Let’s talk about e scooters

[lordofthemark]

I mean yeah, I know we are the BIKE forum, but really, I can’t think of a better informed group of people to talk about this with.

Lets NOT talk about where they should be parked (which is the same argument, almost, as the dockless bikes) or whether they should be used on certain crowded trails (a similar argument to the ebike argument, I guess). I want to talk about riding them on streets, in bike lanes, on sidewalks (yup, though I haven’t, yet) in more or less urban areas. (there was already some discussion in the dockless bikes thread, but I think it will get lost there)

Personally while I found riding one interesting, I think I would always prefer a bike, dockless or CaBi, human powered or electric, over a scooter. I found starting it awkward, footing awkward, and hard to get used to having only the one brake, and how the hell do I signal? OTOH I think that is both because I am an “avid” cyclist (so don’t find mounting or dismounting a bike to be a big deal at all) and because as someone born back in the good old days, I missed the scooter craze (and snow board craze, and never did skate boards) So riding with my feet flat down like that is not natural, and the kick to get started is not natural.

Where to ride – I tried it around the Capital Riverfront area – so quiet, griddy streets, and relatively empty bike lanes. Felt odd riding (and esp making left turns) “vehicularly” but that is what you are supposed to do, I guess?

They are not supposed to be used on sidewalks, per Limebike, though I gather its legal to use scooters on sidewalks (does the CBD sidewalk ban apply to scooters as well as bikes). I did not violate that rule, but there are places I would be tempted to.

It said you should wear a helmet. I did not, and gather most users do not?

You could “pause” your ride, which is a fascinating feature. Though I chose not to use it.

I trust we all welcome them into bike lanes? I mean I don’t know about the actual crowded bike lanes (like 15th Street) but I sure think more use of our infra is good (surprise!) and they seem compatible. And, ONE LESS CAR.

Seems like one benefit is you can ride them without fear of getting your clothes caught or dirty with a chain – but all the bike share bikes have chain guards, maybe?

Topic

[dasgeh]

I thought the San Diego repo-men’s connection to bike shops was interesting….

[Dewey]

Sit-down scooters, a new class of personal mobility device.

WAMU published a list of shared vehicles you can rent by app in the DC area. My attention was drawn to the heading ‘What’s Not Available Yet’ (presumably these are coming at some point) showing scooters with a seat. The article writer describes two companies, Wheels and Bird, as offering ‘pedal-less ebikes’, and a third company Razor offering a ‘sit-down scooter’. To be clear these are not ebikes, having foot pegs or a footrest platform but no pedals, neither are they electric mopeds like the Revel shared mopeds that have DOT compliant safety equipment capable of 30mph. This type of ‘sit-down scooter’ from Wheels, Bird, Razor, etc. uses modified scooter or ebike frames with 14″ or 20″ wheels. In California where these vehicles are being trialled in Los Angeles and San Diego they are treated the same as scooters, so the state requires speed be limited to 15mph, they may not ride on sidewalks, and can ride on streets with a 35mph speed limit or higher if there is a bike lane Source: California vehicle code Scooter speed limit and riding rules.

If (when?) these sit-down scooters come to DC they would be classed as a personal mobility device (DC) or shared mobility device (Arlington & Alexandria), and presumably regulated the same as dockless scooters and ebikes.

[ChristoB50]

When I was in San Antonio this spring, there was an eye-popping array of scooters everywhere, including some with big beefy tires, and more than a few that had a bike-like saddle perched on a post — as well as a standing platform — giving the rider the option to sit or stand while operating the scooter.

[n18]

The city of Fairfax, which is a tiny portion of Fairfax county has just gotten scooters in the last 2 to 3 weeks. I think I saw SPIN and Bird. I look forward to seeing them in the county as well, which is too big to cover with docked bikes.

[n18]

I think the solution to scooters being vandalized is driverless technology; so they don’t clutter the sidewalks. Once ridden they can scoot and go drink some power somewhere else.

[mstone]

@Dewey 192683 wrote:

Sit-down scooters, a new class of personal mobility device.

Really?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20318[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20319[/ATTACH]

[Dewey]

@mstone 192711 wrote:

Really?

In your post the top is a mobility scooter, bottom is a motor scooter. These new vehicles are in the motorized scooter class so ought to be called something scooter not something bike – the WAMU writer called them pedal-less ebikes but ebikes have pedals that’s why they are bikes. A scooter with a seat, so sit-down scooter, seated-scooter, laz-e-boy scooter…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20320[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20321[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20322[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[Dewey]

@mstone 192711 wrote:

Really?

In your post the top is a mobility scooter, bottom is a motor scooter. These new vehicles are in the motorized scooter class so ought to be called something scooter not something bike – the WAMU writer called them pedal-less ebikes but ebikes have pedals that’s why they are bikes. A scooter with a seat, so sit-down scooter, seated-scooter, laz-e-boy scooter…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20320[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20321[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20322[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[Dewey]

@mstone 192711 wrote:

Really?

So your top picture is a mobility scooter, bottom is a motor scooter, these new vehicles are a type of motorized scooter, they are not mopeds or ebikes because they don’t have pedals. If they need a new name to distinguish them from stand-up motorized kick scooters surely it is not beyond the wit of man to come up with an appropriate name that keeps them herded together…sit-down motorized scooter, seated electric scooter? Sorry it’s the librarian in me coming out…must…classify.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20324[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20325[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20326[/ATTACH]
Scooter

[josh]

For what it’s worth, growing up around here in the mid-2000s, we called Vespa-style scooters mopeds. Only recently did I realize the origin of the term.

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

So when are these venture capitalist geniuses going to debut rideshare lawnmowers on the national mall? Navigating between them is going to be thrilling.

[Dewey]

@LeprosyStudyGroup 192723 wrote:

So when are these venture capitalist geniuses going to debut rideshare lawnmowers on the national mall? Navigating between them is going to be thrilling.

Surely with the condition of the turf grass on the National Mall we need these grass slippers…

[mstone]

@Dewey 192720 wrote:

So your top picture is a mobility scooter, bottom is a motor scooter, these new vehicles are a type of motorized scooter, they are not mopeds or ebikes because they don’t have pedals. If they need a new name to distinguish them from stand-up motorized kick scooters surely it is not beyond the wit of man to come up with an appropriate name that keeps them herded together…sit-down motorized scooter, seated electric scooter? Sorry it’s the librarian in me coming out…must…classify.

I’m still just not seeing how they’re new. I guess marketing wants to give them a new name to assure people they aren’t dorky?

[Dewey]

@mstone 192727 wrote:

I’m still just not seeing how they’re new.

They probably have been around for years but are new to the dockless shared fleet and I was not impressed by the WAMU writer’s choice of moniker.

[Starduster]

A crosswalk at 13th & L St NW, DC. No, no e-scooters nearby to challenge/ignore this.[ATTACH=CONFIG]20443[/ATTACH]

[Author]

Replies