Our roads seem busier than ever these days, which means that simply attempting to get from A to B can be a nightmare. Here is where electric scooters come in, providing not only a cheaper and more efficient mode of transport, but also one that helps you to reduce your carbon foot print.
In light of this, the ET team recently decided to take a trip to Bournemouth, where we managed to get our hands on some Beryl electric scooters. Before getting into the nitty gritty about the trials and our experience, to find more information for yourself regarding the nationwide trials, please visit the government website: E-scooter trials: guidance for users - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Upon arrival at Boscombe beach it was imperative to download the Beryl app in order to locate the electric scooters - as they are locked in specific blue bays. The app indicates how many scooters are in a bay and provides users with a map in order to easily find them. It is important to note that the app is free to download and it is also free to park your scooter in the designated bays. However, there is an additional charge to park away from said bays, as beryl aspire to keep towns and cities tidy; enforcing that users respect their surroundings.
Before unlocking the electric scooter, the app takes users through important features, including the safety of the riders. In order to ride safely, Beryl requires the riders to always wear a helmet - this won't be provided so it is important to bring your own. Also to remember to use both brakes for a controlled stop and to avoid using pavements. From our own personal experience, the scooters have the potential to accelerate quite fast, so it is crucial to be mindful of pedestrians and give way to them.
To unlock your ride, use your phone and scan the dash board of the scooter - should this not work, then do not panic, each scooter has a code stickered onto them that can be inputted into your device. Once this is done, then all you need to do is upload either your provisional licence or driver's licence and make payment.
There are a couple payment options that you can choose from. Option one is to pay as you ride, this entails an unlock fee of £1.50 and a charge of 10p per minuet. Option two, you can select the minute bundles, which equally requires an unlock fee. After this you can choose an allotted amount of time, for example 100 minuets would cost you £5, this goes up in £5 increments per 100 minutes. Should you wish to pause your ride, then you can do this via the app and by using the kick stand that you would find on a normal electric scooter.
The scooters and app are designed to keep everyone safe. In light of this Beryl have created various zones, which the scooter behaves accordingly. This means that the rider has no choice but to obey the rules in place. The zones are as follows:
- No-go zone: Scooters are not allowed in this zone at all. They will be disabled here.
- Go-slow zone: You can walk with your vehicle through this zone. Do not ride here.
- Beryl zone: Stay within the beryl zone. Electric scooters will be disabled outside of the zone.
Before realising that we were in the go-slow zone, we had initially attempted to ride the scooters on the sea front. Fortunately the scooter only allowed us to ride at 3mph, this is a useful tool - as it means the riding responsibly is enforced by Beryl and that users understand the rules throughout their journey.
Overall the scooters provided a fun and alternative way of exploring a new environment. That said, one thing the team noted was that these particular scooters are incredibly heavy, which at times made them slightly difficult to manoeuvre. The brakes on the other hand, were responsive, which made us all feel safe, as we felt we could avoid hazards immediately should they happen. The scooters also seemingly had a good motor, as they coped well with hilly areas; this meant our ride was uninterrupted. Finally there are also numerous bays located all over this specific location and the app does a fine job of pointing them out, which means getting about has never been easier. We all definitely preferred this from sitting in traffic!
Why buy from ET?
Electric Travels is your one-stop-shop for electric scooters. With renowned brands like Egret, InMotion and E-TWOW all under one roof, you’re sure to find the perfect fit.
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