On Friday morning, the police had set up a control for scooters. When the police saw a television camera, it is claimed, they packed up, despite having said that they would be there all morning.
The police, business owners say, require the scooters to be registered in accordance with ordinance governing personal mobility vehicles.
However, under European legislation, the scooters are not registrable. This is because of their wattage - 800. There have been other reasons for issuing fines or requisitioning scooters. "Each time it's for something new. Sometimes it's because they say they have a seat."
The businesses are asking for a moratorium while the law is being cleared up and at least until the end of the tourism season, which they say has in any event been bad.
One of the firms, Spyder, reckons that it has paid over 5,000 euros in fines and for the cost of recovering scooters from the police depot; this alone is 80 euros. The owner of Spyder argues that the Balearics is the only place in the world "where we are having problems".
A dozen companies have joined force in taking the issue up with a lawyer. They regret the bad image which is conveyed to tourists who rent scooters and are then handed fines.
"They are anxious when they come back to the store as they don't understand what's going on."
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More municipalities need to follow suit, clampdown on e-scooters. They are a nuisance to pedestrians when abandoned and when in use, a danger to the riders when used on busy main roads. Hefty fines, fines for recovery. If this puts the e-scooters out of business, all the better. In Athens they a re a major nuisance to visitors and local residents.
These Scooters and Cyclists frighten pedestrians on walkways and roads. Urgent restrictions and road legal registrations are needed to prevent eventual serious accidents. Both require warning devices of their silent approaches.
Yesterday I watched a young man, not a tourist, a waiter, whizz along a busy road as fast as any motorbike or bicycle. No helmet. God help him or anyone/thing he might suddenly have to avoid. It cannot be right that these machines are unlicensed and have complete liberty (as far as the driver is concerned) to go wherever they like as fast as they like. I'm afraid Ricky is probably right. Not until someone gets killed will the authorities do anything. Final point. This year it seems the police are even more non existent than usual. As ever, no enforcement or presence allows idiots or worse to profligate.
Before someone "else", is killed.
The law needs to be clarified ASAP, AGAINST electric scooters. Both locals and tourists in my area weave all over the place, in groups, at high speeds, not only on roads but pavements and pedestrian strips on the seafront. It’s only a matter of time before someone, probably a child, is killed. Alas it will probably not be until this happens that someone does something.