A man was caught on camera riding an e-scooter in the fast lane of the Trans-Canada Highway in Burnaby, B.C. recently.
Video of the incident, captured by a driver’s dashcam, was posted to social media last Thursday.
“The B.C. Highway Patrol noted that operating any vehicle that is not capable of going 60 km/h on Highway 1 is prohibited,” a spokesperson said in an email.
“Riding a scooter on the highway is illegal. This is very dangerous for the operator because of vehicles passing them at a high rate of speed, vehicles needing to use the shoulder for emergencies, or other hazards present on the shoulder. The operator could get hurt.”
E-scooters have not yet been authorized for province-wide use in B.C. The province began piloting the use of electric kick scooters in communities in 2021. The second phase of the pilot, described by the province as a “safety review” began earlier this year.
“The review enables the collection of better health and safety data, which is needed to address outstanding questions about the safe integration of e-scooters into transportation networks,” the transportation ministry said in a statement in December of 2023.
“This will help determine if and how electric kick scooters should be permanently authorized for general use in B.C.”
A drivers licence is not required to operate an e-scooter, but the province has established a set of standards and rules, including a minimum age of 16, a helmet requirement, and a prohibition on operating a scooter while impaired or distracted. On roads with a speed limit of over 50 km/h, scooters are only allowed in designated bike lanes.
“These rules are the law. You may receive a $109 fine, have your device impounded or face other penalties of up to $2,000 if you don’t follow these safety rules,” the province’s website says.
In addition to these regulations, local governments that participate in the provincial pilot program can make additional rules and impose additional fines by enacting bylaws.
