Two People Ride a Kickboard Together at Speed... 'Lawless Parking' Scattered Throughout the Streets

Repeated Electric Kickboard Complaints Increase Sevenfold in 5 Years
Two Riders Racing on One Kickboard
Abandoned Kickboards Everywhere... 'Reckless Parking' Too
Riding Over Capacity Banned from Year-End Under Legal Amendments

Someone threw and abandoned an electric scooter in a busy area of Jongno 3-ga, Seoul. In the case of one scooter, it has been properly returned. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] # A man in his 30s, Mr. A, who works in an office, recently almost had a serious accident while passing through a busy street in Seoul due to an electric scooter coming toward him. The scooter was carrying two people, a man and a woman, ignoring safety rules and passing by Mr. A at high speed. Mr. A expressed his frustration, saying, "How can people ride scooters like that? Moreover, isn't it illegal for two people to ride together?"

# Another office worker in his 30s, Mr. B, complained that avoiding scooters scattered on the street has become a daily task. Mr. B said, "If people use scooters properly and park them correctly when returning, there would be no problem, but some just leave them lying around on the street as if they are throwing them away," adding, "Sometimes I trip over them, and it's really annoying."

As the number of electric scooter users has increased, complaints have surged sevenfold over the past five years. Users ignoring usage rules or leaving scooters scattered anywhere on the street have led to a continuous rise in grievances.

According to data received on the 8th by Seo Beom-su, a member of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee from the People Power Party, from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and the National Police Agency, complaints about scooters have increased more than seven times in the last five years.

Safety accidents are also on the rise. Scooter accidents numbered 117 in 2017 but increased more than threefold to 447 in 2019. Deaths and injuries have also increased. In 2017, four people died in scooter accidents, while in 2019, the number doubled to eight. During the same period, the number of injured also rose nearly fourfold from 124 to 473.

Complaints are increasing due to some users ignoring safety rules during the use of electric kickboards.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Recently, riding scooters with two people instead of one has also become an issue. Mr. Kim, a company employee in his 40s who witnessed two people riding a scooter together, said, "I saw two people riding a scooter at high speed near Hongdae Entrance Station in Seoul," adding, "Because of the extra weight, even a slight wobble causes a big shake. Of course, it’s dangerous. People coming toward them were startled and moved aside."

Moreover, some scooter users ride on the road without helmets or other safety gear, which is also problematic. Mr. Lee, a man in his 30s who works in an office, said, "Most scooter users seem to ride without helmets," adding, "If an accident happens, it would be really scary."

Under the Road Traffic Act, electric scooters are classified as motorized bicycles and are subject to regulations similar to those for automobiles. Users must wear helmets. Only those with a Class 2 motorized bicycle license or higher are allowed to ride on the right side of the road.

Violations result in fines: 300,000 KRW for unlicensed riding, 40,000 KRW for riding on bicycle paths, sidewalks, parks, or other non-road areas, and 20,000 KRW for not wearing protective gear.

However, according to amendments to the Road Traffic Act and the Act on Promotion of Bicycle Use, from the end of this year, scooters will be allowed on bicycle paths. Accordingly, wearing bicycle helmets will also become mandatory.

Additionally, riding electric scooters with more passengers than allowed is prohibited. According to the amended Article 50, Paragraph 10 of the Road Traffic Act, drivers of personal mobility devices must not carry passengers exceeding the capacity set by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The amended law will take effect on December 10.

Meanwhile, the scooter market is expected to become even more active. The Korea Transport Institute estimates that the number of shared electric scooters in Korea will increase to about 210,000 by 2022. Currently, about 20,000 scooters are in operation.

However, compared to the expanding market, there are still people who do not properly follow safety rules and regulations regarding scooter use, so conflicts surrounding this issue are expected to continue.

Mr. Lee, a man in his 30s who frequently uses scooters, said, "Wearing various safety equipment before using a scooter not only protects myself but also shows a mindset of not wanting to harm others," adding, "Riding scooters with two people is also a selfish idea. I hope people think more about consideration for others."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.