There are more and more undersized one- and two-wheelers on our roads. Some people ride electric scooters, unicycles and the like, SIM cards (individual mobility aids) all year round.
It is a pity that according to observations, quantity does not pass into quality.
What do they drive (and which is better)?
1. Bicycle
The easiest type of alternative transport in terms of driving and driving safety. It’s impossible to unlearn to drive, you just need to brush up on your skills. There are few “racers” among cyclists, although there are models on the market with electric motors that are faster than purely pedal versions.
The bikes have a wheel size suitable for our roads, reliable (mostly) disc brakes and there is a suspension for comfort. In the minuses we note the large size: you don’t fit in every public transport and every elevator.
I cycle for fun and not in the city. But if necessary, I will not feel discomfort in the metropolis.
2. Electric scooter
I had to try several times. Did not like! The wheels are small, you “work out” all the potholes with your spine, legs and arms. Suspension, if any, can only simulate normal operation. On conventional models, you don’t want to go faster than 15–20 km/h at all – the limits now put in place by rental companies in busy pedestrian areas.
More serious and more expensive devices, with more impressive wheels, give more comfort, but high speeds are foreign to them. A decent pothole and you’re flying in an unknown direction. I do not understand where “minus” the instinct of self-preservation has to go to fit in the flow of cars on an electric scooter.
An electric scooter is the golden mean between a bulky bicycle and a compact monowheel.
3. Mono wheel
This is a special type of means of individual mobility.
- First, you have to force yourself to climb on something that seems to fall on its side. By the way, a gyroscopic sensor is an expensive thing, so the unicycles work on conventional position sensors, which are assisted by an electric motor.
- Second, you learn to master the technique of accelerating and braking with your own body.
- Third, to somehow overcome the fear of the lack of support for the hands and the fifth point.
I wound a few circles around the site and realized: not mine. Obviously the habit will come, and probably will start working – albeit later than with other SIM cards. But why torture yourself with forced addiction?
Everything gets mixed up in vehicle sizes. In the middle is a car almost as wide, long and high as a motorcycle. SIMs barely go beyond the size of a person, and sometimes they travel at the speed of a car.
PRICES FOR MAIN SIM TYPES (Adult Models)
- Electric scooter from 11 thousand to 190 thousand
- Electric bicycle from 37 thousand to 300 thousand
- Giroskuter from 9 thousand to 33 thousand
- Monowheel from 28 thousand to 200 thousand
What is the maximum?
Everything is clear with a bicycle: of all types of single-track transport, this is the most predictable. The scooter is worse. It takes longer to get used to, it is not as stable. However, for measurements, both types are not “extreme” enough.
A unicycle is another matter: it would be nice to study its characteristics in detail. A year ago, MADI conducted an extensive measurement cycle of five different models of unicycles on its training ground. The results were recorded by a professional Racelogic complex.
The first shock was: maximum speed. Only one model, the Inmotion V8, reached a modest 26.3 km/h. Four others (Inmotion V11, KingSong S18, GotWay Nikola 100V and GotWay EXN 100V) scored between 43.7 and 60.9 km/h. Think about it: you fly on one wheel, with virtually no supports, at a speed that is maximum for cars in the city!
The fastest wheel tested now costs about 200 thousand rubles. Even such a price does not stop some people – they can buy such a “toy” for a child, and for some reason adults ride without a helmet. Of course, the helmet is optional. Only those who drive “official” vehicles – motorcycles and mopeds are obliged to carry it, for which you must drive with a driver’s license. But what about without a helmet?!
How do they slow down?
Comparison braking distance at 24 km/h:
- Scooter 7–8 m
- Monowheel 6–7.5 m
- 7–11 m runner
brakes revealed an interesting relationship. The fastest GotWay models slow down faster. Most likely, recovery contributes. But the results are not the most encouraging.
At a starting speed of 43.2–53.3 km/h, the unicycles managed to stop in 20.5–22.2 m. For comparison, it is common for a car to take a braking distance of 60 km/h to about 18– 20 m. and the driver does not have to keep his balance.
A unicycle in the general flow of traffic is dangerous. Yes, and a scooter with a bicycle loses when a car is decelerated.
The unicycles performed well in straight-line, circle and small obstacle stability tests.. This means that they are well adapted to road defects and their behavior will not be a bad surprise to the motorist.
How to explain it? The outer diameter of the wheel itself reaches 22 inches. This does not save for irregularities. Incidentally, the unicycle has ABS, because if the wheel is blocked on the way, a rollover is possible. And they are more reliable on any surface. After all, the pressure goes to one larger wheel and the contact surface is larger.
Are regulatory measures necessary?
The issue is hotly contested. Some (I suppose they are the owners of different SIM cards) suggest not to change anything. In other words: leave unicycle scooters out of the legal field. If there were no car-speed devices on the market, this view could be accepted. But they do exist, and their uncontrolled use poses a threat to others.
Such “riders” will seriously injure a pedestrian. The motorist is legally obliged to treat the accident victim with SIM, even if he is not guilty of an accident. Simply because it operates a ‘risky facility’. But the unicycle is supposedly safe!
Since the pandemic, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of couriers who prefer the bicycle. Kicksharing is developing in big cities, and a person of any age and physical condition (yes, yes, and also drunk) can take a ride on a scooter. Modern citizens often buy powerful devices to replace or supplement public transport. With such an increase in the fleet, these vehicles cannot be ignored. The later the regulatory measures are introduced, the more dissatisfied people will be, accustomed to uncontrolled and reckless driving.
However, I disagree with those who see the evil of the main road in electric scooters. You must have noticed how diligently the media discussed every more or less significant incident involving kick sharing last year. Obviously they prepared the ground for tightening the screws but it didn’t work out. We have limited ourselves to introducing reduced speed zones for rolling machines (the operator can easily implement this remotely based on the scooter’s location).
Still, the number of collisions with SIM is increasing. In the first five months of this year, 158 accidents took place in Moscow alone, which is 35% more than in January-May 2021. One person was killed and 164 were injured. on a hot plate. But it is better to tackle the problem now than when the number of victims reaches tens.
Comparison of the severity of the consequences of an accident depending on the type of vehicle
|
| A pedestrian | Bicycle | kick scooter | electric scooter | monowheel | Moped | engine | Car |
| Weight, kg (average) | 75 | fifteen | 5 | fifteen | twenty | 70 | 150 | 1500 |
| Kinetic energy at 25 km/h, J | 1808 | 2170 | 1929 | 2170 | 2291 | 3496 | 5425 | 37 977 |
| Equivalent of a fall from a height, m (in case of an accident at a speed of 25 km/h) | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 7.4 | 51.6 |
Recently, the head of the traffic police, Mikhail Chernikov, said authorities will decide on the legal status and rules for electric scooters, unicycles and similar vehicles by the end of the year. Read here about the changes that will be made in connection with this (including traffic regulations).
We thank dts Vitaly Gaevsky for help preparing the material
- “Behind the wheel” can also be read in Yandex.Zen.