Since last February 1, Catalonia has prohibited electric scooters on public transport, something that has been rumored with increasing force to avoid shocks in terms of safety and danger . Anyway, this is something that currently only affects this community, but what about the rest? How can we carry our scooter and in what way?
Not in all places we can upload the scooter
The ban in Catalonia on boarding electric scooters and other types of personal mobility vehicles (VMP) on public transport, in force since February 1, provisionally for the moment and for six months, until July 31, means a change in the mobility of thousands of people, who until then combined public transport and electric scooters in their daily trips.
In fact, and as recalled by the Second RACC Barometer of mobility in VMP in Barcelona and its accesses, prepared by the Reial Automòbil Club de Catalunya (RACC), released in September 2022, 39% of scooter trips electricity in Barcelona and its Metropolitan area are done in combination with public transport.
Likewise, it is worth mentioning that it is not the same everywhere. Because this has become one more element of the daily life of a large number of people, where it has been shown to be a truly effective alternative to traditional transport: it requires minimal maintenance and can be loaded in a very short time. Now, the regulations say that not all sites can upload it .
Where yes and where no
Traveling by public transport is currently not the most convenient option since the means are overwhelmed. Many times taking a bus or choosing the metro to get around implies traveling in terrible conditions. Delays, closed stations and interrupted services are commonplace.
Faced with this panorama, more and more people are choosing electric scooters as their main means of getting around, where comfort and speed are two distinctive characteristics of personal mobility vehicles. Therefore, the electric scooter is the perfect solution to travel at ease.
It is then that, for your transport by bus or train, it is also necessary to follow specific guidelines that, if they are not followed, we may run the risk of being fined. For this reason, and whether in interurban or longer distance transport, it is possible to take the scooter with you. It is best to avoid peak hours so as not to disturb and be more comfortable. In these cases, it is advisable to carry the scooter folded and in a special bag for it and situate yourself near the doors, where you will have more space.
But not everyone is the same, and proof of this is the plane. The situation is complicated because airlines do not allow electric scooters to be carried as carry-on or even checked luggage. The reason? Its lithium batteries can overheat, burn or explode, which could be fatal in flight. This is why, although some airlines that do allow electric scooters to be checked in, they do so under very strict regulations; It is only possible to travel with electric chairs or tricycles for people with reduced mobility.
For the latter, it will be necessary to do it as follows;
- Disassemble and wrap removable parts separately.
- Extracts the air from the wheels (if they are not solid).
- Pack the pieces in a box with the specific characteristics specified by the airline.
- Line and fix with adhesive tape the parts that protrude from the box.
- Make sure the battery is discharged or to the charge percentage allowed by the airline.
- Prepare and present the factory documents of the scooter.
The best thing, always, is to use a suitcase or protective cover
On the other hand, and with the fact that it is a very crowded place, such as the metro stations, for example, it is also where there are the most robberies and people go unnoticed. That is why we have to pay close attention to our belongings and more to our electric scooter.
Therefore, the recommendation (regardless of the public transport we use) is that we use a suitcase or protective cover to take it with us inside the metro. This is how we make sure that it is not in public view, we transmit that it can be a suitcase of clothes for a trip and we also protect it from blows, falls, pressure…