Watch the moment a 'dangerous' e-scooter rider nearly crashes into a bus

  • Watch footage released by Cambridgeshire Police

CCTV footage has been released of a teenager who nearly crashed into a bus while dangerously riding an electric scooter in Peterborough.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in Lincoln Road on May 5th after reports of dangerous riding in the city centre.

He was caught on CCTV riding the wrong way down a road, narrowly avoiding hitting a council marshal and nearly colliding head-on with a bus.

He was charged with dangerous driving, as well as driving without a licence or insurance.

The teenager admitted the offences at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced to a four-month detention training order (DTO) – a custodial sentence for 12 to 17-year-olds.

The teenager narrowly avoids a head-on collision with a bus in Peterborough. Credit: Cambridgeshire Police

Sergeant Andy Morris, from the City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “The way he was ‘driving’ had the potential of causing real risk to members of our community and the standards of driving fell well below that expected of a reasonable and competent driver.

"We continue to undertake educational work within schools and retail outlets on the legalities and public safety issues associated with e-scooters.

“Only if it is proportionate in the circumstances and where there is risk to public safety will we consider enforcement action. We will always try to adopt an educational approach in the first instance to ensure our time is utilised wisely.”

E-scooters - what are the rules?

  • Electronic scooters, more commonly known as e-scooters, fall within the legal definition of a ‘motor vehicle’, therefore laws that apply to motor vehicles also apply to e-scooters such as requiring the rider to have insurance and a valid driving licence.

  • E-scooters are illegal to use in public in England, unless part of a government trial.