A person caught speeding on an e-scooter was fined for operating a motor vehicle without a licence or insurance because the device was not street legal, according to the Vancouver Police Department. The department’s traffic section posted about the incident on social media, sharing a photo of an e-scooter with a cell phone mounted between the handlebars. “Folks, if you’re going to pass the (Vancouver police) on an e-Scooter in the rain and uphill and speeding, you may want to ensure that you have a driver’s license and insurance and that your brake caliper isn’t hanging disconnected,” the post said. “You may also want to wear an appropriate helmet, have proper brakes and not be streaming video on your phone.” Vancouver is one of the B.C. cities that allows e-scooters as part of a provincial pilot program. The rules don’t require riders to have a licence or insurance—provided the e-scooter meets the requirements for power and maximum speed. In this case, the rider was going 65 km/h which is 40 km/h faster than what is allowed in the pilot. Given that, the device was classified as a motor vehicle, the VPD explained. The rider was fined $598 for having no insurance, $276 for having no licence, and $138 for driving above the speed limit.
