Palma wants to increase fines for scooter offences

"It's not uncommon to see two people on the same vehicle"

More police surveillance called for. | Policia Local de Palma

Andrew EdePalma23/09/2023 07:05

National traffic directorate road safety regulations leave town halls limited scope for their own rules regarding electric scooters and other personal mobility vehicles (PMVs). In Palma, though, the administration is contemplating a specific bylaw. A key aspect of this would be tougher fines.

The city's Ombudsman, Anna Moilanen, has been handed a petition of 1,500 signatures that were collected over one weekend by a group which is lobbying for tighter regulations. She understands why fines might be increased but wants the town hall and the Felib federation of town halls in the Balearics to press the traffic directorate for these tighter regulations.

Moilanen believes that users of PMVs must come to appreciate that they aren't just pedestrians who go faster and argues that greater control of their use is needed. "It's not uncommon to see two people on the same vehicle or speeding in the wrong direction."

In her view: "We must increase police surveillance but also focus on road safety rather than persecution."

The next step for the traffic directorate will be regulations from January 1, 2024 that will require all scooters to be certified according to a technical specifications manual and to have a serial number. But for scooters currently in circulation, it will be possible to use them until 2027 without having the serial number identification.

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2 comments

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Robbert Morgan | 7 months ago

Don't beat around the bush, just cancel scooters like in western Europe. You can make much more from people driving cars and you don't have to lie about scooter apocalypse situations anymore.

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Stan The Man | 7 months ago

These very dangerous vehicles require a much greater control than is reported in this Article. e.g. 1. THEY DO NOT HAVE A ROAD TEST OR DRIVING LICENCE TO BE OPERATED ON THE ROADS OR PAVEMENTS ETC. 2. THE RIDERS HAVE NO CRASH HELMETS. HAVE NO PROTECTIVE CLOTHING 3. THEY CAN BE RIDDEN AT VERY FAST SPEEDS. A TAMPER PROOF SPEED LIMITER NEEDS TO BE A COMPULSORY FITMENT. 4.THE RIDERS HAVE NO INSURANCE TO OPERATE THESE VEHICLES. ANY ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE RIDER OR PEDESTRIAN HAS NO INSURANCE CLAIM. 5. THE POLICIA AND GUARDIA NEED TO STOP THESE VEHICLES BEING USED ON PEDESTRIAN AREAS. PROMENADES . TOURIST WALKING AREAS. 6. THE VEHICLES HAVE NO REGISTRATION OR MOT TESTING TO PROVE THEIR ROADWORTHINESS. 7. THE RIDERS HAVE NOT PROVED THEY ARE COMPETENT TO OPERATE THESE VEHICLES. 8.SOME BATTERIES FITTED TO THESE VEHICLES CAN BURST INTO FLAMES WHEN CHARGED OVERNIGHT. e.g. LITHIUM/IRON .