Balaclava boys on electric bikes: How to tackle the problem?
The UK is facing a growing public safety issue involving the illegal use of modified electric bikes and scooters by masked individuals. Authorities are exploring regulatory and enforcement options to curb dangerous riding and criminal behavior.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between the rise of micro-mobility technology and the need for public safety and traffic regulation.
Image caption, A member of the public posted this image of young men in the Pentland Hills after witnessing a horse being spooked
From the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh to the streets of the country's biggest cities, a common menace is causing irritation, alarm and in some cases even death.
The sight of young men, their identities hidden by black balaclavas, tearing around on electric bikes or scooters is becoming a familiar one.
The picture above was taken by a man who posted on social media about "morons on electric bikes" scaring a nearby horse , external as they rode illegally on public footpaths.
Aside from being showered with gravel churned up by the "gobby" miscreants, no one came to harm that day, but others have not been so lucky.
Figure caption, Warning: Contains distressing scenes. Dashcam footage shows the aftermath of the crash that killed a pedestrian in Sunderland
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in