Bendigo e-scooters could cause 'bedlam': concerned resident

"Recently I was in Arnold Street, not far from the hospital and I was confronted by two young adults riding e-scooters along the footpath," Bendigo resident Peter Wilson said.

"I advised them that this was not legal to ride an e-scooter on the footpath and they swore at me and stated that they would please themselves where they ride.

"This is not the first time I have observed this behaviour of a e-scooter riders in Bendigo and obviously they were not the e-scooter that can be hired."

Mr Wilson said he had witnessed first hand potential safety concerns of e-scooters, when he was hit by one in Brisbane.

"I told (the rider) to get off it and walk, she didn't take notice," he said.

"She gets on and hits an old lady. She knocks her down. An ambulance had to come."

In November, City of Greater Bendigo councillors voted in favour of a 12-month hire e-scooter trial, similar to a trial which was extended in Ballarat.

During the trial, several no-go zones would be established, including roads where the speed limit exceeded 60 kilometres per hour.

E-scooters would have a maximum speed of 20 kilometres per hour, riders would be required to wear helmets and not ride on footpaths, and abide by the same alcohol, drug and mobile device restrictions as if they were driving a car.

Mr Wilson said the trial would "cause absolute bedlam in Bendigo".

"You will be getting complaints [and] the police will have to deal with a lot of new problems caused by the council allowing these devices in Bendigo [such as] dumping anywhere when a ride is finished," he said.

Greater Bendigo councillor Jen Alden voiced the need for education for all road users about e-scooter safety, however Mr Wilson said he doesn't believe it would be effective.

"Most bike riders who've been riding for a long time know the road rules," he said.

"[E-scooter riders] are not regular bike riders. It's a novelty and [they think] 'we can go on this ... we'll go to the pub, have a couple of beers and get on the scooter and go a bit further'.

"You can't drink and drive, but they do it on the (e-scooters), it's dangerous."

In October, a teenager was airlifted to hospital with life threatening injuries after falling off an e-scooter.

Last month, Bendigo Highway Patrol senior sergeant Ian Brooks said e-scooters could cause "a lot of confusion for road users".

"Of course it raises some concerns, but it also raises some positive issues," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.

"We would get a more sustainable mode of transport around Bendigo and it would help protect the environment around our area.

"And potentially take some cars off the road as well which has some bonuses in itself."

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