This week on Driving Law, Kyla Lee and Paul Doroshenko look at the growing legal problems surrounding e-scooters, e-bikes and other personal electric mobility devices in British Columbia.
Kyla begins with a constitutional challenge she is currently arguing involving a client ticketed for driving without a licence and insurance while using an electric mobility device that is not permitted on BC roads. The client says the device helps accommodate a disability, raising the question of whether BC’s current laws discriminate against people who rely on these devices as mobility aids. Kyla explains the limits of a Provincial Court constitutional challenge and what a successful result could mean for similar cases.
That leads into a broader discussion about BC’s patchwork of e-scooter and e-bike rules. Municipal leaders at the Union of BC Municipalities are calling for clear, consistent province-wide regulations as the popularity of personal electric transportation continues to grow. Kyla and Paul discuss the confusion created by municipal pilot projects, along with concerns about licensing, insurance, injuries and whether the Motor Vehicle Act has kept pace with new forms of transportation.
They also discuss the possibility of political changes delaying any reforms to these laws and why the province may eventually need a more permanent framework for regulating and insuring personal electric mobility devices.
Finally, the Ridiculous Driver of the Week takes them to Ontario, where police investigating an alleged motorcycle hit-and-run encountered a rider who appeared ready to flee. Instead of starting a vehicle pursuit, an officer approached on foot and tackled the motorcyclist off the bike.
