Picture this: you are enjoying a leisurely stroll on the sidewalk. Perhaps you are walking to your favorite class or going to hang out with friends. Your excitement suddenly turns to shock when an e-scooter veers past you at rapid speed. You barely have time to react because the e-scooter is already gone, swerving through crowds in the distance. Pedestrians should not have to be subjected to the fear of collision when walking on the sidewalk.
The main problem with scooters is the behavior of the riders themselves. Often, riders weave between pedestrians at high speeds. The prevalence of e-scooters on walking paths and sidewalks has turned peaceful campus walks into a dodging game. A highway driver performing the same tactics would surely get a ticket, but there is rarely punishment for scooter riders when it comes to pedestrian safety.
If e-scooters are unsafe for sidewalk use, then surely they are safe in bike lanes or in the shoulder, right? Not exactly. The high speed and small wheels of e-scooters make it harder to respond to an obstacle in the road. It is also easier to fall off a scooter compared to a bike, given the rider is already in standing position. The high speed of e-scooters can also be a nuisance to bikers who use bike lanes at a slower speed.
The lack of law enforcement against scooters is confusing when you consider that electric scooters are technically illegal in Pennsylvania. This is because the state considers them vehicles, and they lack necessary safety features like lights or rear-view mirrors. Motorized scooters must pass inspection at PennDOT just like any other vehicle on the road. This explains why Philadelphia lacks a shared E-scooter program like Lyft-operated Divvy in Chicago or Lime in DC.
Another issue when it comes to e-scooters is parking, as the shape of the scooter allows for less versatility when locking compared to bikes. Additionally, many places have restrictions on where scooters are permitted, as Drexel does not allow scooters inside of campus buildings. This has led to an increase in scooter thefts around campus. In light of this, Drexel has added specialized scooter racks throughout campus that allow a bike lock to be placed around its front wheel. But there is one glaring issue with the new scooter racks: they have replaced existing bike locks near busy locations. While there are still bike racks adjacent to the scooter racks, the message is clear: scooters are beginning to take priority over bikes, worsening our public safety and public health.
Traditional bikes are superior to e-scooters because they are an excellent workout. In the busy grind of academic life, it can be hard to find time for necessary cardiovascular activity. Biking provides a simple solution: turning your commute into exercise. In contrast, e-scooters provide no personal benefit besides getting to your destination. Bikes are also safer than e-scooters, with large wheels and wide handlebars that allow you to swerve past obstacles with ease.
And, the large size of bikes make them more visible to drivers, decreasing the risk of collision.
All said, e-scooters are the worst because of hazards to both pedestrians and riders themselves. But most importantly, e-scooters make you look foolish – walk or bike like the rest of us!