Scoot, Scooters! 0
The current epidemic of rental electric scooters is not a public service.
It’s a get-rich scheme by tech bros who are swooping into cities to drop scooters so they can rent them out, even as they and their customers ignore local laws and public safety. It’s one more example of Silicon Valley’s doing something just because they can get away with it, and it’s causing problems here and in other cities. And, according to a trauma doctor who writes at The Seattle Times, it’s hazardous to your health and the health of others. Here’s an excerpt from his piece:
In scooter-filled cities, kids and adults alike are riding them in the street, on sidewalks, pedestrian trails … everywhere. The rules of e-scooter riding are clear, but they are not followed. Riders ignore age requirements. Most do not wear helmets. They double-up and ride in areas not conducive to scooters or public safety. Even if rules are followed, riders are crashing due to user error, device malfunction or simply the nature of scooter design.
The city of Austin and the CDC published a study describing injury patterns and rates for e-scooter users. This study, and another in California, clearly show the incidence of head injuries as alarming; nearly half of injured scooter riders sustained serious head trauma.
Aside:
Indeed, I think I wrote in these electrons about being buzzed by two scootering bros weaving amongst pedestrians while at the beach front last summer.
