Litter in SF.
Dockless bikes have caused bike litter all over the Dallas metroplex. Several companies have given up due to the number of bikes that have been trashed.
Soon we will have scooter litter.
I can do without this innovation.
Who does the recharge?
Who pays for the scooter initially?
What is the business model?
“That worked for Uber and Airbnb. We consumers got cool new ways to travel and alternatives to hotels, and investors got rich — all because they didn’t ask for permission. Permissionless innovation brings good things.”
Yup. Stay away from the student council types if you can.
“San Francisco said they “endanger public health and safety.” City attorney Dennis Herrera complained about “broken bones, bruises, and near misses.”
But excrement and urine on the sidewalks is A-OK. Never mind the laundry list of illnesses associated with coming in contact with human waste....you’ll swell up a little bit, but you’ll be ok. ;)
Scooters are a blast. Used them in several cities now. Fun, cheap and easy to get around as transportation and to see the city.
In San Francisco the main problem would be that these scooters might slip on the human $hit that covers the city’s streets and sidewalks,thus causing unimaginable mayhem.
Don’t kill scooters. Let’s see where they take us.
IN NYC....to the hospital most likely
take a look at the size of the wheels in the pic....
NYC has potholes 10x that size....
i have a scooter withwheels that size... a swagtron .... and yo ahve to be really watchful because sidewalk cracks and pebbles twigs etc can cause issues...
it is fun though...
We just got TWO different companies offering them in Indianapolis.
Many pros and cons occurring.
A LOT cheaper than a Segway; but a LOT dumber than a Roombot.
Come on engineers; combine technologies and produce a critter that can dock and recharge ITSELF!
How do they get Recharged?
Wasn’t that the idea behind the Segway, before they became a punch line?
Litter in SF.
Lots of people in a city can’t even walk with any degree of situational awareness, let alone ride a bicycle or scooter. I don’t know about scooters, but their small wheels, limited range and no brakes don’t inspire confidence. On the other hand, E-bikes (i.e. pedal assist) are wonderful-especially with older riders that can’t do hills very well anymore. They easily pay for themselves in a few years in all the short car trips you avoid. But I don’t get why the need for a communist-style sharing program where no one cares about the equipment because some bureaucracy owns it. Isn’t that why public housing always looks slum-like? If you like the idea of a lithium powered pedalac that gets you all over the city for 10 cents a day, invest in it-buy an e-bike, maintain it and use it.
What happens when that small front wheel hits a pothole? Prang.
What happens when that small front wheel hits a pothole? Prang.
ANYTHING can be stolen!
In California, they’re throwing them in the ocean.
These things have become a nuisance on the sidewalks of Indianapolis, and it’s not going to get any better.
And yet, cement skateboard parks are all the rage in cities across the nation. Kids are getting horrendous injuries in them.
Years ago my city banned fast pitch softball, because someone might get injured.
The key difference is that bicycles are intended to be used on the streets. The scooters will be operated on sidewalks. A "scooter-pedestrian" collision is therefore far, far more likely that a bike-pedestrian crash.
One has to differentiate between these electrified kiddy toys and real, street-legal electric scooters.
To get the permits, each company has to demonstrate that it'll provide user education on sidewalk riding and parking, be insured and have a privacy policy to safeguard users' information. The companies also need to share trip data with the city and offer a plan for low-income riders.
Low income riders? Maybe they can use their EBT cards and ride free! https://www.cnet.com/news/san-francisco-scooter-law-means-goodbye-to-electric-scooters-for-now/