ELECTRIC SCOOTERS

Pros and cons electric scooters

Pros

1. Ease of Use – the most benefit of electric scooter is undeniably very easy to use. You just need to charge the scooter and you are done. You can use the electric scooter for numerous outdoor activities such as commute to work, shopping, and more. Even when you choose adults kick scooter, there is no difficulty to encounter. In fact, everyone can definitely ride the scooter even in the first and time and no one will actually need a tutorial for that. That being said that electric scooter is very easy to use and versatile.

2. Economical Option – electric scooter for adults are undoubtedly economical vehicle options. This is because there is no need to fill up the fuel tank. As the name suggests, electric scooter depends on electricity. You just need to charge the electric scooter for a couple of hours. Full charged electric scooter can be used more than 2 hours ride. Also, when riding on an electric scooter, you can avoid getting trapped in a  traffic jam. You can also ride the electric scooter to places where cars are not allowed such as parks and other crowded areas.

3. Low Maintenance – similar to bicycles, electric scooter is also considered as a long-lasting vehicle. A good quality can last more than 7 years without serious damage under normal use. However, this does not mean that an electric scooter does not need maintenance at all. The general maintenance electric scooter needs usually is battery maintenance after a long-cycle of recharges. The operational cost of electric scooter is in general low because there is no need to buy gasoline.

4. Eco-Friendly – since electric scooter runs without fuel or gasoline, it does not produce harmful smoke or emission. This helps to reduce the amount of air pollution if more and more people use electric scooter. Plus, the electric scooter also helps to keep the environment clean with less air pollution.

5. Mobility – electric scooter may benefit adults to commute from home to work without worrying to catch up in traffic jam. But more than commuting, electric scooter is also beneficial for elderly or people with limited mobility. The electric scooter allows them to move independently without disturbing other people for every activity. This can be a great support for elderly people to keep on active and productive using electric scooter.

Cons

1. Safety Matter – the main drawback of electric scooter has limited safety feature such as sufficient lamp, brake, and such. That is why it is crucial to always stick to safety feature when riding electric scooters such as helmet, additional lights, and such to prevent accidents. Some additional safety feature may be sold separately but you have no choice other than arm yourself.
If you think you can handle the safety matter, the electric scooter can be a great option for transportation. But if you think it is too dangerous to ride it on the road, you may need to reconsider electric scooter.
For elder people, instead of using two wheels, 3-wheels or 4-wheels scooter may be the best options considering the safety and balance matter for them. But still, that kind of electric scooter also require basic safety feature.

2. Battery Problems – as aforementioned that the electric scooter runs on electricity which means you need to charge it before using it every single time. Once you forget to charge, the chance is you will get stuck in the middle of the road due to low-battery voltage. Another problem with the battery is the chance of overcharging. Sometimes we tend to forget to plug out electronic devices from charging. This also happens with electric scooter, but the risk of overcharging may cause lead-acid batteries. If happens for a long time, it can cause damage to the battery.

3. Resale Value – different from car or motorcycle, electric scooter has low after sale value. You have to be ready when it is very difficult to find buyers who actually want to buy a second-hand scooter. Plus, if the battery is damaged and need replacement, the electric scooter is really close to becoming electronic junk and has no market value.

4. Expensive Price – the after sale of electric scooter is not very good compared to the expensive buying price. An electric scooter’s general price is ranging around $500 to $2000. There are indeed cheaper electric scooters, but you are betting on the quality. Plus, electric scooter which comes with charge mileage is more expensive than the average scooter.

5. Time Consuming – if you think of electric scooter for transportation, you need to be prepared with the speed. Electric scooter can only reach 30-40mph which are quite slow if you are going to commute to work. It can be quite difficult to get into the office in time using electric scooter. In addition, the charging time of electric scooter also takes a long time. This means that you cannot just use the scooter right away every time you need.

Spain sees first case of a pedestrian killed by an electric scooter

A judge is investigating the death of an elderly woman who was hit by an electric scooter as she was out for a stroll in the Catalan town of Esplugues de Llobregat last August.

This is the first known case in Spain of a pedestrian getting killed by a personal transporter, and it has raised renewed concerns about the proliferation of alternative mobility devices in cities across Spain.

Last month, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said there would be reforms to the criminal code to try to address the conflict between pedestrians and users of these devices.

The minister said that users themselves were “vulnerable,” but added that “they can also cause significant harm to third parties” depending on how they use the device.

Prosecutors and the judge in charge of investigating the August incident suspect that the youth who was riding the scooter was looking down at his cellphone when he crashed into the 90-year-old woman, who was out for her daily stroll with her walker.

The youngster is facing possible charges of involuntary manslaughter, while a second youth who was with him has been summoned as a witness in the case. Sources familiar with the investigation told EL PAÍS that the rider was using the Google Maps app on his phone when he crashed into the woman.

