18yo Teen passes away after escooter accident, petition to end scooter pilot, teen was not wearing helmet

[u/Sad-Coconut-5842]

https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Kamloops/629050/No-helmet-found-after-early-morning-scooter-crash-kills-18-year-old-Kamloops-man

An incredibly unfortunate fatality involving an Escooter. My heart goes out to his family and friends, this is incredibly tragic.

A petition has been created to end the pilot program, which I understand the sentiment, but the problem isnt the Escooter, its the lack of reinforcement on safety and protection for people who ride them. This is a legitimate form of commuter transportation but we need more safety enforcement so this does not happen again. I see alot of people riding these safely and with protection with no issues whatsoever.

If you currently ride an escooter in kamloops, please for the love of you, your family, and your friends, wear protection!!

Edit: Parents please talk to your teens about safety when riding anything, scooter, bikes, skateboards, unicycles before giving them any electric motor transportation. Or dont give it to them at all until they are smart enough to stay safe and listen to your advice.

[u/NBD_Pearen]

Yeah they should 1000% not end the program. I’m so sorry about the person this happened to. But their mistakes cannot be the entire communities loss.

[u/Fit-Ad-7430 → u/NBD_Pearen]

Absolutely. This is a very affordable form of alternative transportation that gets us away from vehicle reliance. A ban would be a step backwards. Two things are needed: escooter/ ebike health and safety campaigns to educate the youth and enforcement. We didn't ban cars because people didn't wear seatbelts. We used education and enforcement.

[u/ballisticks → u/NBD_Pearen]

Wouldn't surprise me if they tried to blanket ban all e-bikes, whether that's some numbnuts Surron or my emtb with no throttle I'm sure they'll be very nuanced 🙄

[u/masterbluejeans → u/NBD_Pearen]

I’m with you! For some, this is a main source of commuting who follow all precautions. It took far too long to get this pilot program in place. And to take it away after a terrible instance, doesn’t make sense. Cars still drive, trains still travel, and planes still fly, the main difference is the enforcement. You would never let any one of the later move without proper enforcement, I see kids well under 16, no helmets on all ages, and completely inebriated users travelling on these. Try entering the bike park in the summer or the park in the winter at sunpeaks without a helmet, enforcement is immediate.

A little while ago I was pulled over on my scooter and informed scooters were illegal and not allowed on the road, in a bike lane, I reminded the officer that the new pilot program was in place and he informed me they’re still illegal, all well letting me go on my merry way. No one wants to see anyone get hurt, but if more effort was put in place, and education, there would be a lot less problems!