Rome centre becomes race track at night for e-scooters.
Rome's electric scooters continue to make negative headlines, with daily Italian newspaper La Repubblica running a feature today about the nightly races taking place in the city centre.
The preferred street for this dangerous and antisocial activity is the central thoroughfare, Via del Corso, where young people challenge each other in races between Piazza Venezia and Piazza del Popolo.
In addition to driving at speed, without helmets, La Repubblica reports that many of the racers illegally carry passengers, a common sight which has resulted in numerous accidents in recent months, usually involving pedestrians being knocked down.
Another favourite race track is Via dei Fori Imperiali, between Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum, where scooter users also travel in twos.
Authorities in Rome, including the mayor Virginia Raggi, have issued regular appeals to users to respect the rules of the road, and warning of the hazards of travelling in two on this mode of transport.
This is particularly dangerous when the user has to stop abruptly, and also poses a safety risk for pedestrians.
Electric scooters are now widely available for purchase or hire across Rome, with reports of privately-owned electric scooters having their engines modified to make them faster.
During the summer the city's bus drivers and taxi drivers also voiced their concerns over the danger presented by the reckless use of the e-scooters, particularly at night.
Photo La Repubblica
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