appeared on the streets of the CBD some time ago. They were bright lime green affairs.
I have absolutely no idea what the arrangements for using these "vehicles" were but I do know they were dangerous in that they are "silent". It is impossible to hear them above the noise of other traffic and pedestrians.
Now it could be said that my tricycle is "silent" too. It is why I go at walking pace on city streets. It is my duty to do this. I need to be constantly alert to the pedestrian traffic around me.
Not so the scooter riders. They were in and out and zipping around. If it had been possible to fly over the top of those so sloooooooow pedestrians they would have done it.
People who use wheelchairs, especially electric wheelchairs, have long realised that they need to share the footpaths with pedestrians. People with prams and strollers are usually aware too. Older people using walkers know it.
Why don't people on these electric scooters know it?
The company that was providing these lime green scooters has been booted out but not for the danger their scooters represented. They were kicked out for not observing the boundaries they were supposed to operate in. Now another company is moving in - or is it two companies?
Several people have asked me, "But what's the point of these things? Can't people just walk somewhere?"
It's a point. The CBD has "free transport" to certain places anyway. There are buses and trams which can get you to most places. If you are fit and able enough to use a scooter then surely you are fit and able enough to walk from where the bus or tram drops you to your destination.
Yes, I suppose these electric scooters are a novelty but they also seem to be pandering to the desire of people to get to their destination as rapidly as possible. And when they get there what will they do? Are there really that many people with "urgent" appointments? Are that many people really running so late they need to get somewhere in a hurry? What are people doing with all that time?
The elderly man waiting with me for the pedestrian light had a point when he said, "They'll forget what their legs are for soon - and put on weight as well."
Put on weight? I think I'll keep pedalling.
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3 comments:
So sad and so true. We have them on the sidewalks of West Los Angeles now, too. One of my objections is that they clutter up the sidewalk, while waiting to be hired. (There is a slot to stick a credit card into, and their location is monitored from "headquarters" by GPS, I assume). Ah, the pervasively annoying wonders of modern electronics. (At least it lets me share my grumbles with my good friend, Cat Downunder!)
Cat hair can be mildly annoying, but nothing can replace the sheer bliss of a purring cat curled up on your lap!
They should be parked out of the way!
I can put up with any amount of cat hair if a cat is talking to me
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