Why E-Scooters Are Taking Over Cities | Untangled

The latest transportation trend is electric scooters. People love them, people hate them, but who is actually responsible for them? “Brought to you by…” tells the story of two men who took matters into their own hands. Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/BroughtToYouBy

E-scooters are another shared form of transportation and more popular than bike-sharing programs. They're convenient and easy, but e-scooters are congesting streets and sidewalks.

It seems like e-scooters have been popping up everywhere in the last few years. Companies like Bird, Lime, and Ojo have placed their e-scooters in over 100 cities and towns around the world. And they're even more popular in the US than bike-sharing programs, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials. But, while those bike-sharing programs seem to have it all figured out, dock-less e-scooters have hit some speed bumps along the way.

The e-scooter premise is simple. You use an app to find and unlock a scooter near you, ride it where you need to go, and then leave it there for the next person. The company takes care of charging the battery and making sure the scooters are where they need to be. Pricing varies, but generally, there is an initial unlocking fee along with a per-minute fee. Some other additional fees are possible, like if you venture outside the scooter's "home zone." The scooters are designed to tackle transportation and congestion issues in towns and cities.

Sure, the scooters are a form of shared mobility and are convenient and affordable, but that doesn't mean they're perfect. Pedestrians, cars, bikes, pretty much everyone is trying to adapt to sharing the roads and sidewalks, while riders are confused about where to use them and what regulations to follow. Sidewalk, bike lane, or road? With traffic or against it? And then there's the question of parking. Without designated docking stations for e-scooters, they can end up in a pile, obstructing sidewalks and crosswalks. It's not so much the scooters themselves that are to blame, but the people behind the handlebars who choose to ignore the rules.

These aren't problems that can be easily ignored. And parking issues aren't the biggest concern when it comes to e-scooters.

MORE UNTANGLED CONTENT:
Everything Wrong With Wireless Chargers https://youtu.be/mNrXBao1pDo
Everything Wrong With AirPods https://youtu.be/U-SMQmnC2Cc
Everything Wrong With Touch Screen Laptopshttps://youtu.be/2UvnyXqB7cM

------------------------------------------------------

#EScooters #Commuting #TechInsider

Tech Insider tells you all you need to know about tech: gadgets, how-to's, gaming, science, digital culture, and more.

Visit us at: https://www.businessinsider.com
TI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techinsider
TI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tech_insider/
TI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/techinsider
TI on Amazon Prime: http://read.bi/PrimeVideo
INSIDER on Snapchat: https://insder.co/2KJLtVo

------------------------------------------------------

Why E-Scooters Are Taking Over Cities | Untangled