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What is the point of these being scooters instead of bikes in the first place? Scooters seem strictly inferior and more dangerous than bicycles. The small whe
by MichaelCollins 4y ago
What is the point of these being scooters instead of bikes in the first place? Scooters seem strictly inferior and more dangerous than bicycles. The small wheels are much worse on dodgy road surfaces, and without being able to pinch the vehicle between your legs, the rider has less control over what it does.
Is the whole idea that a scooter is cheaper because it has less structure and smaller wheels? Seems like a bad tradeoff, since it's a vehicle that can get you killed (I've seen this happen. The scooter rider got into an unrecoverable wobble, fell, and hit his head.)
- narag 4y agoFor the renting companies, cheaper price is surely a good tradeoff, broken bones won't be theirs. For owners, I bet it's about folding the thing and carrying it indoors or in the subway.
- DoughnutHole 4y agoI'd argue they became popular in many places due to a simple regulatory loophole - they initially existed in many places as a legally gray method of moving at bike speed without physical exertion that you could use without a license or paying tax. Many jurisdictions distinguish between bicycles (unmotorized or with a speed-limited motor, possibly mandating pedal assistance) and motorcycles (can move at high speeds, fully unassisted). Motorcycles are fast, but expensive and generally require licensing, registration, tax etc, and are generally banned from cycle lanes. Scooters offer the lack of exertion of a motorcycle with the convenience and low costs of a bicycle. For some that's worth the horrendous ride quality.
- pjmlp 4y agoI always find interesting to have them called scooters, this is what I understand as scooter. https://begin-motorcycling.co.uk/fastest-125cc-scooter/ https://begin-motorcycling.co.uk/fastest-125cc-scooter/
- goosedragons 4y agoBecause they are electric versions of push/kick scooters and not electric versions of motor scooters.
- pjmlp 4y agoSo how do you call the electric version of motorbike scooters, in a way that the recipient understands what kind of scooter is the subject of the matter? https://www.piaggio.com/en_EN/piaggio-world/news-piaggio/piaggio-1/ https://www.piaggio.com/en_EN/piaggio-world/news-piaggio/pia...
- DoughnutHole 4y agoIn my experience people often refer to those scooters generically as "vespas", even if it's not strictly accurate. So while no scooter manufacturer would condone the generic use, "electric vespa" might get across what you mean? Of course then you're stuck talking about Vespa vespas and non-Vespa vespas...