[anjan_c2007]

The news (link below) emanates from Bhopal but e-rickshaws are becoming a menace, keeping the city traffic in tenterhooks in most cities and towns.

Remaining unchecked, e-rickshaws sudden surge in numbers on city streets is fast turning into a menace for other commuters. They are congregated at prime spots and many of them violate every possible traffic rule, to create chaos on the streets.

In most cities there are no designated routes which aggravates the problem. Untrained drivers, including minors are observed driving these e-rickshaws that raise safety concerns. As a result quite many road accidents involving e-rickshaws are being reported.

E-rickshaws are constrained with the limited maximum speed, typically ranging between 25 and 30 kilometers per hour. Hence these impede the movement of other vehicles on the road.

Many e-rickshaws are overloaded, with more passengers, exceeding the capacity. Both the front and rear seats can accomodate passengers in excess. They are also commercial carriers for goods. There is a lack of clear regulations for e-rickshaws, creating practical challenges. Although e-rickshaws are registered, they do not possess permits for specific routes in most cities like other commercial vehicles do have. They operate on any city route at their discretion. Laws need to empower he Regional Transport Office (RTO) to issue permits to e-rickshaws on only authorized routes. E-rickshaw drivers need to possess a valid commercial three wheeler driver's licence.

Another malady reported in the Bhopal specific news report is that recharging of many e-rickshaws are through illegal connections. The mileage delivered after each recharge is about 100 kms and in most cases recharging is needed daily.

The traffic laws need to be suitably be amended with more teeth to bring erring e-rickshaws into the ambit meant to punish traffic violators. These need to be banned on city roads that have a fast moving traffic. Also these need to operate on the extreme left lanes on wider roads for safety reasons.

Each new e-rickshaw costs about Rs 2 L. The battery replacement cost is about Rs 40 K. While liberalising purchase of e-rickshaws, the policy was aimed at providing self-employment to thousands. But the planners needed to have had the foresight to anticipate problems created by the proliferation of such unlicensed, slow moving vehicles our city roads.

The news link:-

E-rickshaws Add To Traffic Chaos, Turn Menace For Other Commuters | https://m.timesofindia.com/city/bhop.../101093693.cms

[cryptarchy]

My dashcam is filled with recordings of erring e-ricks. Driving wrong side, occupying rightmost lane at snail pace, turning right from leftmost lane, jumping red light, no rear view mirrors, you name it. I always stay clear of these vehicles (if we can call it that). Autos are saints compared to these. It is like driving with stray cattle, you never know which way it will move.

I don’t know how these are street legal, I am so afraid to sit in those. Feels so unsafe.

[anjan_c2007]

A common man airing his grievance about e-rickshaws in the media. He states that these move on the wrong lanes, are sometimes overloaded with passengers and also create traffic bottlenecks.

[rroy92]

The way these had improved accessibility makes it a necessary evil. It needs to regulated with better trained drivers. Not eliminated.

[Siddj38]

These are a total menace in Delhi as well. They roam around like they own the roads

Worst thing, they are made of solid metal all around, even a slight accident could be fatal for others. We have so many laws banning even slight modifications to our cars but these riskhas are all unchecked

Recently an e-riksha banged into my civic and pierced through the bumper. I was fortunate enough that it was only the bumper, had it been my boot lid or door, it would have cut right through it. My friend's venue was damaged in that way. The e-Riksha guy was least bothered on what he had done too.

[ToThePoint]

Everyone needs to pay a visit to Pune to experience the real menace of auto rickshaws (all forms included).

You WILL SWEAR within 5 minutes. Guaranteed!

The thing is they have a union and are a huge vote bank. With poor public transport they are the necessary evil - things have changed for us a lot with OLA/UBER cabs. But they still are lifeline of the city. Nobody can touch them - be it fares, restrictions, rules, challans. Nothing. They Rule the Roads!

[aviator1101]

In West Bengal, the situation is even worse.
Adding to the woes along with the e-rickshaws are the motor vans.



These locally manufactured vehicles are run on diesel, kerosene and what not. Neither do they have any permit, nor PUC, nor any insurance. The drivers do not possess valid driving licence, overload these vehicles much more than their capacity whether passengers or goods and thereby contribute towards 50% of road traffic accidents in rural West Bengal.

The authorities seriously need to look into the menace they create.

[DeadCenter]

Was travelling through some backstreets in a cab in Jaipur the other day. One of these passenger contraptions fell over when it hit a medium sized pothole, passengers and all.

The street was blocked for ages after that. I'm never getting into one of those for sure. They need to figure out how to design and regulate them better asap.

[z_3en]

I have said it once and I'll say it again, "Limit their turning radius and acceleration & they're no more a trouble.". Better suspension and bigger side view mirrors will be helpful too

[Oppanna]

Yes E Rickshaw's and Electric Two Wheelers are a menace on the road irrespective of the City.

They do not follow traffic rules and forget about the usage of mirrors.

They overtake from all possible sides and what is more annoying is that we do not feel their presence until they are so close to them because they do not have any sound unlike the ICE vehicles.

To add to the menace these college goes playing loud music in OLA and similar one's!

[anjan_c2007]

Its from today's newspaper. This image was clicked by a reader on the Kamptee Road, Nagpur, which is NH 44 connecting Kanyakumari to Srinagar.



The image conveys it all. And the parents are equally culpable for abetting such unsafe and deadly commute for their kids.