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The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

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Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#61

Post by reactordev »

Zambyte wrote: post #41
reactordev wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But this has been true every hundred years or so as technology changes and those that are building infrastructure know nothing else. 2000s : Damn these cars clogging up the road! 1900s : Damn these buggies clogging up the road! 1800s : Damn these carriages clogging up the road! 1700s : Damn these horses clogging up the road! 1600s : Damn these " " " " " 100BC : Damn these romans clogging up the road!

You really think the idea of anything like bumper to bumper traffic existed more than a hundred years ago? Everything before 2000s (though surely car traffic existed in the 1900s) seems like a dramatization.

How pedestrian.

Cities like NYC, London, Paris, LA, Chicago, Denver, Seattle all had traffic problems with cars in 1925.

In 1825 it was carriages and horse and buggy leaving horse manure all over the cobblestone or pavers.

In 1725 it was horses and heavy hooves turning the dirt road into mud and clay muck.

In 1625 it was much the same.

We had a large population centralized in cities long before the Industrial Revolution.

My point is there’s always some person complaining about the X on the road (as if their presence on the road isn’t somehow the opposite).

https://www.history101.nyc/5th-avenue-street-scene-1925

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#62

Post by wakawaka28 »

hylaride wrote: post #6

> The e-scooters that clutter up pavements may seem like a new thing, but a hundred years ago, there were already people zooming around London on powered scooters. The problem is that we've given so much space to automobiles that there's no room for anything else (bikes, scooters, etc). Pedestrians have been given a sliver only because drivers need to walk between parking and their destination. This is true even in c…

I'm sure they went away because it's a fad or the costs/benefits don't balance, not because there is no space for them. This is evident by the fact that we have scooters in abundance now!

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#63

Post by dpark »

randunel wrote: post #57
dpark wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is neat but also seems like an insane solution to the problem of “I don’t like seeing service trucks”. How many such tunnels and elevators would it take to supply the buildings in a typical city’s downtown area? And what else could we do with that investment?

I wonder how many people such an automated freight system would kill per year, compared to cars in the same cities. Once we have some numbers, you would probably reconsider the use of "insane" there.

The context here is not cars but delivery trucks.

The tunnels in question also did not transport pedestrians and were essentially focused on coal delivery and ash removal.

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#65

Post by randunel »

dpark wrote: post #63
randunel wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how many people such an automated freight system would kill per year, compared to cars in the same cities. Once we have some numbers, you would probably reconsider the use of "insane" there.

The context here is not cars but delivery trucks. The tunnels in question also did not transport pedestrians and were essentially focused on coal delivery and ash removal.

Sure, let's restrict statistics to any automobile used to transport merchandise. What do you think, ready to imagine such a comparison?

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#66

Post by renewiltord »

tw04 wrote: post #33

Did someone actually think scooters were new? We had them growing up, I thought it was common knowledge the only thing novel about e-bikes and e-scooters were the lithium ion batteries and electric motors giving adequate runtime and performance. You could drive a moped on city streets before you turned 16 which got a lot of teenagers in my hometown to work and sports in the summer when their parents couldn’t. But the…

I’ve seen the original of the main photo before which is the only reason I know that two-stroke ICE engine powered standup scooters like that existed.

So, yes. Things do get invented so it’s not surprising. Luggage with wheels is a pretty recent invention considering when luggage and wheels were invented.

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#67

Post by hexbin010 »

hylaride wrote: post #6

> The e-scooters that clutter up pavements may seem like a new thing, but a hundred years ago, there were already people zooming around London on powered scooters. The problem is that we've given so much space to automobiles that there's no room for anything else (bikes, scooters, etc). Pedestrians have been given a sliver only because drivers need to walk between parking and their destination. This is true even in c…

For real. Loads of places in the UK are in desperate need of wider paths. Some probably haven't changed for 100 years except for making them narrower with stupid full height advertising screens (a travesty and civic vandalism by the councils)

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#68

Post by [deleted] »

randunel wrote: post #65
dpark wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The context here is not cars but delivery trucks. The tunnels in question also did not transport pedestrians and were essentially focused on coal delivery and ash removal.

Sure, let's restrict statistics to any automobile used to transport merchandise. What do you think, ready to imagine such a comparison?

[deleted]

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#69

Post by bluescrn »

dpark wrote: post #59
bluescrn wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LTNs and pedestrianised areas are great for criminals on illegal high-powered e-bikes. Purpose-built getaway routes.

lol. People will try to paint anything they don’t like as bad because criminals can also use it.

It’s about actively blocking police and other emergency vehicles while allowing a new class of problem vehicles, illegal e-motorbikes, to pass unimpeded.

As a motorist, the war on cars (and milking of motorists for tax revenue) would be less infuriating if we didn’t have the rising broad-daylight lawlessness of illegal e-bikes and scooters doing 30mph+ with no pedaling, no tax, and no insurance. Often with corporate branding in the form of Deliveroo or Just Eat bags. Sometimes balaclava-clad and engaging in dodgier activities.

(Would be in favour of regulating and policing these bikes and scooters rather than outright prohibition, but the UK government chooses to stick to prohibition and very inconsistent policing)

Re: The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

#70

Post by otterley »

hylaride wrote: post #24
sheepscreek wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably cause modern logistics, especially last mile logistics, is dependent on trucks/delivery vans/etc. So even though folks in a local area might like to walk around, their groceries won’t make it to the stores and packages won’t get to their homes without a robust road network. I think Bacerlona hits a good compromise. The city has the concept of a superblock, which is a few city blocks grouped into one calm zon…

> Probably cause modern logistics, especially last mile logistics, is dependent on trucks/delivery vans/etc. So even though folks in a local area might like to walk around, their groceries won’t make it to the stores and packages won’t get to their homes without a robust road network. Totally. Banning automobiles is usually a bad idea, especially for residential zones. Years ago, I remember seeing a presentation abou…

At least in New York City and outside the U.S., I regularly see pizzas being delivered frequently by bicycle, moped, and motorcycle. I also see deliveries being done with small trucks (Kei style) and vans that fit in alleyways.
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