As warm weather returns to Lithuania, so do the electric scooters. Pedestrians say they are not happy with the existing regulations on these vehicles, while scooter rental companies promise innovation.
“Sometimes the scooters scare me. They pass by suddenly and quietly. It’s uncomfortable sometimes,” says a woman interviewed by LRT TV.
Other residents say they are happy to use scooters but agree that there is a lack of regulation in Lithuania’s major cities.
“I’m from Ukraine, and there are specific places to leave scooters. I haven’t found those here,” a man says.
Eduardas Kriščiūnas, president of the Pedestrian Association, agrees that Lithuania lacks stricter laws on scooters.
“There is probably not a single scooter driver who has been punished for a traffic violation or for obstructing traffic, so naturally, the situation continues,” Kriščiūnas said.
“As long as the company is allowed to continue to operate, it tries to take the maximum profit by the minimum means. It does not want to anger its customers,” he added.
Bolt, a ride-hailing company that also provides scooter rental services, says the problem is being addressed. For example, if residents see a scooter left in the wrong place, they can report it to the company.
Since last year, an inspection service has also been operating in the cities. According to Bolt, carelessly leaving a scooter could result in a fine of 20 euros, while repeated offences could result in the suspension of a person’s account.
The company says it is also working on innovations, including the construction of charging stations.
“We plan to have over 100 charging stations in Vilnius and Kaunas this year. These charging stations work on a very simple principle. When you enter the station, the journey is automatically over, and you get a discount for future trips,” said Benas Jurlovas, Bolt’s Scooter Development Manager.
Such stations are already available in Estonia and Spain. They are also being built in Latvia. In Paris, meanwhile, scooters have been banned after a referendum.
“One of the reasons [for the ban] was that they were not parked properly, and they put the roads at risk. I would not like to see such things discussed in Vilnius or any other Lithuanian city,” said Vytautas Grašys, chief of the Road Police Service.
According to the police, 208 accidents involving scooter drivers were recorded last year.
Further reading
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
