Quote:
Originally Posted by mt_climber13
Short sighted NIMBYs are killing off a great idea. Electric scooters are one of the most efficient methods of short distance commuting for individuals. They help to relieve congestion in downtown and dense urban cores. They can be used in pre-existing bike lanes, resulting in no new infrastructure to be built and taking commuters off of clogged streets into bike lanes and pathways.
The surface area that a commuter requires on a scooter vs. a Lyft or Uber is multitudes less.
Cities are doing the community a huge disservice by killing off electric scooters and bicycle transportation. The alternative option is to drive or take a ride sharing service to your destination, contributing to CO2 emissions and traffic congestion.
San Diego is the perfect climate for scooter transportation. All I can say is BOOOOO!!!
|
The problem with e-scooters is the demographic that mainly uses them. It's young people and especially males. And it has no regard for either consideration of others or laws (which in this case are hardly enforced).
E-scooters ARE potentially a good way to get people around downtowns. But they are a hazard and a pain if left hither and yon. Cities need to do the obvious thing and designate places to park them--not expensive and limited docking stations as with some bicycles but just painted outlines on sidewalks or curb spaces that are not in anyone's way or blocking anything.
And the other issue is where they are ridden which too often is on sidewalks. Most cities today are adding bike lanes everywhere and THAT's where these things should be ridden if they exist. Where special lanes don't exist, they should be ridden in the street. NEVER on sidewalks which, right now, is where they are ridden more often than not in San Francisco (which is where I have experience with them).
If advocates could solve those 2 issues--where they are ridden and where they are left when not being ridden--all could be well and they could be a big plus for cities. But I don't think those issues will be solved because I don't think enough riders give a d*mn and for reasons I'll never understand, there probably will never be enforcement like there is for motorized vehicles.