103 km/h in Sant Miquel: Is Palma prepared against highly tuned e-scooters?

103 km/h in Sant Miquel: Is Palma prepared against highly tuned e-scooters?

Key question: How can Palma prevent private electric scooters from becoming a danger in pedestrian zones?

On 23 September a patrol in the Sant Miquel pedestrian zone spotted around 10 a.m. a man pushing an electric scooter who was wearing a protective helmet. Shortly afterwards the local police seized a device that, in tests, reached a speed of 103.2 km/h — more than four times the permitted 25 km/h for so-called VMP (vehículos de movilidad personal; personal mobility vehicles). The owner later admitted that he had modified the scooter himself: an 800 W factory model was effectively turned into a 2,000 W machine by installing two 1,000-watt batteries, and the electronic speed limiters could be disabled.

In short: part workshop, part electronics tinkering, and a city pedestrian zone where people stroll, children stand by shop windows and delivery riders are on the move. The incident raises questions that here often swing between a shrug and outrage — and are too rarely answered technically or politically in a serious way (see Serious E-Scooter Accident in Palma: More Than Just an Accident?).

Critical analysis: Purely police checks work only sporadically and are not a structural remedy. That the owner's initial explanation could only be clarified after reinforcement arrived shows two things: first, some riders are highly willing to ignore rules. Second, police patrols often lack the technical tools to document manipulations on the spot beyond doubt (see Palma takes stock: 7,700 fines — success or just performative toughness?).

From a technical perspective the problem is simple and dangerous: higher-capacity batteries and stronger motors are readily available on the market. Electronic controllers can often be bypassed by software or a plug. A patrol on the Paseo or in Sant Miquel cannot rely on eyesight alone. Without measuring equipment, on-site findings remain provisional and require tedious follow-up testing.

What is missing from the public debate: reliable figures on accidents involving tuned scooters, clear rules for approving modifications, and a chain of responsibility for sold aftermarket parts. There is also a need for a simple, visible marking for tamper-resistant devices and an obligation to register VMP types, as is common with cars. Conversations often remain moral rather than technical — and that harms prevention.

Everyday picture: Early in the morning in the old town you hear the bells of Sant Miquel, market vendors set up their stalls, and joggers cut the corners. A tuned scooter capable of 100 km/h here would not only make noise; it would endanger lives. The memory of squealing tyres and shocked pedestrians lingers when something like that happens — and this is not an abstract risk; it affects our lanes and alleys (compare 124 km/h on Camí de Can Pastilla — A Wake-up Call for Palma's Holiday Roads).

Concrete, practical measures that can be implemented immediately: 1) Equip local police with mobile testing devices (e.g. portable power testers and digital fault readers), 2) Set up temporary checkpoints in tourist centres, especially on market days and weekends, 3) Require tamper-evident seals for approved devices, 4) Introduce a simple registration obligation for VMP owners — a licence plate that helps during checks, 5) Create regulations on battery capacity and maximum motor power, 6) Hold retailers and platforms accountable: sell aftermarket parts only with clear warnings and notices about possible criminal liability, 7) Run multilingual awareness campaigns so visitors and newcomers know what is allowed.

In the longer term a technical harmonisation is necessary: a standard for software interfaces that makes manipulation harder, plus regular safety inspections similar to MOT/roadworthiness tests for cars. The city administration could promote cooperation with manufacturers and workshops so that legal upgrades can be controlled and certified (see Son Servera takes a clear stance: e-scooters to be banned from the promenades — does it increase safety?).

Another often overlooked issue is fire risk. Larger or improperly installed batteries increase the risk of fires — both in storage and during charging. This should be part of any local regulation: safe charging zones, disposal advice and checks when there is suspicion.

Conclusion: The case in Sant Miquel is not an isolated "one-off" but a symptom: a mix of easily available electronics, unauthorised self-optimisation and gaps in control and regulation. Palma needs pragmatic tools to keep the streets safe: technical equipment for the police, clear rules for modifications, a registration requirement and a loud information campaign. Otherwise the pedestrian zone will remain a testing ground where people could end up paying the price.

Plain and simple: Anyone who can reach 103 km/h in a pedestrian zone is not playing with rules — they are playing with people. And no one should be allowed to take that risk here.