By now, on the streets and sidewalks of Italian cities, it is an image we are getting used to. Electric scooters whiz at speeds well above those declared by the manufacturers. A speech that, in part, also applies to electric bicycles, to which it is enough to unlock the electronic control unit to obtain extensions worthy of a petrol scooter, with maximum peaks much greater than the 30 km / h permitted by law. Most of the people who use these vehicles, who do not have a license plate but achieve performance comparable (if not superior) to those of microcars and mopeds, do not even wear a helmet to move around the city. Not to mention those who, on the scooter, host a passenger.
But does the law allow it? And under what circumstances are fines triggered? Today’s edition of Il Fatto Quotidiano tries to clarify the question in response to a letter sent by a reader. Which takes stock of the rules governing the use of scooters and e-bikes. Since March, the newspaper explains, the new rules governing the circulation of electric scooters, which have been equated to bicycles, have come into force. The rules state that scooters can only circulate on urban roads where it is not allowed to exceed 50 km / h per hour.
Scooters can also circulate on cycle paths parallel to extra-urban roads, but with speed limits: they must not exceed 25 km / h when traveling on the carriageway and 6 km / h in pedestrian areas. Driving is only allowed for ages 14 and up and the helmet is mandatory only for underage drivers. Those who drive must have free use of their arms and hold the handlebars with both hands. From sunset, it is mandatory to wear a reflective jacket with reflective tape. Moving on to the ecological impact of scooters, a note on the recycling of batteries, a problem that affects all electrically powered vehicles powered by lithium-ion accumulators. The battery is recyclable, but only if it is disposed of properly. Finally, to limit the risk of accidents, maximum attention is needed from drivers and strict controls by the traffic police, which can issue very high fines.