The Rise of the Electric Scooter • Hacker News Board

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#181

Post by brandmeyer » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:45 PM UTC

olalonde wrote: post #103

com2kid wrote: post #87

I am amused this is still a topic of discussion in America. Visit China sometime, electric motor scooters (larger than the kids versions we have here[1]) and motorbikes are everywhere, the large majority of small vehicles on the road there are now electric. It is super nice, the streets are far cleaner and quieter than just a few years ago. One huge benefit China has is an existing infrastructure for smaller vehicles…

It's great overall but I do miss being able to walk on the sidewalk without having to worry about getting hit by those Meituan delivery scooters. At least here in Shenzhen, bicycles and small electric scooters are required to share the sidewalk with pedestrians.

Maybe this is regional? In metro Shanghai, the electric scooters usually have a dedicated lane. In the Pudong area (a ritzy part of downtown Shanghai), electric scooters are forbidden entirely. I got the distinct impression that using these scooters was a type of class distinction.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#182

Post by paulpauper » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:46 PM UTC

a segway is not like a scooter at all.The segway uses gyroscopic technology to be stable even if it not moving or moving very slowly. This makes segways ideal for malls or anywhere there are a lot of people and speed is not paramount

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#183

Post by monksy » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:46 PM UTC

samsolomon wrote: post #108

rtomayko wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve been thinking about bike vs scooter a lot lately too. Austin is overrun with scooters and I used them for a little while before finding the electric Uber Jump bikes. They seem superior to scooters in every way in Austin, which makes the 20:1 ratio of scooters to bikes a bit baffling. But I can see your point in SF where I use to walk 5 blocks from my apartment to the muni train and then another five blocks from…

We have the Jump e-bikes here in Atlanta, and I also prefer them to scooters. There are a lot of old roads and sidewalks with cracks that make riding a scooter can be dangerous. With the small wheels, you really have to pay attention to the road ahead of you. Unfortunately, I received an email earlier this month that Jump is pulling all the e-bikes from the city. I wonder if operating costs or cost fo replacement mak…

Get off the sidewalk. https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/starting-today-you-...

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#184

Post by rodgerd » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:47 PM UTC

mturmon wrote: post #27

Honest question: How do people lock these things if visiting a shop for a half-hour? (Edited to add: Sorry for confusion! I'm talking about an owned model like the one in OP, the Xiaomi Mi M365 - I looked at some product imagery and it wasn't clear if this was possible.)

Buy a folding one like the Condor (https://www.micro-mobility.com/en/products/micro-condor) and carry it around. See also: slinging it under the table in cafes, restaurants, pubs, and work. They're incredibly convenient.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#185

Post by rodgerd » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:50 PM UTC

lacker wrote: post #49

How steep of a hill can you get up with these things? My street is pretty hilly and I would hate to shell out for a cool device that I have to lug the last two blocks to my house.

Mine works just fine in Wellington, which has steeper streets than San Francisco.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#186

Post by Goronmon » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:50 PM UTC

molodec wrote: post #180

Ok, I understand that there is a lot of benefits to electric scooters. They are fun, convenient, and allow to navigate quickly, and great for the environment, or at least better than cars. Why not driving regular bicycles? Obesity is a growing problem, because people don't exercise enough. Mechanical bicycle is a great low impact activity for modern life. Also, bicycles aren't generally allowed on a sidewalk, but I h…

Why not driving regular bicycles?

Where do you put the bicycle when you get where you need to go?

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#187

Post by jefftk » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:51 PM UTC

vonmoltke wrote: post #110

melling wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're being a little vague so it's impossible to analyze. However, if your average speed is 25 mph and the average doubled to 50 mph, I'm sure you'd be happy. With maglevs, we'd probably want more express trains.

My point is that top speed is only relevant when a train can reach it. If a train stops every two miles or less (like mine does in the morning), the vast majority of the time is spent accelerating, decelerating, or stopped.

Is your train an electric multiple unit? Those have far lower stop penalties.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#188

Post by cdnsteve » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:55 PM UTC

I'm sorry but really? Unless you live in California under a direct and major urban center, this is a joke. Canadian winters are -30 celcius. Future of transportation, no. Large vehicles and smaller forms of transportation should in no way "share the roadway". It's complete madness and dangerous. The Netherlands and Amsterdam in particular have this figured out long ago, smaller, separate lanes - not a white line. North America still doesn't get it.

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#189

Post by jhayward » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:56 PM UTC

throw0101a wrote: post #70

Perhaps it's because I have a motorcycle, but every time I come across the word "scooter" what comes to mind is a Vespa-like vehicle. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scooter#Vehicles * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick_scooter * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scooter_(motorcycle) I'm curious about the etymology for each type, and how both ended up using the same word.

What noun would you suggest be used?

Re: The Rise of the Electric Scooter

#190

Post by Symbiote » Thu, Sep 12, 2019, 8:57 PM UTC

eldenbishop wrote: post #79

tick_tock_tick wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have the deal with the bike afterwords. Go for brunch in the mission and your friends are going back to the outer sunset with a scooter just fold it up and put it in the car with a bike either hope it's there when you get back, bike all the way, or go home then head over alone.

This exactly: bikes require planning and strategy and are not good for improvisational day-to-day things like you described. Bikes make walking easier but all other forms of travel like bus, train or taxi/uber/cars more difficult or impossible.

In Copenhagen it's often the opposite: the rest of the group came by bike, they're within 20m of the current bar, the person on foot will have to turn up later. Or we all walk.

(Also, the suburban trains and taxis carry bikes for free.)