Today marks the end of an era — no longer will Singaporeans enjoy the sweet harmonies of trashy trance music blaring out from cheap speakers as youngsters on electric scooters speed past on pavements.

Starting today, e-scooters are officially banned from footpaths. It’s a hardline regulation enacted by the Singaporean government after years of horrible accidents, petitions and general online vitriol against all personal mobility device (PMD) users. No matter if they’re errant or law-abiding.

In Parliament, the Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min mentioned that the number of accidents involving motorised e-scooters have continued to rise despite efforts to clamp down on non-compliant devices and dangerous riding.

From now until the end of the year, e-scooter riders on footpaths will be issued warnings. Starting next year, however, riders caught flouting the rules are liable for up to $2,000 in fines and/or three months in jail.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/WeKeepYourWorldMoving/posts/3189428814460666[/embed]

But it’s not a complete ban. E-scooters are still allowed on cycling paths and park connectors — limiting the areas where the devices can even be used here. It’s not even worth the money to buy and ride them anymore, so it’s not surprising that owners are trying to offload their e-scooters en masse.

As far as these major policy changes go, the internet memes are inevitable and inevitably dank. Take a gander at some choice cuts we’ve found since the ban was announced.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1351568565006609[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/allsgstuff/photos/a.1993158977491488/3089776494496392/[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/rene.suriani.98/videos/225554511764516/[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/LaoPehRoad/photos/a.1886017368161591/2492162900880365/[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/KMFST/photos/a.349947932063805/1054714991587092[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/laobengsg/photos/a.100817351264125/144916260187567[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/laobengsg/photos/a.100817351264125/144966713515855[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/allsgstuff/photos/a.1993158977491488/3089751917832183/[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/allsgstuff/photos/a.1993158977491488/3090621574411884[/embed]

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/kuanyewism/photos/a.1160493877314516/2730204920343396[/embed]

ilyas@asiaone.com