Paris votes to ban rental e-scooters

There are several ways they are more dangerous than a bicycle: Smaller wheels means a smaller obstacle brings the rider to a dead stop- once you hit something that is at the height of the axle of the wheel, it's the same as hitting a brick wall.

That's compounded by the fact that such falls use the scooter as a lever to smash the rider's face into the pavement. It's a very rare bicycle accident that throws the rider's head/face directly into the pavement- which means that bicycle helmets aren't designed to protect the face! So even the most common form of protection is much less effective for scooter riders.

The electric scooter is much closer in safety profile to the electric unicycle, but the electric unicycles feel dangerous to riders, so people give them respect. The scooter seems like a child's toy, so people overlook the danger.

  The operators were chosen after an open and competitive process to assess their ability to meet strict safety requirements and high operating standards. (For example, the scooter batteries can be monitored to ensure they meet fire safety regulations.)

To me this is a terrible rule, completely out of touch. Scooters improve the city as they are electric, small, and less dangerous to others. I have a car and in the summer I often pay a few euros to rent those electric 50cc scooters because they are really nice. However, one of the major benefits is that you can park anywhere.

There is a designated strip on the pedestrian walkway where it used to be allowed to park them, currently its only allowed for bicycles. There is more than enough room there and as its on the side it bothers no one. So banning them from there is not necessary.

The real problem we have is not even about these specific 50cc scooters but about the smaller ones that are mentioned here. Which have not been affected by this ban. The real problem is that some bad people, maybe its the tourists, literally park them in the very middle of the walkway, blocking people and being terribly annoying. And for this, the solution would be harsh punishments. Eg. when someone parks their scooter this way they have to pay a massive fine or get banned or whatever. Maybe users could report them and get a bounty.

So, while there is a real problem, the politicians, where I live, made this terrible decision. And when I came home, exhausted from work, there was actually parking right in front of my doorstep, but it was blocked by two rental scooters.