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Agree. For one, even actually commonly used technology in its self-propelled manifestation like bikes attracts riders that are on the low end of driving ability

Agree. For one, even actually commonly used technology in its self-propelled manifestation like bikes attracts riders that are on the low end of driving ability when electrified, making sharing so-far self-propelled pathways with these participants more difficult than before. For another, there aren't any good niches for, e.g., (pedal) scooters to move in cities so far. This hasn't been a problem, because the ~5 non-children per city using them so far (to use a number verified by a hard statistical method I call "pulling out of thin air") are easily worked around. Electrified "pedal" scooters OTOH are becoming more pervasive, and thus don't fit into the cracks of mobility, as it were. In addition, shared E-scooters are a plague simply by blocking bike and pedestrian routes because the companies externalize their storage to the public - and their users seem to be unable to not be assholes about it, on average. And the mode of transportation they replace isn't driving cars, but walking, public transport and perhaps short bike rides - all without any increase in carrying capacity for the riders. So they actually increase the environmental footprint of mobility, one of the major drivers of electrification, for all the drawbacks they offer...

ryukafalz 4y ago
E-scooters are roughly equivalent to bikes in terms of transportation ability within dense areas, while being more approachable for a lot of people. They let you go farther than walking when there’s no public transport to speak of. They should be ridden primarily in bike lanes… when those exist and are safe. So we need a lot more protected bike lanes!
- throwaway290 4y ago
  Approachability is not a feature here. This is powered vehicles we're talking about: a danger to both the rider and pedestrians. They should observe regulations for powered vehicles, period. If they are not safe, they should be banned. If they do not fit any regulated category, they should be banned. There is a reason arbitrary unregistered contraptions are not allowed to roam city streets.
  - ryukafalz 4y ago
    It is when the alternative is driving a car, which is often the case. I would rather be hit by someone riding an e-scooter than someone driving a car, and the more people we get out of cars and onto smaller forms of transportation, the safer we will all be.
  - inb4_cancelled 4y ago
    Why does it matter whether an e-scooter is "powered"? Mine has a 500W motor and the power cuts off above 20 km/h. I'd be much more dangerous on a regular bike. Me having or not having to spin my legs around has nothing to do with anything.
    - throwaway290 4y ago
      You are free to not spin your legs out of where I walk, unless you do so at reasonable speed and give me right of way. Normally I don't see that happening.
  - occz 4y ago
    >Approachability is not a feature here. This is powered vehicles we're talking about: a danger to both the rider and pedestrians. They should observe regulations for powered vehicles, period. If they are not safe, they should be banned. If they do not fit any regulated category, they should be banned. They are far more safe than cars, and hence they should remain allowed until cars are banned. >There is a reason arbitrary unregistered contraptions are not allowed to roam city streets. Registration does nothing with regards to safety.

ryukafalz 4y ago

E-scooters are roughly equivalent to bikes in terms of transportation ability within dense areas, while being more approachable for a lot of people. They let you go farther than walking when there’s no public transport to speak of. They should be ridden primarily in bike lanes… when those exist and are safe. So we need a lot more protected bike lanes!

throwaway290 4y ago
Approachability is not a feature here. This is powered vehicles we're talking about: a danger to both the rider and pedestrians. They should observe regulations for powered vehicles, period. If they are not safe, they should be banned. If they do not fit any regulated category, they should be banned. There is a reason arbitrary unregistered contraptions are not allowed to roam city streets.
- ryukafalz 4y ago
  It is when the alternative is driving a car, which is often the case. I would rather be hit by someone riding an e-scooter than someone driving a car, and the more people we get out of cars and onto smaller forms of transportation, the safer we will all be.
- inb4_cancelled 4y ago
  Why does it matter whether an e-scooter is "powered"? Mine has a 500W motor and the power cuts off above 20 km/h. I'd be much more dangerous on a regular bike. Me having or not having to spin my legs around has nothing to do with anything.
  - throwaway290 4y ago
    You are free to not spin your legs out of where I walk, unless you do so at reasonable speed and give me right of way. Normally I don't see that happening.
- occz 4y ago
  >Approachability is not a feature here. This is powered vehicles we're talking about: a danger to both the rider and pedestrians. They should observe regulations for powered vehicles, period. If they are not safe, they should be banned. If they do not fit any regulated category, they should be banned. They are far more safe than cars, and hence they should remain allowed until cars are banned. >There is a reason arbitrary unregistered contraptions are not allowed to roam city streets. Registration does nothing with regards to safety.