Tuam traders grow frustrated by scooters on streets
Campaign posters on shop windows
TUAM Traders’ Association is growing increasingly frustrated by people travelling on e-scooters and bicycles on the town's footpaths.
Members of the association are concerned about the safety of young children and elderly people who are often forced to step onto the busy roads because of whizzing e-scooter riders.
The traders in town have started a campaign warning that they will inform the Gardaí about e-scooter riders or cyclists seen using the footpaths.
“It is the law and the law should be implemented,” said Eamon Geraghty, owner of Geraghty’s Menswear and the instigator of the campaign.
He told The Tuam Herald that even if there have not been any serious incidents yet, he feels it won't be long before happens if action isn't taken.
“I am happy to see that the government is bringing a ban on children under 18 years of age using the e-scooters.
“With our campaign we want to make sure the footpaths are safe for pedestrians to navigate the town,” he added.
The current regulations around e-scooters prohibit the users to travel above a speed limit of 20 km/hr and are banned from using the footpaths or carrying a passenger.
The government has now announced a ban on anyone under the age of 18 years from using the e-scooters, with the regulations coming into effect in two weeks.
Secretary of Tuam Traders’ Association, Caroline Mulhall of QM Hair said it can be scary for herself and her customers to step out of the shop because “the scooters just pass through so fast”.
No helmets
“They are going too fast with no helmets, no high visibility jackets and sometimes two people riding on one scooter. They are forcing the elderly people off the footpath into the busy traffic,” she added.
Caroline questions who is buying these scooters. “The children are not buying those e-scooters themselves, their parents are buying them, so who do we hold accountable if an incident happens on the streets.
“I am not against the use of e-scooters by adults in a responsible manner as they might be using it for their commute to work or other places. It’s the children causing chaos,” she explained.
Sharing a personal experience, Sheena Quinn working at QM Hair emphasised that evenings are worst times for both road users and pedestrians in town.
“I was coming out of the car park when an e-scooter rider cut right in front of me, without looking at the traffic.
“They are dressed in black from head to toe and have recently started wearing these masks like balaclavas making it difficult to even recognise anyone.”
The traders in Tuam believe that Gardaí alone cannot handle the situation and parents need to take responsibility for their children's behaviour.