Review speed-limit criterion, regulate the sale of PMDs

Now that the Government has accepted the Active Mobility Panel Advisory’s recommendations on the rules and guidelines governing the use of personal mobility devices (PMDs), you can be sure that there are many “high-fives” among the rapidly expanding community of e-scooter or PMD users.

However, to date, most of those in this community are still unaware that some PMD devices are not allowed by the Land Transport Authority on roads or footpaths.

Then, there are the limits placed on the devices’ weight, speed and size:

• The device should have a maximum unladen weight of 20kg,

• It should have a maximum width of 700mm, and

• The maximum device speed must be 25kmh for motorised devices.

The third criterion is debatable. Some models easily weigh under 15kg, but most in this weight category miss the speed limit by a mere 2kmh to 5kmh.

In Parliament last month, Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo mentioned that it would not be practical to have enforcement officers stationed at every corner, or to be “overly rigid” and penalise users for going slightly above the speed limit by 1kmh to 2kmh.

I do hope the authorities will exercise some common sense on the types of PMD devices allowed on the roads and various pathways.

Based on the recommended criteria, I would think that easily more than 85 per cent of the existing PMD models in the market would not satisfy the rules.

I propose that PMD models with speed limits of 27kmh to 30kmh be allowed, provided they weigh less than 15kg. This reduction of 5kg from the recommended 20kg limit should compensate for the 2kmh to 5kmh increase in maximum speed.

I would also like the authorities to require all PMD retailers to submit for approval a list of PMD devices to be sold.

In this way, they may better regulate all models in the market and also allow the public to know that these will be the approved models they may buy, through photos and lists.

There could even be a quarterly update from retailers about these approved models. The approved photos and lists could also help enforcement officers while on patrol.

It would be very helpful if the authorities make it mandatory for all PMD retailers to clearly indicate which models are approved for footpaths, cycle paths, shared paths, on roads, or only in backyards.