I recently discovered scooters (lime, bird, etc), and have to say that they now compete with walking for me.
upsides versus walking:
- 10x further distances - 10 blocks feels like 1, it's simply amazing. You can see parts of the city that are impractically far or bordered by boring/industrial zones.
upsides versus biking:
- slow enough to "take in" the sights, where biking definitely feels like you've "lost" something.
- more stable / feels safer
- much easier to stop & start, and easy to lock up for a few minutes.
- about the same speed as manual bikes (in practice) but slower than e-bikes
real downsides:
- safety: if there's no bike lanes, then scooters can become hazardous. In particular, because they travel quickly, you can be safe one minute and then quickly have conditions degrade. The risks of medical attention vary by city - developing countries can have limited medical care; US medical care is $$$$.
- disallowed & slow zones: it can be *VERY* annoying to have the scooter beeping at you, refuse to go, refuse to lock etc. And the GPS is imperfect, so you can be on the border of a legal zone and have it stop. I've had to walk scooters many times.
- cargo: tough to carry significant cargo, e.g. groceries quickly become hazardous.
perceived downsides:
- return-anxiety: what if there's no scooters? ==> rarely happens, but if so, then take an uber!
- range-anxiety: what if it runs out of juice? ==> I've ridden a lot and never come close...
- one scooter available for two people? ==> if you're careful, you can put two people on a scooter, then scoot to the next scooter (apps all have maps of available scooters)
Another real downside to scooters is to miss out on a low-intensity physical activity that makes your body feel good. A day of activity, walking or bicycling, does wonders.
Just now: 10,000 steps plus a scooter ride passed the boring parts of downtown which I'd already seen. Just ordered Persian food at a tiny place in a cute neighborhood there's no way I'd have walked to, and not on the subway line.
> I recently discovered scooters (lime, bird, etc), and have to say that they now compete with walking for me.
FYI, these are illegal to use in Japan without a license. They require the same license that low CC motor bikes/mopeds require in Japan. They also require license plates.
If Japan's law enforcement for this is anything like Germany's, this only applies if you're actually breaking traffic laws --- as in, the police will never stop you normally unless you cross a red or something, and only then they will fine you (for crossing a red + using a scooter without a license).
In my (relatively light) understanding, Japan in general doesn't really do selective enforcement. If they see you riding a scooter without a license plate they'll pull you over right away.
You even need a registration for your bike in Japan. As a foreigner you would be randomly pulled over to be checked. As for scooters, this is such a different way/level of experience than walking. They cant be compared. Personally I when using a scooter i’m more looking out for potholes than seeing anything of the city. Walking is so much slower and allows you to make meaningful connections also with the inhabitants of a place (even pickpockets ;)
Right, but these public e-scooters (like Bird, Lime, etc) all have license plates by default --- and that's why they generally won't pull you over unless you are breaking traffic rules. By all means, if it doesn't have a license plate at all I think you'd get pulled over in Germany also.
Japan’s law enforcement is nothing like Germany’s. As long as you’re on their good side they’re great but they have something like a 99% conviction rate and the punishments are harsh.
> upsides versus biking: - slow enough to "take in" the sights, where biking definitely feels like you've "lost" something.
Are you riding a road bike that requires you be hunched over/encourages high speeds or are you riding an upright city bike? Because I mostly ride the latter and I think it’s a lot closer to the experience you describe with scooters.
> - return-anxiety: what if there's no scooters? ==> rarely happens, but if so, then take an uber!
> - range-anxiety: what if it runs out of juice? ==> I've ridden a lot and never come close...
Perhaps you have not ridden one very far then. I have encountered both of these problems at once riding across a downtown thinking there will be more live scooters on the other side and ended up with quite a walking journey back, uphill.
I did this for a week in Paris (late 2019, there was a strike and the metro had like 2 functional lines). In the afternoon of Christmas Eve got a yen to go to Montmarte, grabbed a scooter near Etoile and in short order got to experience the C.E. mass at Sacré-Cœur. The enhanced mobility is amazing, and its a great way to explore various alleys and neighborhoods. Frankly I was pleasantly surprised at how the Paris drivers coexisted with us on scooters. I felt perfectly safe.
iirc, there is a lane for buses and bikes, which is mainly what I used. But then there are the circles and intersections, and narrower streets naturally only have so much space.
I remember seeing an Andy Rooney segment on 60 Minutes back when he was alive, and he bought a small motor scooter to navigate New York City with. I'll never forget his conclusion.
"It's too fast to be safe on the sidewalks, but too slow to be used in traffic. So I packed it back in its box and put it in a closet, never to be used again."
Walking is simpler and easier in most cases though. I find that the issue is more about how far people are capable of walking (e.g. fitness levels in much of Europe and Asia are better) and the fact that most people here have walked long distances from a young age.
upsides versus walking: - 10x further distances - 10 blocks feels like 1, it's simply amazing. You can see parts of the city that are impractically far or bordered by boring/industrial zones.
upsides versus biking: - slow enough to "take in" the sights, where biking definitely feels like you've "lost" something. - more stable / feels safer - much easier to stop & start, and easy to lock up for a few minutes. - about the same speed as manual bikes (in practice) but slower than e-bikes
real downsides: - safety: if there's no bike lanes, then scooters can become hazardous. In particular, because they travel quickly, you can be safe one minute and then quickly have conditions degrade. The risks of medical attention vary by city - developing countries can have limited medical care; US medical care is $$$$. - disallowed & slow zones: it can be *VERY* annoying to have the scooter beeping at you, refuse to go, refuse to lock etc. And the GPS is imperfect, so you can be on the border of a legal zone and have it stop. I've had to walk scooters many times. - cargo: tough to carry significant cargo, e.g. groceries quickly become hazardous.
perceived downsides: - return-anxiety: what if there's no scooters? ==> rarely happens, but if so, then take an uber! - range-anxiety: what if it runs out of juice? ==> I've ridden a lot and never come close... - one scooter available for two people? ==> if you're careful, you can put two people on a scooter, then scoot to the next scooter (apps all have maps of available scooters)