Trying to work out if it's legal to use an electric cargo-cart in public
Sci
Hash: SHA1
I've spent a few hours in research, and I can only currently say "maybe"
with a few odd stipulations. Basically it seems to come down to making
it a very large remote-control car.
But even that *might* change the moment I load anything onto it.
It seems to be one of those legal grey-area things.
If anyone's got experience in electric vehicles, remote-control ones or
large outdoor robots, I'd love to have some feedback that might clarify
the situ.
My current conclusions & research:
http://www.sci-fi-fox.com/?p=833
~ Sci
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tom
out and getting no where. There was some things about road-tax and
power output on them that was interesting (and vague).
On Mar 1, 1:18 pm, Sci <s...@sci-fi-fox.com> wrote:
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> Hash: SHA1
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> I've spent a few hours in research, and I can only currently say "maybe"
> with a few odd stipulations. Basically it seems to come down to making
> it a very large remote-control car.
> But even that *might* change the moment I load anything onto it.
>
> It seems to be one of those legal grey-area things.
>
> If anyone's got experience in electric vehicles, remote-control ones or
> large outdoor robots, I'd love to have some feedback that might clarify
> the situ.
> My current conclusions & research:http://www.sci-fi-fox.com/?p=833
>
> ~ Sci
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Sci
Hash: SHA1
The scooter thing doesn't seem vague from what I found. They're illegal
to use off private land because while they MAY be below the power &
weight limit for power-assisted pedal vehicles, they're not pedal
vehicles. That means they have the be classed as road-vehicles, which
means they have the be registered, taxed & insured, as well as used by a
licensed driver, and not driven on pavements.
Even if you're willing to go through all that, the vehicles themselves
are not designed as road-vehicles and will not pass the requirements for
registration. So again, illegal.
They are essentially an invalid vehicle type. There is no allowance for
them in current law.
As I said tho, it seems there's a loophole of sorts. The rules only
apply if you're riding it or physically guiding it (from a couple of
cited examples). Remote-control seems to be fine, though it's fine by
omission rather than specific exemption.
Basically there are remote-control vehicles out there of similar size
and FAR greater speed & power, and they're not being bothered (yet).
Even then though there's additional concern because I can't find
anything much about using remote-controlled vehicles on public highways
(pavements not roads).
And there's nothing at all I can find about semi-autonomous robotics.
I'd like to dig up something more concrete than just not drawing
attention to myself, because even well behaved it's probably hard to do
with a 60x90x30 robotic cargo platform.
~ Sci
On 01/03/2011 14:28, tom wrote:
> i seem to remember looking into this when those electric scooters came
> out and getting no where. There was some things about road-tax and
> power output on them that was interesting (and vague).
>
> On Mar 1, 1:18 pm, Sci <s...@sci-fi-fox.com> wrote:
> I've spent a few hours in research, and I can only currently say "maybe"
> with a few odd stipulations. Basically it seems to come down to making
> it a very large remote-control car.
> But even that *might* change the moment I load anything onto it.
>
> It seems to be one of those legal grey-area things.
>
> If anyone's got experience in electric vehicles, remote-control ones or
> large outdoor robots, I'd love to have some feedback that might clarify
> the situ.
> My current conclusions & research: http://www.sci-fi-fox.com/?p=833
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Adrian Godwin
-adrian
Sci
Hash: SHA1
According to the law you must have a full UK drivers licence to use them.
It would interesting to check if those postmen actually do.
~ Sci
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asc
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> According to the law you must have a full UK drivers licence to use them.
> It would interesting to check if those postmen actually do.
>
> ~ Sci
Personally I'd be wary and careful as the police have been told to
clamp down on these types of things because of a few accidents with
pedestrians. I was caught on a go-ped (petrol toy scooter) by the
police and got in to huge amount of trouble and expense, involving
lawyers, police chiefs, credit card companies and more. Luckily I was
able to get out of it before it escalated too far. A hilarious life
story upon reflection, but the kerfuffle, expense and sleepless nights
(I was going to go to court and be criminally convicted, thus likely
losing my working visa) was not worth the hassle.
Essentially the problem with most of these devices is that the law is
too blurry and outdated, and that the police themselves are unsure how
to deal with you when they catch you - instead erring on the side of
caution, impounding the vehicle and causing grief.
Point being: Be careful, stay to private land, and you'll be ok.
Anything else and the fear of being caught and the hassle when you are
will outweigh your enjoyment of it - until the laws are updated to
reflect these new types of transport.
Just my 2p.
-asc