Police Face Challenges Enforcing Beijing's New Ban on E-Scooters

By Justine Lopez

Beijing’s new ban on e-scooters and segways seemed a bit farfetched when we first reported on it. But just days after its implementation, traffic police are already saying that the new law is a challenging one to realistically enforce, Ecns.cn reports.

The law banning e-scooters (self-balancing scooters) and segways from Beijing’s roads went into effect on August 29. According to officials, a fine of RMB10 is to be issued to anyone caught breaking the new law. However, a week in and police are unsure about how to enforce the law.

"We did not get any specific notices for how to implement these regulations," a police officer told Ecns.cn.

"I will stop a rider when I see him or her using it on the road. But whether to give a fine depends on their attitude," another police officer said.

E-scooters and segways are popular modes of transportation in Beijing. However, it can be dangerous and illegal to drive them on the same roads used by faster vehicles. They are notorious for having poor brakes and lights, which can lead to accidents, especially at night.

According to a recent study conducted by the Beijing's Consumers' Association, 19 out of 20 of the e-scooters and segways that were tested had problems braking, and 16 out of 20 were able to exceed China’s advisory speed of 20km/h.

Even though e-scooters and segways can be dangerous to ride on the capital’s roads, many citizens depend on them to commute to work and to avoid Beijing’s notorious traffic jams. And a small fine is doing little to actually deter citizens from riding them around town.

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