Scooter-hire apps are taking over European cities – but are they safe?

Radhika Sanghani
Updated
Yugo scooters are popping up all over Europe – but some locals don't want tourists to take advantage - YUGO
Yugo scooters are popping up all over Europe – but some locals don't want tourists to take advantage - YUGO

I walk out of my flat in Barcelona and see a lime green scooter parked in the street. I look at my phone to check it’s the right one... yes, this is Elena the Scooter and she has 79 per cent battery. I press a button and the bike automatically unlocks itself. I open up the back to take out a helmet, replace it with my handbag... and start driving down the palm tree-lined street. As simple as that. 

The lime green colour has helped Yugo's popularity - Credit: YUGO
The lime green colour has helped Yugo's popularity Credit: YUGO

This is the third time in a week that I’ve used Yugo, an app that describes itself as an ‘electric scooter sharing service.’ It’s essentially a mix between Uber and Boris Bikes. Users just need to register with the app, upload their credit card details, driving licence, passport and a selfie, and within two hours, they’re able to rent one of the hundreds of scooters located in the city. It’s so easy and cheap (a 15-minute ride costs me four euros) that I’m even more addicted than I was to Uber back in London.

It's a cross between Uber and Boris Bikes, and surprisingly addictive - Credit: YUGO
It's a cross between Uber and Boris Bikes, and surprisingly addictive Credit: YUGO

Right now, Yugo is one of the most popular electric scooter apps in Barcelona, namely due to the fact that all its scooters are an Instagrammable lime green and if you become a regular user, there’s a chance they’ll name their newest scooters after you. The app - which is only a year old - is also running in Madrid, Valencia and Zaragoza, and has plans to expand across Europe. Among its biggest appeals is the fact that it is electric, and therefore environmentally friendly.

The app claims it emits just two per cent of the emissions of a car driving around the city, and uses “half the energy of a toaster” to drive around the city at 50km/h (its maximum speed limit), while all parts of the scooter are recyclable.

Yugo has a number of rivals in Barcelona such as Scoot and eCooltra, which work on a similar basis, and most dedicated users download a number of the apps so that they’re always able to find a free scooter. It’s no wonder the apps are so popular in Barcelona - the city is well-accustomed to scooters and motorbikes, and anyone who has a normal driving licence can rent one.

A number of rival companies have also appeared - Credit: SCOOT
A number of rival companies have also appeared Credit: SCOOT

“I’m a bit addicted,” admits graphic designer Jordi, 33. “They’re just so easy to use, and I love the feeling of being on a scooter. Sometimes I could just use the metro, but I choose to use the apps instead. They’re really cool, and it’s more fun than using Bici [the city’s bicycle sharing scheme]”.

It’s a similar picture across Europe, with a number of electric scooter apps popping up in cities like Paris, Venice and Lisbon - all cities where motorcycles are common. Over in the US, meanwhile, companies like Lime and Bird offer the toy versions for hire (scooters with a footboard and long steering handle). They are so popular in cities such as San Francisco, Miami and Washington DC that Uber has invested $335 million in Lime - and is planning to team up with the app so that Uber users will also have the option to rent one.

Over in the US, meanwhile, companies like Lime and Bird offer the toy versions for hire - Credit: bird
Over in the US, meanwhile, companies like Lime and Bird offer the toy versions for hire Credit: bird

Several apps have plans to launch in London, but Transport for London has explained that the decision lies with the Department for Transport and UK laws place restrictions on vehicles with motors which mean that scooters are classified as mopeds and riders need specific licences to use them.

In cities like Barcelona, this isn’t necessary. It means that all residents with driving licences can rent scooters - and so can tourists from the EU. Right now most users seem to be locals, and tourists don’t seem to be aware of the system, but this could change, and locals think it could be dangerous.

“To be honest, I don’t like the idea of tourists using these scooters,” says Cristina, 40, a teacher in the city. “It’s fine when locals use them because they’re accustomed to the roads and most people have driven a scooter at least once in their life. But tourists... it’s another story. I can imagine a lot of accidents.”

My first time using an electric scooter in the city was admittedly also my first time ever riding a scooter - and I did it driving on the right-hand side of the road. It was a slightly terrifying experience, for both me and any drivers near me, but not much worse than renting a bicycle in a new city. So until the UK allows these apps to launch, I’m going to be taking full advantage of the lax European laws that mean I can scoot around their cities without feeling guilty for the damage I’m doing to the environment - or my bank account.