Perhaps. I definitely recall someone successfully appealing a conviction for using a mobile phone while driving some months ago.
They were stopped because they were filming the scene of an accident as they were driving past. The appeal succeeded because they weren’t using the phone as a communication device.
Edit: Found a link.
Yes. That was R v Barreto.
It’s a bit complex and exploits a loophole in the law as written. Not the first person to get off on this technicality. Tax-evading serial law-breaking comedian, Jimmy Carr, also got off on a similar technicality.
It all comes down to the interactive communication element of the device.
Coming back to that scooter seizure, if driver is using a messaging app, SnapChat, that’s your interactive communication and therefore R v Barreto does not apply. The driver is then in line for six points and £200 fine for using mobile phone.
I read the quoted tweet as “recording for their Snapchat.” It’s not a platform I’m familiar with, so I guess live streaming a video would be interactive communication.
Yep.
The way I understand snapchat to work is the taking photos, typing messages and sending them to another over a data connection would be interactive communication.
I don’t know the exact circs of that police tweet and sometimes coppers talk in a strange way 
Barely any information given. He could have been doing anything silly ( swerving around and going the wrong way ) which they may have decided not to include
What does “ recording for their snap chat “ even mean ? If they’re recording themselves on a scooter then that is dangerous
I’ve heard from family members that in their cities they are very common. I live in a small town so I wouldn’t know how popular they are
As Ordog said. Regulate them and then they will be a great Eco friendly alternative To public transport
The government are putting £2 billion into alternative transport including widening paths and cycle lanes however that probably only applies to busy cities
It’s not dangerous. It’s careless. These words have specific meanings:
Dangerous driving is a standard of driving that falls far below that of a careful and competent driver.
Careless driving is a standard of driving that falls below that of a careful and competent driver.
Although I agree with you, it is probably dangerous as well. 
I think such a poll is meaningless unless the majority of people have actually tried them for themselves.
I don’t think it’s meaningless, because it gives you an idea of current public opinion. Hopefully that will change, as you say, once people give them a try for themselves.
Public opinion on something that many people have extremely little knowledge of isn’t worth a great deal to me personally.
Given that our current government is making a huge amount of policy decisions based on polling commissioned by themselves, public perception may be worth more than you consider it to be. There are plenty of pedestrians who will never try these, but they will vote, and still have an opinion that’s worth something.
52% 
Public opinion is meaningless unless it aligns with one’s own opinion at which point it becomes the will of the people. 
Trying one wouldn’t change my perception of them. I’ve no doubt that they’re great and personally I would use them sensibly but it’s other people that I have concerns about.
Just look at the recent surge in nuisance mini motos recently and that says it all. People will abuse these more if there are no restrictions whatsoever. They’re already being modded to make them faster and in the wrong hands they then become even more dangerous.
Not sure about meaningless as pedestrians are entitled to their view
I do agree however you can’t dismiss them without trying one
The poll is entitled eco wonder or safety nightmare.
I’d suggest it is possible to have a view whether you’ve tried them or not.
The poll is flawed as they well be an eco wonder and a safety nightmare. 
The poll should also be considered in terms of The Times demographic, likely to be slightly conservative, and older than average. My guess would be that if it was more representative of the UK population, it would swing towards ‘eco wonder’.
Germany has started reporting figures for ‘seriously injured’ and ‘killed’ on e-scooters vs cyclists - which show a low rate apparently (I couldn’t actually see the rate the article is referring to, other than the raw numbers though).
In terms of safety . Are electric bikes more safe ? Loads use electric bikes but they haven’t got any bad publicity
Safe is relative to comfort level. Personally, I feel I’m able to better maintain balance whilst standing then whilst sitting.
The biggest problem for me riding a scooter is when I’m on the road I can’t signal left or right to turn. Not usually a problem as I live in a quiet town so can use the pavement when possible
In contravention of Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835.
Mind you, it doesn’t stop some cyclists. 
Seriously, though. You do raise a relevant point. How do scooterists signal their intentions to other road users?
