For some of us, they’re a nuisance to dodge on the way to work. But for others, the recent arrival of thousands of rental e-bikes strewn across London’s pavements is a dangerous hazard that can make them fear leaving the house.
Yemi Dada is a retired financial adviser from south-east London. Dada is albino, which led to glaucoma, leaving him partially sighted. Every time he leaves his house these days, he has trouble navigating e-bikes, which are often left on the tactile paving that helps him locate pedestrian crossings. Dada says he now leaves his home less regularly, for fear of walking into a bike that’s been left in the street and fallen over. When he does, he has to move very slowly or take expensive taxis.
