While motorised scooters may seem like a new phenomenon, these incredible black and white photographs taken over a century ago have revealed how they have actually been around before.
Although the majority of these vehicles, known as Autopeds, were powered by petrol, electric versions were also made available to the Edwardian public.
Part of the scooter's popularity during the First World War was due to its very low fuel consumption, providing transportation for many who couldn't afford a car or a motorcycle.
But a set of images dating back to the early 20th century - when the Autoped made its debut in city centres - includes a newspaper article warning that the scooters 'might add new terrors to city life'.
The photo library also features high-profile figures such as Lady Florence Norman, a British activist and Suffragette, who is seen riding her scooter around London in 1916.
The vehicle became a symbol of woman's empowerment, with an advert featuring a Flapper riding an Autoped appearing in Puck magazine.
American actress Lillian Lorraine is seen riding one in the set of images, as well as singer Shirley Kellogg.
Businesses also gave the new-fangled devices a try, with the New York Postal Service delivering mail on them.
And more notoriously, some gangs in New York began carrying out crimes on them, using the scooters to escape from police.
However, the motorised scooter flopped not long after the Great War ended. Practicalities got in the way, such as the vehicle weighing over 100lbs, making carrying it difficult.
And much like today, scooter riders were unsure to use the roads, which were unsuited to the scooter, or the pavement where they were mostly forbidden.
Even the Autoped's British American-based inventor Arthur Hugo Cecil Gibson gave up making the two wheelers in 1921.
Despite other companies such as Birmingham-based Autoglider trying their hand at making the contraptionFIs, they fell out of fashion.
That was until last year, when scooter companies began putting hundreds of the vehicles out onto the streets of Britain in trial schemes that have proved controversial, with many calling for them to be banned after accidents.
However, others see them as a useful alternative transport method that doesn't pollute town centres. Some areas such as London and Oxford are running the pilot schemes, with scooters left in ranks for people to use.
But police in Plymouth warned in May the laws of the road still apply in non-trial areas - and riders faced arrest.
And Voi, one of several operators who have launched schemes in more than 50 English towns and cities over the past 18 months, said in August that over 1,000 people had been banned for seven days for antisocial riding.
Although the scooters are designed to carry one person, drivers with passengers hanging on to the back of them have become common.
There have also been complaints about the scooters being driven by children as young as ten on main roads and causing an obstruction to pedestrians – especially blind and disabled people.
Although the majority of these vehicles, known as Autopeds, were powered by petrol, electric versions were also made available to the Edwardian public.
Part of the scooter's popularity during the First World War was due to its very low fuel consumption, providing transportation for many who couldn't afford a car or a motorcycle.
But a set of images dating back to the early 20th century - when the Autoped made its debut in city centres - includes a newspaper article warning that the scooters 'might add new terrors to city life'.
The photo library also features high-profile figures such as Lady Florence Norman, a British activist and Suffragette, who is seen riding her scooter around London in 1916.
The vehicle became a symbol of woman's empowerment, with an advert featuring a Flapper riding an Autoped appearing in Puck magazine.
American actress Lillian Lorraine is seen riding one in the set of images, as well as singer Shirley Kellogg.
Businesses also gave the new-fangled devices a try, with the New York Postal Service delivering mail on them.
And more notoriously, some gangs in New York began carrying out crimes on them, using the scooters to escape from police.
However, the motorised scooter flopped not long after the Great War ended. Practicalities got in the way, such as the vehicle weighing over 100lbs, making carrying it difficult.
And much like today, scooter riders were unsure to use the roads, which were unsuited to the scooter, or the pavement where they were mostly forbidden.
Even the Autoped's British American-based inventor Arthur Hugo Cecil Gibson gave up making the two wheelers in 1921.
Despite other companies such as Birmingham-based Autoglider trying their hand at making the contraptionFIs, they fell out of fashion.
That was until last year, when scooter companies began putting hundreds of the vehicles out onto the streets of Britain in trial schemes that have proved controversial, with many calling for them to be banned after accidents.
However, others see them as a useful alternative transport method that doesn't pollute town centres. Some areas such as London and Oxford are running the pilot schemes, with scooters left in ranks for people to use.
But police in Plymouth warned in May the laws of the road still apply in non-trial areas - and riders faced arrest.
And Voi, one of several operators who have launched schemes in more than 50 English towns and cities over the past 18 months, said in August that over 1,000 people had been banned for seven days for antisocial riding.
Although the scooters are designed to carry one person, drivers with passengers hanging on to the back of them have become common.
There have also been complaints about the scooters being driven by children as young as ten on main roads and causing an obstruction to pedestrians – especially blind and disabled people.
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Source: Daily Mail,
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