Unbelievable moment cops pull over man trying to join 70mph motorway traffic on an e-scooter
TRAFFIC cops were stunned to spot a man on an e-scooter attempting to join traffic on a MOTORWAY.
Video shows the rider - who was travelling at around 15 miles per hour - sailing down the chevrons and towards cars going 70mph today.
But - fortunately for him - police managed to catch up to him before he swerved into the path of traffic.
Officers with West Yorkshire Police shared bizarre video of the reckless rider on Twitter.
And they said they were "shocked" when they spotted the fool on the M606 in Bradford.
"Officers on patrol were shocked to see this e-scooter on the chevrons trying to join a live motorway lane with 70mph traffic," one cop said.
"Scooter seized and rider reported.
"Privately-owned e-scooters cannot legally be used on a public road or pavement and only on private land."
Amazingly, it's not the first time a rider has been spotted on a major motorway.
In March, police received reports of a man riding an electric scooter the wrong way on the M5 at Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset.
He'd taken the trip out during morning rush-hour.
But despite dashing to the scene, officers failed to find the rider.
And in January, a 34-year-old man was pulled over as he rode along the M1 at night in the rain.
Baffled cops stopped the man at 5.20am - before seizing the e scooter as it had no insurance.
South Yorkshire Police said in a tweet that the conditions were “pitch black, raining, poor visibility” - all ingredients for a “recipe for disaster”.
E-scooters are 'death traps'
Earlier this month, a Met Police boss warned e-scooters are dangerous - and said cops are seizing hundreds from the streets of London every year.
Simon Ovens, from the force's road and transport policing command, called the scooters "absolute death traps".
His officers have seized around 800 e-scooters this year alone - around four a day.
Tory MP Lord Blencathra, a former Home Office minister, has also slammed the vehicles - branding them "silent killing machines".
In 2018, there were just four recorded e-scooter collisions.
Since then, the number of crashes reported spiralled by 700 per cent.
The 35-year-old was killed instantly after she lost control of the vehicle due to a flat tyre and was thrown under a lorry in Battersea, South London.
And in May this year, a three-year-old boy was seriously injured after being hit by an e-scooter while walking with his gran in London.
Under UK law, it’s permitted to ride an electric scooter on private land as long as you have the landowner’s permission.
But it’s an offence to ride them in public – including on paths, pavements and roads.
If you're caught riding an e-scooter without insurance you could receive an on-the-spot fine of £300 and six penalty points.
Riding without a licence could see you fined up to £1,000 and given points.
Police have warned: "While e-scooters are legally available to purchase, it’s currently against the law to ride a privately-owned e-scooter in any public place in the UK.
“This includes roads, pavements, parks, town centres or promenades. The only place a privately-owned e-scooter can be used is on private land.
“This is because e-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs) so they are treated as motor vehicles."As such, if they are used on a road, pavement or public place they are subject to the same legal requirements as any motor vehicle.
“We would also ask anyone using an e-scooter legally – i.e. on private land – to carefully consider their safety before doing so.
“All riders should wear a helmet and younger riders particularly would benefit from additional protective clothing such as knee and elbow pads to minimise injury should you come off.”
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