Bodmin e-scooter seized after warnings were ignored on Fore Street

Plenty of people assume an e-scooter is a bit like a bike. Buy one, charge it, ride it wherever you fancy. In Bodmin this week, that assumption ended with one being taken away by the police.

Officers seized the e-scooter after it was seen being ridden at speed through Fore Street. Bodmin Police say they had received multiple reports of the same scooter being ridden in an anti-social manner, and that this was despite advice having already been given to its owner.

Where you can and can’t ride an e-scooter

The officers used the seizure as a reminder of the rules, which catch a lot of people out. E-scooters are illegal to ride on public roads and pavements. The only place they can be used legally is on private land, and only with the landowner’s permission.

That surprises many owners, because e-scooters are on open sale. But being able to buy one is a different thing from being allowed to ride it in town.

Why the law treats them like cars

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles. That means the rules that apply to motor vehicles also apply to e-scooters, including the need to have a licence, insurance and tax.

Officers have the power to seize e-scooters being ridden illegally, which is exactly what happened on Fore Street.

A warning for parents

The police also pointed out that responsibility doesn’t stop with the rider. Parents could be liable to prosecution if their children are found to be breaking the law.

Bodmin Police described the seizure simply as “good news”.

📷Credit: Bodmin Police