The Rise of the Electric Scooter • Hacker News Board

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#11

Post by mikestew » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:31 PM UTC

AstralStorm wrote: post #5

Slimbo wrote: post #4

Isn't the best solution for "last mile" for all of us is to walk it?

Or bike it. Also healthy and infrastructure and laws are there. People with disabilities cannot use these scooters anyway, they need something different.

Also healthy...

Man, I'm just tryin' to get to work. Why does every alternative to plopping my ass in a giant wheelchair have to be "healthy"? What, "not a car" isn't good enough?

infrastructure and laws are there.

You might be surprised to find that electric scooters work just as well as bicycles on that infrastructure. Laws? Meh, were my municipality backward (and they are not) it wouldn't necessarily mean I'd pay much attention to their directives until they change.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#12

Post by TulliusCicero » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:33 PM UTC

AstralStorm wrote: post #5

Slimbo wrote: post #4

Isn't the best solution for "last mile" for all of us is to walk it?

Or bike it. Also healthy and infrastructure and laws are there. People with disabilities cannot use these scooters anyway, they need something different.

People with disabilities can't use stairs, should we stop building those too?

It's okay to support a mode that only most of the population can use. There are still other modes, just like with stairs and elevators/ramps.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#13

Post by verytrivial » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:33 PM UTC

Slimbo wrote: post #6

AstralStorm wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or bike it. Also healthy and infrastructure and laws are there. People with disabilities cannot use these scooters anyway, they need something different.

I cycle a lot, but bikes are a pain in that you need somewhere to park them, something to secure them to prevent them getting robbed, they're horrid in the rain and you have to ride on the road or a bike path. I can see the attraction for scooters that avoid these problems, but for the length of journey they're good for, why not just walk?

I think it simply comes down to average speed. Have a click around https://app.traveltimeplatform.com/ and assume scooters are more-or-less the speed of cycles.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#14

Post by mason55 » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:34 PM UTC

Slimbo wrote: post #6

AstralStorm wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or bike it. Also healthy and infrastructure and laws are there. People with disabilities cannot use these scooters anyway, they need something different.

I cycle a lot, but bikes are a pain in that you need somewhere to park them, something to secure them to prevent them getting robbed, they're horrid in the rain and you have to ride on the road or a bike path. I can see the attraction for scooters that avoid these problems, but for the length of journey they're good for, why not just walk?

> but for the length of journey they're good for, why not just walk?

I use scooters occasionally and there is a sweet spot in the 30-60 minute walk range. A 30 minute walk turns into a ~6 minute scooter ride (assuming 3mph walking and 13mph scooter). If you're talking about roundtrip then you're saving over 45 minutes by scootering.

Sure, if it's a lazy Saturday and I'm just moseying around then I'll walk. But if I'm running to the gym and back after work then it's worth it to me to save those 45 minutes.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#15

Post by BurningFrog » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:34 PM UTC

ses1984 wrote: post #9

Slimbo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cycle a lot, but bikes are a pain in that you need somewhere to park them, something to secure them to prevent them getting robbed, they're horrid in the rain and you have to ride on the road or a bike path. I can see the attraction for scooters that avoid these problems, but for the length of journey they're good for, why not just walk?

How do scooters solve any of these problems? Do you not have to park scooters? Do they not suck in the rain? Do they not need some surface to ride on?

The great thing about the scooter is that it isn't mine, so I don't have to worry about it getting stolen.

That's it. That's the killer feature.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#16

Post by TulliusCicero » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:34 PM UTC

ses1984 wrote: post #9

Slimbo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cycle a lot, but bikes are a pain in that you need somewhere to park them, something to secure them to prevent them getting robbed, they're horrid in the rain and you have to ride on the road or a bike path. I can see the attraction for scooters that avoid these problems, but for the length of journey they're good for, why not just walk?

How do scooters solve any of these problems? Do you not have to park scooters? Do they not suck in the rain? Do they not need some surface to ride on?

For rentable escooters, the consumer doesn't really have to worry about them being stolen. And they're easier to park than bikes.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#17

Post by BurningFrog » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:34 PM UTC

Slimbo wrote: post #4

Isn't the best solution for "last mile" for all of us is to walk it?

It's probably the best solution for you.

Please let other people decide what's best for them.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#18

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:40 PM UTC

AstralStorm wrote: post #5

Slimbo wrote: post #4

Isn't the best solution for "last mile" for all of us is to walk it?

Or bike it. Also healthy and infrastructure and laws are there. People with disabilities cannot use these scooters anyway, they need something different.

[deleted]

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#19

Post by TulliusCicero » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:40 PM UTC

segmondy wrote: post #7

Lots of places are not even bicycle safe and walkable. So I don't even see how Electric scooter will work in those locations. I notice it's adopted in places where people can walk and bike.

It's become somewhat popular in the US, despite the US having no cities with good bike infrastructure. Convenience is a hell of a drug.

The way I see it, this increased uptake could help drive greater investment in bike lanes and walkability. Politically, it's always easier to spend money on things people already do than on things they might do if you spent enough.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#20

Post by Robotbeat » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 5:44 PM UTC

AstralStorm wrote: post #5

Slimbo wrote: post #4

Isn't the best solution for "last mile" for all of us is to walk it?

Or bike it. Also healthy and infrastructure and laws are there. People with disabilities cannot use these scooters anyway, they need something different.

It's likely that more people with disabilities can use these scooters than can use bikes.

Additionally, people with disabilities pioneered personal electric transportation long before Bird or Lime. The form factor is different, but the technology is essentially the same. Electric wheelchair tech is highly enabling for people with disabilities.