Not addressing scooters because I haven't encountered many of them, I will say though that I have a burning hatred for e-bikes (specifically the ones they try to come off with the Vespa look).... at least the way they are handled in my area (Ontario, Canada).
They require no license to ride, they are easily modifiable to go above the recommended speed, and seem to attract owners who have no safety concerns in their head at all (not wearing proper gear, having no clue how to operate in traffic, etc)... most often they become the vehicle of choice for people who have had their licenses taken away due to DUI charges.
While every group (drivers, cyclists, etc) have things people can point to and complain about I've never seen a group so disrespectful of others on the road, so clueless to their surroundings, and have as little grasp of basic safety as the majority of e-bike users on the road.
My opinion is if it is powered by anything other than your own legs it should be classified the same as a moped and require insurance, some sort of training and licensing to be allowed on the road.
As a driver I much prefer ebikes of any style to regular bicyclists. Even at 20mph they are fast enough that I don't feel agitated that I'm behind a lethargic turtle in my lane. City traffic often goes at about 20mph between lights in any case.
As a former rider of a "Vespa ebike" I find that it also seem much safer as a rider than a regular bicycle because I could most keep up with traffic and I could easily monitor traffic around me because I wasn't pedaling and switching gears and what have you.
Personally I feel the ebike, Vespa like or otherwise, is the future of city transportation. It's energy efficient, sweat free and all that most single occupancy vehicle drivers need to go about their daily tasks. If most people started riding them they would instantly become much safer as well.
They require no license to ride, they are easily modifiable to go above the recommended speed, and seem to attract owners who have no safety concerns in their head at all (not wearing proper gear, having no clue how to operate in traffic, etc)... most often they become the vehicle of choice for people who have had their licenses taken away due to DUI charges.
While every group (drivers, cyclists, etc) have things people can point to and complain about I've never seen a group so disrespectful of others on the road, so clueless to their surroundings, and have as little grasp of basic safety as the majority of e-bike users on the road.
My opinion is if it is powered by anything other than your own legs it should be classified the same as a moped and require insurance, some sort of training and licensing to be allowed on the road.