A Bizarre Incident on Maribyrnong Avenue
A shocking and unusual scene was captured by a Canberra driver last night, showing two young individuals seemingly “driving” a couch down a dark and wet road. The video, which was shared on a local Facebook group, shows the riders steering two e-scooters while seated on a two-seater couch in the drizzling rain.
The footage highlights the risky behavior of the youths as they navigate through the busy Maribyrnong Avenue in Kaleen. Cars are seen passing them in the opposite direction, adding to the concern over their safety and that of other road users.
Police Response and Safety Concerns
ACT Police have confirmed that they received a report regarding the incident. According to the police, the youths were riding e-scooters while sitting on a sofa on Maribyrnong Avenue at around 9 pm last night. The road has a posted speed limit of 60km/h, but the video shows the car filming the event traveling at approximately 28km/h.
Police have expressed their concerns about such reckless behavior, emphasizing the dangers associated with e-scooter riding. An ACT Police spokesperson stated:
“Police are concerned with e-scooter riders who are putting themselves and others at risk with dangerous behaviour. E-bike and e-scooter riders are vulnerable road users, they are at a higher risk of serious injury or death in the event of a collision.”
The couch riders in the video do not appear to be wearing helmets, and there are no reflectors or rear lights attached to either the riders or the couch. This lack of safety equipment further heightens the risk involved in their actions.
Community Reaction and Legal Implications
The video was uploaded to a local Canberra group on Facebook by an anonymous poster, who mentioned that they had just witnessed the boys on Maribyrnong Avenue. While some locals found the act amusing, others were deeply concerned about the safety of the riders and other road users.
Escooters are legal in Canberra for riders over the age of 12, but only on footpaths, bicycle paths, and residential streets where there are no footpaths. Safety measures such as helmets, appropriate lights, and reflectors are mandatory, and passengers are not allowed.
Calls for Information
In response to the incident, police have urged anyone with information about the e-scooter sofa riders to contact Crime Stoppers via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. This call for information is aimed at identifying the individuals involved and ensuring that similar incidents are prevented in the future.
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