The season of electric scooters begins in Russia. What you need to know about using a SIM card

With the arrival of spring, the electric scooter rental season begins in Russia. Conflict situations often arise between their users and pedestrians, which is why special traffic rules for two-wheeled vehicles were introduced in 2023. Users of electric bicycles and mopeds also cause a lot of problems for pedestrians. How the movement of these modes of transport is regulated and what changes in the rules should be expected is in the Izvestia article.

What are the requirements for electric scooters?

• The growing popularity of electric scooters, which have become an indispensable attribute of any Russian city, has led to the need to establish minimum safety requirements for them. In 2023, the Rules of the Road (SDA) were amended, which imposed some responsibilities on users of fashionable vehicles and to some extent protected the rights of pedestrians.

• The concept of "means of individual mobility" (SIM) appeared in the traffic regulations. It refers to a vehicle having one or more wheels designed for individual human movement through the use of an engine. The law lists possible SIM options: electric scooters, electric skateboards, gyroscuters, segways, monowheels, and others. It is important to note that the SIM is neither a mechanical vehicle nor a bicycle — different responsibilities are defined for drivers of all three categories.

• Movement on the SIM from the age of 14 must be carried out on bicycle and pedestrian paths, the roadway of the bicycle zone and lanes for cyclists. But there are exceptions to this requirement. You can ride an electric scooter along the pedestrian zone and sidewalk if the weight of the SIM does not exceed 35 kg and it is not possible to move along the bike path. You can also ride on the side of the road and on the right edge of the roadway, but again in the absence of bicycle infrastructure and the allowed speed of cars up to 60 km / h. Adults can also accompany a child on a SIM, since children under the age of 14 can only move along sidewalks and pedestrian areas, and under the age of 7 they must also be accompanied by adults.

• All SIM have a speed limit of 25 km/h. If an electric scooter endangers pedestrians on the sidewalk, then its driver must either dismount (after which he passes into the category of pedestrians), or reduce the speed to pedestrian. Pedestrians have absolute priority over both SIM users and cyclists in all cases of combined movement.

• The traffic regulations have a number of prohibitions for SIM owners. They are not allowed to let go of the steering wheel (if available), transport large loads and passengers if this is not possible, as well as children under 7 years old without special equipment. There is a separate prohibition to cross the road at a pedestrian crossing — in this case, you need to dismount. SIM owners and cyclists are advised to wear reflective elements at night, and this is a direct obligation outside of populated areas.

• Since the SIM is not formally a mechanical vehicle, it does not require a driver's license, insurance, registration documents, or most other requirements familiar to car drivers to operate it. However, there are a number of conditions that apply to SIM owners in the same way as to pedestrians and cyclists. They should not move in a state of intoxication, they must comply with the requirements of traffic lights, signs and markings, as well as follow the orders of traffic controllers. There are a number of signs in the traffic regulations that directly relate to the movement of electric scooters, so you need to know their meaning in advance.

• It is worth noting that all of the above applies to all users of electric scooters throughout the country. Separate requirements may be introduced at the regional level, both for private and rental vehicles. For example, in Moscow, to rent a scooter, you need to pass verification through mos.ru .

What are the requirements for electric bicycles?

• These do not include electric bicycles, which, with the development of delivery services, also flooded the streets and began to interfere with pedestrians. If the speed of a bicycle with an electric motor is below 25 km/h and the engine power is below 0.25 kW, then such a vehicle is still considered a bicycle. If these figures are exceeded, then this is already a moped, which is a mechanical vehicle (with the requirement for the driver to have a license plate, display plates, etc.).

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• The rules for cyclists largely coincide with the requirements for SIM drivers, but there are still some differences. For example, there is no prohibition in traffic regulations to drive on a road where speeds above 60 km/h are allowed. On such roads, it is possible to move in columns, but only in groups of up to 10 people with a distance between the groups of at least 80 m. If the width of the bike does not exceed 75 cm, then it is allowed to drive on public roads in two rows. Under no circumstances should adult cyclists enter the pedestrian zone. On sidewalks and footpaths, when obstructing pedestrians, a cyclist cannot simply slow down, but must dismount.

• Drivers of electric bicycles equated to mopeds should only move along the right edge of the carriageway in one row, along the lane for cyclists or along the curb, if this does not interfere with pedestrians — other areas are prohibited for them. When riding a moped, it is also necessary to have a helmet.

What changes to expect

• The rules introduced in 2023 have not fundamentally solved the problem of interaction between pedestrians and drivers of electric scooters and electric bicycles. Not only have there been mutual claims against each other, but the number of accidents is growing, the perpetrators of which are often the owners of SIM cards. In this regard, according to Izvestia, the Ministry of Transport is preparing to tighten traffic regulations for electric scooters.

• The project developed by the agency is aimed at strengthening the priority of pedestrians over SIM drivers. It is assumed that the speed of the latter will be limited to 10 km/h when approaching pedestrians. The movement of electric scooters in places where pedestrians suddenly appear, such as arches and corners of buildings, will be more strictly regulated. It is planned that SIM owners will be prohibited from demanding that pedestrians give way and give an audible signal for this.

• The Ministry of Transport also wants to distinguish more clearly between the three categories of transport — SIM, bicycles and mopeds. An unambiguous ban on movement of more than one person will be introduced for personal mobility equipment. Currently, the movement of a SIM with a passenger is allowed if its design provides for this.