You drive an electrical scooter? No more freedom! Cities introduce strict rules

End of the era of unlimited freedom for users of electrical scooters in Poland. The largest cities introduce a package of stringent regulations to regulate the chaos prevailing on pavements and streets. The fresh regulations include drastic velocity restrictions in centres, bans on pavements and mandatory parking areas. For many users this means a fundamental change of habits.

Local governments' decisions are a consequence to the increasing number of accidents and complaints of residents who have been struggling for years with abandoned vehicles blocking passages and threatening safety. The city authorities stress that electrical scooters have ceased to be regarded as technological novelty and must be incorporated into the transport strategy on a clear, enforced basis. advanced fines will be threatened for breaking the fresh rules, reaching up to respective 1000 zlotys.

No more footpaths. Where do you drive a scooter now?

One of the most crucial and most noticeable changes is to regulate the issue where the electrical scooter user can move. The so-far self-volunteer, mainly on pavements, is coming to an end. The fresh government introduces a clear hierarchy of roads to which everyone must comply.

The absolute precedence is the road for bicycles. If there is simply a separate cycle way along your route, you must usage it. Driving on the pavement or roadway in specified a situation is prohibited and may consequence in a ticket of PLN 100. delight note that the maximum permitted velocity on the electrical scooter is 20 km/h, even on an empty bike road.

What if there is no bicycle infrastructure? Then the scooter user should usage roadways, but only if it has a velocity limit of 30 km/h. This is simply a key condition to defend the scooter driver from much faster vehicles. Driving on the road with a higher velocity limit is not allowed.

The walker becomes the last resort. It can only be utilized if two conditions are met at the same time: there is no separate road for bicycles and the allowed velocity on the road exceeds 30 km/h. However, even then, strict rules apply: you should drive at a velocity close to the velocity of the pedestrian, and you should give way to pedestrian priority. In practice, this means very slow driving and full focus on the environment.

New zones and velocity limits. What changes do major cities make?

National regulations are 1 thing, but a real revolution introduces local regulations. The largest Polish cities specified as Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk, implement zones of increased security, which aim to calm traffic in the most crowded parts specified as the old town or the main pedestrians.

In these demarcated zones, the maximum velocity of the scooter has been administratively limited to 12 km/h. Importantly, this regulation is technically enforced. Operators of scooter systems per minute (Tier, Bolt, Lime) were obliged to implement geolocation mechanisms (so-called geofencing). erstwhile the scooter enters specified a zone, its velocity will be automatically reduced, without the anticipation of user interference.

Another pillar of the change is the parking system. No more abandoning vehicles anywhere. Cities bring mandatory parking zones, frequently called mobility points. These are specially designated and labelled places where you can legally start and finish your rental. The mobile application will not let you to complete the journey outside specified region or number High punishment will come For leaving the scooter in an illegal place. The goal is to destruct the problem of blocking pavements, pedestrian crossings and driveways for people with disabilities.

High fines and fines. What are the chances of breaking fresh laws?

With the fresh rules, the consequences of breaking them were besides exacerbated. Police and city guards are announcing increased checks, and the ticket fareer is ruthless. electrical scooter users must be aware that they are full participants in road traffic and ignoring regulations will be costly.

Here is simply a list of the most common offences and penalties:

• Driving on the pavement erstwhile the road for bicycles is available: 100 PLN of mandate.
• Violation of the work to decision at a velocity close to pedestrian velocity on the pavement: PLN 300.
• Use of the telephone while driving (required to hold a headphone or microphone in hand): PLN 200.
• Carriage of another person, animal or cargo: PLN 300.
• Driving on the road next to another traffic participant: 50 PLN of mandate.
• Driving in a state after usage of alcohol (from 0,2 to 0,5 promila): 1000 PLN of mandate.
• Driving in a state of intoxicated (more than 0.5 promila): PLN 2500.

There are besides penalties for misparking. Leaving the scooter in an unintended place may consequence in a mandate of PLN 100and additional fees charged by the strategy operator, which frequently exceed the mandate.

Why do cities tighten regulations? Safety above all

The introduction of specified strict regulations is not accidental. This is simply a direct reaction to safety data. Police statistic over fresh years show a sharp increase in accidents and collisions involving electrical scooters. Severe injuries, including head injuries, limb fractures, and even fatal accidents, are increasingly occurring. Not only the users themselves are affected, but besides the pedestrians, frequently hit by vehicles speeding on the pavements.

Road safety experts have long warned that any users treat scooters as toys alternatively than as vehicles. Ignoring light signals, driving against the current, forcing precedence at pedestrian crossings and developing dangerous speeds became a scourge of Polish cities. The fresh rules are to reconstruct order and to make everyone aware that the scooter is simply a individual transport device (UTO) that is subject to the Traffic Law.

The argument raised by local governments is besides the aesthetics and availability of public space. Abandoned wherever scooters became a symbol of chaos, making it hard to decision older people, parents with wheelchairs and people with disabilities. The introduction of mandatory parking zones has to solve this problem systematically.

The future of micromobility in Poland. What about the scooters?

The fresh wave of regulations is simply a crucial minute for the improvement of micromobility in Poland. The era of unpunished and unregulated driving goes into oblivion. The electrical scooters that revolutionised short-distance transport now gotta find their place in an orderly urban ecosystem. On the 1 hand, regulations meet the approval of pedestrians and drivers who number on improved safety. On the another hand, any active users of the scooter express discontent, indicating excessive constraints and handicaps.

Law enforcement and further infrastructure improvement will now be crucial. Cities request to invest in a coherent network of bicycle roads, which are the safest place for specified vehicles. In turn, operators and users must adapt to the fresh realities. Will strict rules discourage Poles from utilizing scooters? most likely not, but they will surely change the user profile to a more conscious and liable one. The game goes on, but now on much clearer rules.