I rode all the e-scooters, and most of them are awful except two

I was about to pick one up last year but held off, figured my bike was collecting too much dust. The Xiaomi m365 was the standout though. The air tires make a huge difference in comfort. I'd actually get sore with the hard rubber wheels on the other segway models I you scoot for distance. Plus if you brake hard they get flat spots and start thudding, ruining the ride. All the companies have a couple different models in circulation, try them out before you buy!

> As a rider, you are liable for all personal injuries that result from your riding.

As a walker, you're liable for all personal injuries that result from your walking

As a dog owner, you're liable for all personal injuries that result from your dog.

> Without insurance, you are putting your financial life in jeopardy.

Most drivers are underinsured if they send a few people to the hospital. On a scooter though, covering the average cost of a scrape or the beyond costs of a broken bone isn't nearly as peril.

> Is that only true in France?

To the extent that anything not obviously / actually a bicycle and not covered by EN15194 (mandating that pedelecs be legally considered bicycles) is left entirely to each country's devices, yes: the stuff above is french law (current as of now, a law passed early this year to make e-scooters legal under various constraints from September).

Other jurisdiction could have other laws / criteria yielding different results e.g. I think in Switzerland s-pedelec (faster and throttle-activated) can and must use bike lanes, but are limited to pure pedalling in pedestrian zone. Apparently your jurisdiction is based around speed capabilities, IIRC Belgium is similar, if devices can't go above a certain speed they're treated the same as bicycles.

Also not OP, have owned one for 6 months.

The xiaomi is the best thing I've spent 500 bucks on in the past year. It's been great because it works extremely well for me but it may not work as well for you. The difference between one being great and bad is super close IMO and totally depends on your parameters.

In my case; I live in a big city that doesn't have rental scooters. We have E-Bikes but they are hard to find, especially during a commute. I walk to work - about 3 miles round trip. Some hills but nothing too bad.

In my case, the scooter has replaced my commute and driven it down to just a few minutes. My work has a bike locker room, and I loop a cable lock through the wheel and go. Super super convenient.

Range is always a lie with these things, which can make things hard. My scooter has about 50% battery left when I get home, but I can't imagine having to push this thing around if it was dead. That would suck.

Speed on the scooter is pretty good, when the battery is lower it has some trouble on the hills, but it always gets me up them, just a little slow (I'm about 200... If you're lighter the scooter will be noticeably faster)

My city is reasonably safe but we have a good amount of bike theft. I lock it up at a few local businesses in the bike rack, but wouldn't just do it anywhere. I factor the chance of being stolen into the price, and I'm not super worried if it does happen. I have a u lock mounted on the "steering column" which works well.

Carrying the scooter is a little unwieldy. You can kind of roll it on one wheel while it's collapsed, but it's like 30lbs and kind of bulky. I have no problem bringing it from my apartment through the lobby and outside, but it would suck to say... Carry this through an airport or something (which you couldn't do if you wanted, but regardless...)

I'm able to get to my friends places easier by scootering over. I often drive down to the water and have a beer by the waterfront.

So, in my case the scooter has been AMAZING. But... I live in the city, have a commute within range, have a convenient spot to park, etc.

The bad: range could be better (there are better scooters for this), transporting it is a bit bulky, parking can suck if you don't have a plan. Everyone will hate you (cars, peds, bikers) but oh well. If you get stuck on a hill, it's gonna suck to get it up the hill. Flat tires are possible but easily avoidable. Bumpy sidewalks can pose a problem with the 8 inch wheels, although doing a little hop is fine (pulling the front wheel up an inch) to counter.

If you do get one, consider getting the m365s, it should become more available over the next few months.

If you get the m365, buy a s display and swap it. Buy some 3d printed handlebar spacers. Generate a firmware for it on the site (on mobile or I'd link, easily googleable though).

Regardless of model, get some tire slime for any preemptive punctures.

It is all but impossible to get injured due to this vandalism. If the brake cables are cut, you will be unable to even mount the scooter. It's the same UX as on a bicycle: The rider must (unconsciously) press the brake lever to keep the bike in place while getting on it.

You'll know right away if the cable is cut--before you even start your ride.