I see these more and more every day in SF, even after the city banned the scooter shares.
I think the moment of the scooter companies dumping thousands of them on the street made a lot of people curious who otherwise wouldn’t have been, and got a LOT of people to try them out. And once you try it... wow.
The mini scooter is pretty revolutionary IMO because it offers the convenience of the bike, but it’s much easier to balance and feels safer than a bike, and of course the motor.
I think these things are greatly expanding the number of people who feel they have something to gain from the streets being shared more equitably, and in the end how we use our space is all about voting blocs.
I’m excited to see how this plays out over the next 10-20 years.
>"The mini scooter is pretty revolutionary IMO because it offers the convenience of the bike, but it’s much easier to balance and feels safer than a bike, and of course the motor."
How do you reckon this?
In my experience, razor-style mini scooters are harder to control at speed, and their tiny wheels are prone to catching ruts and not very good at riding over uneven surfaces.
Compare this to bikes, which basically balance themselves once moving, and have large wheels that easily ride over bumps and ruts, and provide some additional cushioning inherent to spoked wheels.
I base this on the experience of my wife and young kids trying them out. I love biking and do it all the time, but they don’t. To me biking feels glued to the road. To them it feels like sitting on a wobbly rail. When they tried the scooters the first time it was like a revelation, “wow this is so easy!”
So, anecdotal, but I’ve heard this from others as well.
Sure, it's easier to just jump on and go, but there are huge limitations compared to bicycles. In addition to what I mentioned, you just can't go very fast nor very far. When the battery runs out, it's a really crap form of locomotion. At least when an e-bike runs out, you've still got a (somewhat heavy) bike :-)
sure but when the e-scooter runs out, you just leave it on the sidewalk and you still have your LEGS. With a bike you still have the bike.
And the GP is right, many people have real issues with bikes, they're harder to do right. Scooters are easier because of their limitations for many. I feel the safety (frequent crashes) is because people underestimate their safety and ease of use at speed. They're great when you're going at running speed or less for obvious reasons. People super mis-estimate how fast they can run tho, and if you get off one at the wrong speed you're taking a header. Bikes are easier to control in a run-away, but only if you know how to do it.
The folding scooters(which do come in e-form) strike a good balance between transportation and transportable: You can take them on transit, and carry them inside. Folding and unfolding - on well designed examples, with a bit of practice - can be accomplished in seconds. Walking a bike really doesn't compare. I see non-folding e-scooters as a category restricted to "stunt users" (who need the extra structural integrity) and "rental companies" - who, as we know, are going to encourage leaving them on the sidewalk.
Electric skateboards and roller skates can boast being even lighter, but most folks will gravitate away from them as a commute device since maintaining control is much more difficult.
I'm not opposed to scooters, they're quite fun. However, from a practicality point of view of everyday transport, shopping etc., a bike is simply superior.
There's a really big difference between the US and Europe that I've seen in terms of bikes. It seems that in the US, only enthusiasts buy bikes. In most countries in Western Europe however, it is much more egalitarian. City bikes for example have to be sold with lights and two brakes, front and back. You almost have to go out of your way to buy a bike without the necessary accoutrements for city riding, be it lights, brakes, fenders or even a luggage carrier.
Id have to try one but I cant see how these electric "kids" scooters with tiny wheels and a high centre of gravity (ie not a Vespa / Honda) would feel more stable than a bicycle.
I think the moment of the scooter companies dumping thousands of them on the street made a lot of people curious who otherwise wouldn’t have been, and got a LOT of people to try them out. And once you try it... wow.
The mini scooter is pretty revolutionary IMO because it offers the convenience of the bike, but it’s much easier to balance and feels safer than a bike, and of course the motor.
I think these things are greatly expanding the number of people who feel they have something to gain from the streets being shared more equitably, and in the end how we use our space is all about voting blocs.
I’m excited to see how this plays out over the next 10-20 years.