View the feedback we have received on the NTC Consultation RIS - Barriers to the safe use of personal mobility devices paper.
- Question 1: Are the requirements in the proposed regulatory framework appropriate? Are there any requirements that should be removed, included or modified? Please provide a rationale to support your position
No comment
- Question 2: Is 60kg a suitable maximum weight for a PMD? If not, what is a more suitable weight and what other factors should be considered? Please provide a rationale to support your position.
A 60kg maximum weight was a lot higher than I expected. The main point of concern with a PMD as this weight is it's braking power, and the amount of force the PMD itself carries in a case of a collision. My personal experience with electric skateboards has found that the braking power is quite lower than that of a bicycle for example. An electric skateboard at 10kg + rider weight can be effectively stopped with motor control (induction brakes), however at 60kg friction brakes might be an necessity.
- Question 3: Should children under the age of 16 years old continue to be permitted to use a motorised scooter incapable of travelling more than 10km/h on level ground on roads and paths? Or should they be able to use any device that complies with the proposed PMD framework? (see Appendix A). Please provide a rationale to support your position
No comment
- Question 4: Do you agree with the criteria selected to assess the options? Are there any key impacts not covered by these criteria?
No comment
- Question 5: When considering the safety risk assessment, access and amenity impacts, broader economic impacts, as well as compliance and enforcement impacts; has the impact analysis sufficiently considered all relevant variables and available evidence? What other factors could be included in the analysis? Please provide any additional evidence. (See Appendix E - Impact Analysis
No comment
- Question 6: What do you believe is the most appropriate road infrastructure for PMDs to access: footpaths, separated paths, bicycle paths and/or roads? Please provide a rationale to support your position
I agree with option 3 mainly due to the lack of physical protection some PMDs provide when compared to bicycles in case of an collision.
- Question 7: What is an appropriate and safe maximum speed that PMDs should be permitted to travel across the various infrastructure: (a) pedestrian areas, (b) bicycle areas, and (c) roads? Please provide a rationale to support your position
I agree with speed approach 1. On pedestrian paths enough time is needed to alert the pedestrians especially when PMDs can be very quite for the amount of speed/acceleration they can achieve. On roads a PMD share similarities with bicycles while sometimes providing less protection.
- Question 8: Do you agree with the overall assessment that Option 3, Speed Approach 1 is the option that best balances mobility and safety? If not, which option and speed approach do you prefer? Please provide a rationale to support your positio
I agree with option 3 speed approach 1 as stated the previous answers.