Russia mulls banning electric scooters, fining 'daredevil' riders

Moscow: The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament asked Russians in a poll on Tuesday whether they supported an outright ban on electric scooters, spurred by public concerns over safety after thousands of accidents last year involving scooters.

The initiative by Vycheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, comes as deputies examine legislation to introduce fines for irresponsible riders of electric scooters, including penalties for speeding or riding while intoxicated.

The threat of fines would hopefully curb traffic accidents and fatalities at the hands of "daredevils," Volodin has said.

Scooters have surged in popularity in Russian cities. E-scooter firm Whoosh staged the country's only initial public offering in 2022, raising 2.1 billion roubles ($23.8 million).

But pressure has mounted to crack down on scooters, which were involved in more than 3,000 accidents in 2023, according to a senator.

Volodin's poll on the Telegram app asking if scooters should be banned showed many Russians in favour of the move.

"Away with scooters on the streets," a woman wrote, joining a chorus of some 6,000 other users. "It's scary to walk, every day I risk my life, I'm afraid for children and grandmothers."

Numerous cities around the world have passed legislation in recent years curbing the use of e-scooters, whose popularity has surged among delivery service companies, locals and tourists. Some cities, such as Paris, have banned them outright.

"People are concerned about safety on the roads, especially in regards to children," Volodin wrote on Telegram last week.

"The decision to increase the liability for electric scooter drivers should reduce the number of accidents on the roads and ensure the safety of our citizens."

The first of three readings of the legislation, which would fine drunk riders up to 30,000 roubles ($340) and speedsters up to 5,000 roubles ($55), passed last week. Fines would also target multiple riders on a single scooter, transporting a child on a scooter and refusing a medical examination.

Since the start of this year, authorities have logged more than two-and-a-half times the number of incidents involving scooters compared to a year earlier, Volodin said.

Numerous Russian videos online show collisions involving scooters, and stories of other mishaps, including a culture ministry official being beaten in 2021 by a group of drunk men angered that he was riding a scooter on the pavement.