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Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

nytimes.com

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Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#31

Post by abrichr »

notatoad wrote: post #22

>They belong in the bike lane (which should exist in the first place) the problem is the existence of bike lanes. If public officials start saying "scooters belong in the bike lane", then they have to confront the fact that their cities have no cohesive network of bike lanes that can actually support a real journey. This has been acceptable up until now, because cyclists are weird and it's okay to tell them to just r…

> cyclists are weird ... e-scooters are for "normal people"

Could you please elaborate on this? Why do you think so (or why do you think that is a widely held belief)?

If anything I would have thought that it was the opposite.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#32

Post by komali2 »

randyrand wrote: post #19
danans wrote: post #2

These e-scooters could be a really great way for many cities to decrease short-haul car dependency, but they really need to be off the sidewalks. A motor-propelled machine going 15 mph doesn't belong on the same surface as a baby stroller, a senior citizen, or a person with a disability. They belong in the bike lane (which should exist in the first place), and their speed should be capped in areas of dense foot traff…

I've owned both a scooter and skateboard for 7 months. I disagree, you can ride a scooter on a sidewalk safely and I need to do it from time to time. Of course, I don't prefer it. But it's pretty easy to do safely and it shouldn't bother anyone if done correctly. The rules I follow: 1. Go much much slower. 2. Stay far away from other people and blind corners. 3. Always assume a person is about to make an erratic move…

Nobody follows these rules. Whenever a skater is coming at me I very much get a "get the fuck out of my way, peasant" vibe.

That's why I believe they should be enforceable rules aka laws.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#33

Post by komali2 »

asaph wrote: post #18
hammock wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You probably got one with low battery. It's not possible to "overpower" them as you suggest because they have a governor that limits the top speed.

Even on a 100% charge, a typical e-Scooter used by Bird, Spin, etc. struggle on steep uphill climbs.

You gotta kick a bit, I don't think they're meant to be fully driven on those hills. Just like ebikes - you're still pedaling.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#34

Post by karpodiem »

poulsbohemian wrote: post #3

Would be really nice to see F turn around: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/f?ltr=1

Detroiter here - I'm off of Adams Ave. downtown, next to Grand Circus Park/Comerica.

Ford needs -

1) Better styling. I just bought a Grand Cherokee, and despite the 2020 Ford Explorer being RWD, I would never consider a Ford vehicle. Their exterior/interior styling is bland.

2) An off-road sub brand to compete against Jeep. The upcoming Bronco/baby Bronco/Ranger is a start, but Jeep is making a killing with the brand image despite 95% of people only taking their Wranglers over curbs in a mall parking lot. The 'dream' sells. They need to compete with Jeep in off-road prowess to sell the dream.

3) High performance trim levels for 2020+ vehicles high margin vehicles (Nautilus, Explorer, Aviator, F150, Mustang, Navigator) with hybrid/electric options that have a sub 10.5 second quarter mile.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#35

Post by notatoad »

abrichr wrote: post #31
notatoad wrote: post #22

>They belong in the bike lane (which should exist in the first place) the problem is the existence of bike lanes. If public officials start saying "scooters belong in the bike lane", then they have to confront the fact that their cities have no cohesive network of bike lanes that can actually support a real journey. This has been acceptable up until now, because cyclists are weird and it's okay to tell them to just r…

> cyclists are weird ... e-scooters are for "normal people" Could you please elaborate on this? Why do you think so (or why do you think that is a widely held belief)? If anything I would have thought that it was the opposite.

It's really just my perception as a cyclist - how i'm treated on the road, and how bike lanes are addressed in my community.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#36

Post by samcheng »

abrichr wrote: post #31
notatoad wrote: post #22

>They belong in the bike lane (which should exist in the first place) the problem is the existence of bike lanes. If public officials start saying "scooters belong in the bike lane", then they have to confront the fact that their cities have no cohesive network of bike lanes that can actually support a real journey. This has been acceptable up until now, because cyclists are weird and it's okay to tell them to just r…

> cyclists are weird ... e-scooters are for "normal people" Could you please elaborate on this? Why do you think so (or why do you think that is a widely held belief)? If anything I would have thought that it was the opposite.

This was clearly satire, but the idea is that only a certain subset of people are active enough to ride a bike.

If e-scooters take off, that's a new/larger group of people traveling at 15mph.

Infrastructure that was marginal for the small cohort of bicyclists will become obviously inadequate as people riding e-scooters, e-bikes, motor skateboards, etc. join them. As a bicyclist who wants more and safer bike lanes, I welcome them!

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#37

Post by randyrand »

komali2 wrote: post #32
randyrand wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've owned both a scooter and skateboard for 7 months. I disagree, you can ride a scooter on a sidewalk safely and I need to do it from time to time. Of course, I don't prefer it. But it's pretty easy to do safely and it shouldn't bother anyone if done correctly. The rules I follow: 1. Go much much slower. 2. Stay far away from other people and blind corners. 3. Always assume a person is about to make an erratic move…

Nobody follows these rules. Whenever a skater is coming at me I very much get a "get the fuck out of my way, peasant" vibe. That's why I believe they should be enforceable rules aka laws.

I follow them. You really have no choice if you care about your own and others safety.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#38

Post by qudat »

komali2 wrote: post #32
randyrand wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've owned both a scooter and skateboard for 7 months. I disagree, you can ride a scooter on a sidewalk safely and I need to do it from time to time. Of course, I don't prefer it. But it's pretty easy to do safely and it shouldn't bother anyone if done correctly. The rules I follow: 1. Go much much slower. 2. Stay far away from other people and blind corners. 3. Always assume a person is about to make an erratic move…

Nobody follows these rules. Whenever a skater is coming at me I very much get a "get the fuck out of my way, peasant" vibe. That's why I believe they should be enforceable rules aka laws.

> Nobody follows these rules.

This is exactly the reason why I ride my bike on the sidewalk even with a bike lane that is divided from the automobile lane with a white line.

I don't care what laws exist, I am not risking my life riding in a bike lane that is really seen as a large automobile lane.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#39

Post by asaph »

komali2 wrote: post #33
asaph wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even on a 100% charge, a typical e-Scooter used by Bird, Spin, etc. struggle on steep uphill climbs.

You gotta kick a bit, I don't think they're meant to be fully driven on those hills. Just like ebikes - you're still pedaling.

No. The bikes are "e-assisted" and you're supposed to pedal. The e-scooters are not designed to be "e-assisted". You're only supposed to kick to start your ride and the motor takes over from there. There is a max incline the scooters are designed to handle. The intent is not that the scooter goes into an e-assisted mode on a steep incline.

Re: Ford Buying San Francisco-Area E-Scooter Startup Spin

#40

Post by pj_mukh »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #4
danans wrote: post #2

These e-scooters could be a really great way for many cities to decrease short-haul car dependency, but they really need to be off the sidewalks. A motor-propelled machine going 15 mph doesn't belong on the same surface as a baby stroller, a senior citizen, or a person with a disability. They belong in the bike lane (which should exist in the first place), and their speed should be capped in areas of dense foot traff…

> They belong in the bike lane (which should exist in the first place), and their speed should be capped in areas of dense foot traffic These are great ideas. Write them into your representatives. Designated street-side scooter parking would also be a plus. Not only does it signal to drivers "consider another option," it also deals with the scooter litter problem. (To form, San Francisco chose the worst of all option…

They did the same with their e-bikes and then capped them. Quite a dysfunctional solution.
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