A teenager from London, who was on the Isle of Wight with friends celebrating A-Level results, has been banned from driving before obtaining his full licence after being caught on an e-Scooter whilst drunk.
18-year-old Jasper Firth of Cambridge Grove in Hammersmith, London appeared via video link at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court today (Friday).
The court heard that Firth was sighted riding an e-Scooter on Shanklin Esplanade by Police on the evening of 22nd August. After turning around and going away from the officers, he fell from the scooter, sustaining bloody cuts. When questioned, Jasper admitted to falling from the scooter after having consumed alcohol.
Firth, a provisional licence holder, blew 70 on the breathalyser at Newport Police Station. The legal limit is 35.
Magistrates branded the situation an ‘expensive mistake’ and banned Jasper Firth from driving for 18 months, as well as fining him £120 and ordering him to pay £85 costs with a £34 surcharge.
Earlier this week Island Echo reported on the dangers of e-Scooters after a teenage lad was almost run over by a chip shop lorry.
This trial of e scooters is leading to lots of problems from drunk riders, near fatal accidents, riding on pavements and two up, and underage children using them.
Beryl are not acting responsibly as they have no direct local phone number and seem to put profit above all.The signs on the scooters are not sufficiently visible or informative , and are in a stupid position.
Beryl appear not to care what happens as long as they pocket loads of money.
End the trial before someone dies !!
How many more “Incidents” before somebody is killed on, or by one of these scooters. They are just accidents waiting to happen. Time to get rid of this menace.
I saw young people riding these Scooters this evening in Sandown
Looked under 16
Surely you should be over 18
No safety Helmets being worn either
Very dangerous, these Scooters are a bad idea.
Yay !!Let’s hope they catch some of these youngsters that also ride two up, especially in Ryde.. Plus all the private owned e scooters that are out there, easy to spot, they are all black..
So true. Much stricter enforcement is needed.
The Police should seize all private escooters being used illegally and have them destroyed.
Beryl Scooters that are not being used legally should be impounded for seven days and Beryl charged a £500 release fee , hopefully this would concentrate their minds to focus on closer monitoring of their usage to ensure they comply with the law.
Most criminals are now, yet they cant be blamed, as they are always portrayed as the ‘victims’
Always going to used by drunk people to get home. They need to disable them after 9pm. Easy to do.
surely safer for others if the drunk uses one of these rather than a car to get home on?
Surely it is better, not ideal, but better that drunks use these rather than a car. This way they are less risk to others, and if the speed was cut after darkness to walking speed, easy to do by photo sensors, and a large red flashing stobe was illuminated under the cycles then little harm to others.
With buses rare, taxis too dear, the gain to pubs and customers would be good if we were allowed to drink and drive these, albeit slowly home.
Meant 50yrs not £50, I,m too not with it for this predictive text thing. I AM NOT SUPPORTING these scooters they are a menace and right all Beryl and IOW council interested in is money not safety or wellbeing of the community, but fair justice if you are caught drink riding. Why do they need to go so fast and most are riden by under 16yr anyhow especially in Newport,they just jump on them parked outside school.
Wow you boring people..I’m 32 and loved using one!! If people want get on drunk that’s there issues all adults!
What a totally ignorant statement!
As is your comment
Heretical statement – the fire and pitchfork mob on here wont like that – its the scooter thats at fault not the twat on it. BAN EVERYTHING NOW….
I fully agree with the majority of all the above views.
These Beryls are being misused constantly and it would appear that Beryl is doing very little to properly monitor it.
I can actually see the point of an electric scooter, but the wheels are far too small and i have yet to see anyone wearing and type of helmet.
Also the cost to go from lets say Newport to Cowes is dearer than going by bus.