Berlin transport : critique of electric scooters is louder

vehicles, The criticism of the planned registration of miniature Electric louder. In addition to Bicycle and pedestrian associations, the accident researchers Siegfried Brockmann warns of dangers due to the new vehicles. The Federal transport Ministry (BMVI) aims to adopt the regulation in spring. Then, initially, E should be allowed to drive scooters without a seat up to 20 km/h on bike paths or on sidewalks, marked with the sign "E-vehicles". In contrast, the pedestrian Association, the FOOT and the cyclists ' Association ADFC fight back.

assistance to get you from Brockmann. He is head of accident research of the insurers (UdV) and the release of such vehicles for the walkway for a "dam break": "If you weaken the protection for the pedestrian on his space on the road in danger." Brockmann feared many accidents due to electric vehicles: "Even if the number of accidents is proportional to the spread are, but most pedestrians are injured, is not acceptable." E-vehicles should drive according to Brockmann exclusively on the bike path: "On the sidewalk, you have nothing to look for."

exception to this regulation is particularly critical

Particularly critical of the accident researcher sees the proposed exception to regulation for E-vehicles without steering, such as hover boards, E-Skateboards, and the One-Wheeler. "In the case of these devices, I am of the opinion that they should not be allow at all", says Brockmann. Transport Minister, Andreas Scheuer (CSU) wants to grant the exemption regulation, however, is still in the first half of 2019. Currently am still working on the question of where the E-vehicles without stop rod to go, the BMVI. Because they were classified by the Federal highway but not too dangerous on the roads and bike paths, only remains of the walkway.

this is a large risk, is the Ministry of transport aware of. In question time in the Bundestag on 30. January, the Parliamentary state Secretary to the Federal Minister of transport, Enak Ferlemann, in his house, "major safety concerns" regarding the E-vehicles. "I have done in the case of inspection in the cities in which the approval of the electric micro-vehicles, recognized the high accident risks, often very young drivers with these very fast devices take part."

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Where are the vehicles?

Ferlemann continued: "you Take a large city like Berlin: As you can assume, that within a few weeks, thousands of these vehicles on the roads are on the go and also criss-cross to. It's usually teenagers or young people. Free mobility, turn on the gas – this is a nice toy." However, it could be "considerable risks not only for the driver himself but also other people."

The key questions: Where to drive these vehicles? And you need an insurance cover or not? You should consider carefully whether they should drive on the road, whether in competition with the cyclists on the cycle paths, or whether they should be sidewalks, "where it then comes to a correlation with the pedestrians. Trivial this question is, and that's why they engaged us.“

You should consider carefully, Ferlemann, "not that we'll be asked in a year: How could you let this happen? Didn't you see the problems?“ The insurance protection it is less about the question of self-protection, the protection of others.

A "Overregulation"

in Particular, the greens and the FDP see through the planned insurance a badge of "over-regulation" of this new form of Mobility. The resist Brockmann says: "a Car can cause serious damage, and not to the Injured party." Therefore, without exception, for all E-vehicles, a Car would have to be third-party liability insurance to be completed. Otherwise, would increase the risk of accident escape. "If I had to pay for the damage, I'm significantly more likely to be from the dust, as if I'm insured."

the planned maximum speed of 11 km/h for the handlebar-free E-vehicles keeps Brockmann is irresponsible. "Race you time it right against a window, then you have the kinetic energy of such an accident. And with this speed you to rest on children, Old, Weak and Blind. I cannot at all see why it should be legalize.“

For these "toys" too risky

In the Open letter to Scheuer aims, because the Association has written the foot together with the social Association VdK Germany, the German Federation of the Blind and visually impaired Association and the state Advisory Board for senior citizens in Berlin. Their core claim: "The walkway is kept free of motor vehicles. We defend ourselves decided however, that it is the Weakest should be unasked needs as Guinea pigs.“ Also handlebar lots of small electric vehicles can achieve technically up to 35 km/h, the walkway was for these "toys" too risky. This would, ironically, take the protection of vulnerable traffic participants the last vehicle-free space.

saw the letter, they urged the Ministry of transport have been omitted in the proposed exception regulation for E-vehicles without steering on a hearing of the associations. Also, the E-vehicle Alliance "Electric Empire" sees that it is critical that the associations are not involved in the exception regulation. Spokesman Lars Zemke stressed, and would not even drive on the sidewalk. However, scouring of wool, apparently through "very quickly without a great against the wind a little boxes". The Ministry of transport wanted to listen to the countries. At least the Berlin Senate administration stands on the side of the pedestrian. "The sidewalk is for pedestrians there," said spokeswoman Dorothee Winden. "In particular, for the elderly, children, or Blind, make hover boards on the sidewalk, there is a risk of an accident."

More about

accident researchers in an Interview, "E-scooters are a great danger to pedestrians"

Christian Hönicke

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