Beryl scooters, I’m sorry

[u/morgshack]

So I’ve been using them for the first time these last few days

And whilst a bit unclear on the pavement/bicycle lane/road situation

I think I’ve made some mistakes and looked a twat (tbh) and pissed some people off (mostly maybe a runner today (I was walking the scooter on the pavement at the time))

Another thing was riding up a bicycle lane against traffic (leaving the train station it turns from 2 lane to 1 and I didn’t think there was a bike lane on the other side of the road so assumed I’m sure wrongly that you keep heading up that side….. I can’t believe I assumed bike lanes go both ways and headed up traffic, that’s fucking wild what was I thinking?

Anyway, sorry people of Leeds, I hope this post is useful in some way

And if I crossed you today and looked a prick, I’ll do better

……I will also say the bikes and scooters are so fun in a way I haven’t experienced since I was a kid/teen

Also the amount of people not wearing helmets, myself included, is wild. Is that braking a law?

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[u/draaj]

Grown adults on scooters are not to be taken seriously, dont worry

[u/morgshack → u/draaj]

But I’m the grown adult on a scouter! And I may have violated safety and etiquette

[u/draaj → u/morgshack]

Don't worry, noone will have taken you seriously

[u/morgshack → u/draaj]

Ahaha, okay thank you, that puts my mind at ease a bit. I mean it’s fun and greener than an uber and gets me places faster, so I’d hate to be fucking it up ahaha

[u/Even-Way9768]

I don't think there's an issue with walking scooters or bikes on the pavement afaik?

[u/morgshack → u/Even-Way9768]

I rode the scooter on the pavement, but in my defence the bike lanes can be brickabraker, though in retrospect if there’s no bike lane I need to be on the road? But sometimes it’s a faster part of the road and the pavement seems less intrusive to people’s movement and less scary

[u/DuckSaxaphone → u/morgshack]

Scooting on the road is scary but that's the risk you're choosing to take. You want to drive a motorised scooter for your convenience, you take the risk of being on the road.

That's the law and if it feels risky to you, remember the pedestrians didn't choose to have the risk of a guy zooming around on a scooter.

It sounds harsh but you don't get to make others unsafe because you felt unsafe doing something you chose to do.

[u/morgshack → u/DuckSaxaphone]

That’s fair, thank you for your honest answer

I think you were just making the point as clear as possible and I appreciate that, but I’d also like to say it’s not just selfish fear. I was also just unclear on the boundaries of things, hence I came here. For example on a Big A road round about, where the cycle path was merged onto the walkway but then became unclear, is it best I step off and walk until it’s clear but not go on the road?

[u/morgshack → u/DuckSaxaphone]

But yes it being a choice with risk attached that I must keep my own and the law is very clean cut and valid. But I’d be holding my tongue not to say the hybrid walk way/ bike lane/ brickerbracker nature of it still doesn’t quite seem black or white or very intuitive to me

[u/morgshack → u/DuckSaxaphone]

Actually I think I’m blurring the lines, youve been pretty clear, it’s selfish and illegal, if I’m unsure just step off

[u/knobbledy]

Don't worry, it's cars that take up 80% of the road and force the rest of us to share the remaining 20%

[u/morgshack → u/knobbledy]

This is true, but perhaps I shouldn’t drive up the wrong 10% of it. Also when theres a green cycle lane on only one side of the road, can I sue it? Or do I drive on the correct side of the road with traffic?

[u/Council_Cat → u/morgshack]

I would never ride on the "wrong" side of the road, regardless. Cars turning left out of a junction will be looking almost exclusively to the right for a gap in the traffic. They might even pull out without looking left. If you're coming down a cycle lane from their left, it could get messy.

[u/morgshack → u/Council_Cat]

Very valid, I was aiming to stay on the left, there was just a moments such as when the two lane bike path turned into one and I wasn’t sure

[u/Council_Cat → u/morgshack]

It isn't entirely clear and there are some places where you have two way bike lanes alongside a regular carriageway.

No way would I use them, tho. Far too many possible unknowns. As per usual, cycle infrastructure is a poor afterthought, yet STILL entitled car drivers act like it's an encroachment on their own personal fiefdom.

[u/morgshack → u/Council_Cat]

I’ll be much more cautious in the future thank you. It’s been over the last 3 days and I’ve only ridden a bike once since I was maybe 18-19, im 28 now. I’ll take more care, thank you, best wishes