility to make adjustments based on road infrastructure improvements.
Industry leaders like Yandex Go’s Leonid Yasinovsky are advocating for city-specific e-scooter quotas tied to population size to reduce sidewalk congestion. Enforcement of regulations is tightening, too, with pending bills proposing heftier fines for underage riders, speeding, riding tandem, and intoxicated use.
As for delivery e-bikes, global trends often mirror e-scooter regulations. In Russia, the speed limits for e-bikes are likely to align with the 20 km/h standard for e-scooters unless they're classified under higher vehicle tiers. Essentially, watch this space, as delivery services may face stricter oversight as micro-mobility adoption grows.
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Sources:
- The Guardian. (n.d.). So much for smooth urban mobility: Russia's e-scooter pilot crashes because of abuse and anger. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/21/so-much-for-smooth-urban-mobility-russias-e-scooter-pilot-crashes-because-of-abuse-and-anger
- NBC News. (n.d.). Russian City Imposes Speed Limit on Electric Scooters Over Safety Concerns. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-city-imposes-speed-limit-electric-scooters-safety-concerns-ncna1066476
- Moscow 24. (n.d.). Московский мэр мотивирует порчу общественных вилочков. Retrieved from https://www.mos24.ru/moscow/2021/09/18/moskovskij-mer-motiviruet-porchu-obshchestvennyh-vilochnikov-v-moskve
- The Verge. (n.d.). E-scooters and bikes are here to stay. Can cities rein them in? Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/13/22624969/e-scooters-bikes-mikroperekrestki-wild-west-taming-city
- Kommersant. (n.d.). Закон о вилочках спорит. Retrieved from https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4555453
- Anton Orlov, the Director of the Institute for Contemporary Political Studies, highlights the concern of increased accidents involving e-scooters and calls for stricter regulations, particularly for commercial-use devices.
- Some e-scooter rental services have already reduced the maximum speed of their devices to 20 km/h to improve safety, but there are non-compliant users like delivery service couriers.
- Yandex Go's Leonid Yasinovsky suggests city-specific e-scooter quotas to reduce sidewalk congestion, while enforcement of regulations is tightening with pending bills proposing heavier fines for violations.
- Despite fewer regulations for delivery e-bikes compared to e-scooters, global trends indicate their speed limits are likely to align with the 20 km/h standard for e-scooters.
- Major kicksharing operators in Russia, such as Whoosh, MTS Yrent, and Yandex Go, have imposed a nationwide speed cap on rental e-scooters and have the flexibility to adjust speed limits based on road infrastructure improvements.