The accident took place on a pedestrianized section of the Rambla del Carme thoroughfare. The scooter was moving at a speed of nearly 30 km/h, which is normal for this type of personal mobility device.

The woman fell and hit her head against the pavement. She was taken to Moisès Broggi Hospital in critical condition, and died a few days later. Several sources said that prior to the accident she had been in good health despite her advanced age, and that she went out for walks every day.

The victim was a familiar figure in the neighborhood, said Manoli, the manager of an upholstery store located on Rambla del Carme. “She was always going up and down with her walker. She was very well-known,” she said.

City bylaws

Several municipalities, including Madrid and Valencia, have already introduced rules banning the use of scooters on sidewalks. In August 2017 Barcelona moved to ban Segways and electrically-powered scooters and skateboards from the historic city center. And the Spanish traffic authority (DGT) is working on national guidelines.

Manoli, the store owner in Esplugues, wants these devices to be regulated in order to avoid new tragedies. “What happened to her could happen to anyone. When I see one of those scooters going by at full speed I get the shivers.”

The deputy director of mobility at Spain's traffic authority, Jorge Ordás told EL PAÍS that his department is looking to set a national speed limit for scooters at 25 km/h. 

How Electric Scooters Are Reshaping Cities

One of the biggest stories in technology this year is the exploding popularity of Bird, Lime, Skip, Spin and Scoot. They’re all electric scooter-rental services, and their vehicles are suddenly buzzing along city streets and sidewalks around the world. These start-ups allow riders to locate and unlock scooters with an app. When they reach their destination, they just walk away. Some drivers and pedestrians see the scooters as dangerous contrivances that must be stopped, while some urban planners consider them, along with bikes, the future of city transport.

1. What accounts for the rise of scooters?

Cars often aren’t the quickest way to travel in dense, urban areas. Many cities looked to bicycle-sharing services and bike lanes as a better option for shorter trips and as a way to reduce carbon emissions. Electric scooters, which can cost less than $2 per ride, are an offshoot of that.

2. How prevalent are scooters?

Bird operates scooter services in about 40 U.S. cities, while Lime is in 23. Bird kicked off the trend in late 2017 with its launch in Santa Monica, California, and suddenly it seemed scooters were everywhere. Scores of unattended vehicles on city sidewalks have resulted in pushback from people complaining of urban chaos, and some cities have started to cap the number of scooters they’ll allow.

3. What about outside the U.S.?

This year, Bird expanded to France and Israel. Lime has established a presence in France, Germany and Spain. Scooters are even more prevalent in parts of China, an early pioneer of the market. No company has been able to break into the U.K., however, because of strict laws that classify the scooters as motor vehicles requiring drivers’ licenses and subject to tax and insurance. Even then, regulators won’t allow scooters because they don’t comply with “normal vehicle construction rules.” Riding on the sidewalk isn’t an option, either, thanks to a 19th century law stipulating footpaths are for the sole use of pedestrians.

4. Who makes them?

For now, most sharing services aren’t building their own vehicles. Instead, they buy scooters from Chinese manufacturers, with various levels of customization, and then brand them.

5. Is this a profitable business?

It could be a short-lived fad. Even if it isn’t, scooter companies must have the capital to absorb costs beyond acquiring fleets of vehicles, including maintaining them and charging their batteries daily. There’s little reason for riders to be loyal to one company, and if rivals compete by lowering prices, they could shave away much of their margins. There’s also the question of how city regulations will affect scooter economics.

6. Are they legal?

From the beginning, Bird and Lime said they had learned the lessons of ride-hailing companies, which had alienated many city governments by launching without explicit permission. Then both companies mimicked the “ask for forgiveness, not permission” strategy. As a result, the scooter-sharing companies have faced bans or cease-and-desist orders in a handful of cities, and city lawmakers have been quick to regulate them by requiring permits, limiting the number of vehicles, awarding exclusive franchises and allowing scooters to be parked only in designated areas.

7. Is this the next chapter in the fight over ride-hailing?

Yes and no. The scooter industry is experiencing some of the same problems as ride-hailing, with aggressive start-ups butting heads with local governments. But there are key differences. With ride-hailing, entrenched taxi industries argued that unregulated upstarts had an unfair advantage. There is no such incumbent industry opposing scooters. Urban congestion and climate change have also made alternatives to automobiles more popular with city governments. The controversies over scooters may end up being just growing pains.

8. Is this the future of city transport?

It’s too soon to tell. Bike-sharing hasn’t had a revolutionary effect in most U.S. cities. In many places, weather will make scooters a seasonal activity at best. Also holding them back is the country’s deep-seated automotive culture. Unlike in Europe, riding a bike isn’t seen as something a serious adult does to get around town, let alone taking a scooter. Transportation experts think city governments could change that attitude with protected lanes, convenient charging stations and dedicated parking spaces for scooters.