Lime E‑Bike Jousting Draws Large Crowds and Safety Warnings

Overview

• Viral videos earlier this month showed artist Jack Carden and actor Camtholomew the First in chain mail and helmets jousting on Lime e‑bikes in London Fields before hundreds of onlookers.
• Lime issued a public safety statement saying its rental bikes are not for jousting and discouraged similar events because of injury and liability risks.
• Andy Deane, captain of the Royal Armouries jousting team in Leeds, called bike jousting a legitimate modern variant of the sport but warned the biggest danger is being flung from a bike and landing badly.
• The pair promoted a rematch on their social media for the coming weekend with the venue unannounced and later reporting described a second public bout in London that again drew costumed participants and spectators.
• Because Lime e‑bikes are a visible, widely used hire fleet in London, the episodes have raised short‑term policing and park‑rule questions and the longer‑term issue of how companies and authorities should manage copycat stunts.