Will scooters be banned from sidewalks soon? Given the proliferation of motorized vehicles, the National Road Safety Council requests that the use of the sidewalk be reserved for pedestrians to limit the risk of collision. Currently, not all vehicles are excluded from sidewalk traffic.
- Who has the right to circulate on the sidewalks?
Pedestrians aren’t the only ones who can walk on the sidewalk. The Highway Code allows non-motorized scooters, non-motorized skateboards, as well as roller skates and other roller skates to do the same. Its users are assimilated to pedestrians and are also obliged to respect pedestrian traffic lights and use protected passages. His speed is also limited to 6 kilometers per hour.
The user of a scooter without a motor or skates that circulates outside the sidewalks even risks a fine of 4 euros, the same for not respecting a traffic light or a protected passage.
- Who is not allowed to circulate on the sidewalks?
The rule is simple: no sidewalk when there is an engine. Electric scooters, electric unicycles, hoverboards (i.e. electric skateboards), gyropods, and all light mopeds (such as electric balance bikes or seated electric scooters) are not allowed on sidewalks.
In built-up areas, users of these motorized vehicles must circulate on cycle paths or, failing that, on roads where speed is limited to 50 km/h or through pedestrian zones, provided they do not interfere with pedestrians. and not exceed 6 kilometers per hour if they use the latter. Traffic on private roads is also allowed.
Outside urbanized areas, the circulation of these machines is authorized on bike lanes, greenways and private roads. In addition, it is possible to drive on roads whose speed is limited to 80 kilometers per hour if and only if the authority in charge of the traffic police has authorized it.
Note: both in urban areas and outside urban areas, the mayor of the municipality has, however, the possibility of authorizing traffic on the sidewalks.
- And the bikes?
For bicycles… it all depends on the age of the cyclist and the size of the bike. Whether electric or not, an adult bicycle must circulate on the road or cycle path, because the highway code considers it a vehicle given its dimensions.
To move with a bicycle on the sidewalk, you have to walk and hold it in your hand.
Conversely, a small bicycle used by a child under the age of 8 may roll on the sidewalk. This time, the highway code considers it a pedestrian: likewise, you must respect the traffic lights for pedestrians and use the protected passages. His speed is also limited to 6 kilometers per hour.
Source: BFM TV
