I am curious to know; is the council studying the activities of e-scooter users and evaluating their impact on the ebb and flow of movement around Ballarat?

Here are some of my observations:

Users appear to me to be mainly youths, 14-18 with some older in their 20s.

Very few mature users seem to be scooting around. Mature users exhibit responsible behaviour on the roads.

But youths I have seen tend to be in groups from two to eight. Their behaviour is different to mature users. They socialise with each other while scooting; talking loudly, laughing, swerving on the road, inattentive and sometimes not wearing a helmet. I have seen two even three on one scooter and helmets hanging from the handle bars while riding.

I saw two on one scooter attempt to go through the Sturt Street McDonald's drive through. Four youths scooted along the Sturt St footpath and darted out speedily and haphazardly in front of my car at a side street crossing. I saw eight youths on e-scooters on Sturt Street, swerving erratically as they approached the lights changing red.

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One youth lost his balance a little and for a moment I thought that he was about to touch my car to steady himself. I have seen groups congregate around the Lake, some on the running track.

As late as 10pm, scooting around in rapid circles on the road at night, rather like donuts done with cars. All these scenarios look precarious and I wonder just how many accidents will occur?

None of this behaviour is demonstrated by bike riders.

I have never seen a pushbike and helmet left on the nature strip overnight. I have never seen a pushbike go through a McDonald's drive through. I have never, ever seen three people on a bike meant for one. More significantly, I have never seen a pattern of consistently reckless road behaviour by bike riders as I have with e-scooter users.

There is a sense of road attentiveness that is clearly lacking in those youths who use e-scooters. It is almost as though they are treating the e-scooter as a fun toy and they seem unaware of the danger to themselves and others.

Bike riders seem to exhibit a sense of purpose and focus in their riding. Young users of e-scooters seem to either want to push the boundaries of speed and see how far they can go, or just meander about on them socialising, oblivious to what is going around them.

It did make me wonder: what is the purpose of e-scooters? Those youths who wanted to buy food from McDonald's - exactly how would they carry it or eat while scooting?

Is this just novelty behaviour that will wear off, like Mr Toad and his new motor car in Wind in the Willows?

I think that scooting is closer to skate boarding than bike riding.

I'm unconvinced that a safety day briefing will change this behaviour, as the youths behaving like this would not attend. Certainly a community dilemma to consider.

Karen Lenk, Mount Pleasant