E-scooter share scheme launches in Wellington

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#2260374 18-Jun-2019 15:44

jamesrt:

sbiddle: Use promo code FLAMINGO to get another 3 free unlocks.

Has anyone actually got that to work?

Yip worked for me.

lchiu7

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#2260411 18-Jun-2019 16:54

Does anybody actually know how much do the scooters cost? I tried looking at the app but I couldn't see how much they charge per minute or per unlock

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#2260416 18-Jun-2019 17:01

lchiu7: Does anybody actually know how much do the scooters cost? I tried looking at the app but I couldn't see how much they charge per minute or per unlock

Flamingo is $1 poer unlock and 30c per min and says that in the app. I understand Jump us the same, but can't see where it actually shows the price.

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#2260426 18-Jun-2019 17:26

As an aside on users of the footpath, I just had an elderly man on a mobility scooter swerve into me on a lime scooter. He missed, but I was so surprised that I didn’t know what to say as he started cussing me out for riding on the footpath. Shook my head and rode away.

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#2260436 18-Jun-2019 18:01

Gave both the JUMP and Flamingo a go today. They appear to be the same scooter model. Process was easy, seemed reasonable. First uber jump didn't cost anything for some reason.

The speed limit seemed quite fair, particularly geofencing it. I can imagine myself using it to get around quickly. Guess we'll see if a few rotten eggs manage to stuff it all up again

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#2260437 18-Jun-2019 18:01

FYI for those it pertains to - Flamingo offers a student discount, which waives the unlock fee.

From my limited observation today the Flamingos are a better deal as they're faster than JUMP (26km/h vs 19km/h) meaning you can get to your destination quicker and pay less - although both are geo-fenced and will reduce to 15km/h in certain parts of the CBD.

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#2260449 18-Jun-2019 18:42

aspett:

Guess we'll see if a few rotten eggs manage to stuff it all up again

I felt that now, they have gone past novelty stage and will be used for transport, including relaxing transport (ride round the bays type of thing) The kids and adults that were over zealous and "rode" to ACC are all up to speed now, apart from the standard fare of idiots

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#2260469 18-Jun-2019 19:42

On the side of Te Papa facing towards Waitangi Park there is a short steep incline leading up to the side of the building. At lunch time today I saw a group of young people using it as a ramp to catapult themselves down into the area where pedestrians were walking. It was quite terrifying, and I assume that geofenced speed limits wouldn't prevent this behaviour as it would only limit the speed of the motor.

Hopefully the novelty wears off as quickly as possible so that we can be rid of the horrible things.

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#2260675 19-Jun-2019 09:08

alasta:

Hopefully the novelty wears off as quickly as possible so that we can be rid of the horrible things.

That's your desired end state: to get rid of all e-scooters?

I sure hope that's not the case. When used sensibly they're a fantastic way to get around; it'll just take some time to sort out decent rules to govern their use (ideally fairly nationally consistent), and for stupid usage to be policed properly. I was in Wgtn for work yesterday and was pleasantly surprised at not only how many were being used but also how sensible riders were being. There will always be dicks, but as another post above points out the hope is they don't spoil it for those using them appropriately.

Personally, I don't think I'd pay for rental scooters much, given the cost is fairly high, but there would be times they would be so valuable - eg, yesterday I'd forgotten to pay for my parking and had to run back to pay before I was caught (10 minutes' walk away) - if I had sorted the app out prior, grabbing one of those scooters would have been the perfect answer!

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#2260687 19-Jun-2019 09:16

jonathan18:

alasta:

Hopefully the novelty wears off as quickly as possible so that we can be rid of the horrible things.

That's your desired end state: to get rid of all e-scooters?

I sure hope that's not the case. When used sensibly they're a fantastic way to get around; it'll just take some time to sort out decent rules to govern their use (ideally fairly nationally consistent), and for stupid usage to be policed properly. I was in Wgtn for work yesterday and was pleasantly surprised at not only how many were being used but also how sensible riders were being. There will always be dicks, but as another post above points out the hope is they don't spoil it for those using them appropriately.

Personally, I don't think I'd pay for rental scooters much, given the cost is fairly high, but there would be times they would be so valuable - eg, yesterday I'd forgotten to pay for my parking and had to run back to pay before I was caught (10 minutes' walk away) - if I had sorted the app out prior, grabbing one of those scooters would have been the perfect answer!

Agree. They need to be in cycle lanes. They now have rego numbers so offenders can be tracked. We have climate change. Public transport can be a hassle for some, but if a lengthy walk to and from home to a bus stop, or train stop and/or workplace can be replaced by a foldable scooter, that solves that problem and reduces emissions, and possible parking fees

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#2260704 19-Jun-2019 09:44

tdgeek: Agree. They need to be in cycle lanes.

And there's part of the problem - currently e-scooters are banned from using cycle lanes. When the $#@$#@ is that stupid anomaly going to get fixed?

I e-scooter to work most days, the route involving decent stretches on a marked cycle lane. So technically every time I ride to/from work I'm breaking the rules, yet I'm convinced it's by far the safest place to be - for me as well as pedestrians etc.

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#2260709 19-Jun-2019 09:54

jonathan18:
tdgeek: Agree. They need to be in cycle lanes.
And there's part of the problem - currently e-scooters are banned from using cycle lanes. When the $#@$#@ is that stupid anomaly going to get fixed? I e-scooter to work most days, the route involving decent stretches on a marked cycle lane. So technically every time I ride to/from work I'm breaking the rules, yet I'm convinced it's by far the safest place to be - for me as well as pedestrians etc.

Agree. It because the wording of the law was done before escooters existed, so its just a technicality, no more. But they cant change the law without having a bill, working parties, meetings, 5 years of tests

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#2260768 19-Jun-2019 10:53

Interesting about not being able to be ridden in a bike lane. I was planning to pick up one along Featherston Street and perhlaps ride along the old Hutt road where there is a clear bicycle lane. From what I've been reading that would be a legal.

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#2260771 19-Jun-2019 10:57

jonathan18:
tdgeek: Agree. They need to be in cycle lanes.
And there's part of the problem - currently e-scooters are banned from using cycle lanes. When the $#@$#@ is that stupid anomaly going to get fixed? I e-scooter to work most days, the route involving decent stretches on a marked cycle lane. So technically every time I ride to/from work I'm breaking the rules, yet I'm convinced it's by far the safest place to be - for me as well as pedestrians etc.

I do the same, and I noticed when setting up my Flamingo account the instructions for Wellington even say "Use the cycle path when riding on Oriental Parade".

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#2260797 19-Jun-2019 11:19

JoshWright:

I do the same, and I noticed when setting up my Flamingo account the instructions for Wellington even say "Use the cycle path when riding on Oriental Parade".

Sorry, I should have been more precise in my original message, as it's a matter of cycle path vs cycle lane; the cycle path along Oriental Parade is one completely separate to the road (but alongside/shared with pedestrians) - the e-scooter ban in relation to cycle lanes is where they are a marked part of a road otherwise used by cars, which is the case with the ones I ride on.

There's some wording in relation to this on the LTSA's site: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/vehicle-types/low-powered-vehicles/

Also this article in Stuff: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/107572115/new-electric-scooters-allowed-on-footpath-and-road-but-not-cycle-lanes

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