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kids never even pretending to wear helmets on these things
someone i know was going for a walk and chanced upon a mangled child waiting for EMS to show up
52 per cent of all e-scooter injuries we’re seeing involve riders below the legal age
Do they at least give these people and their kids some sort of traffic rules class or something?
I don't know what the answer here is, it seems like a job for Public Health.
Give away free bicycles? What was wrong with bicycles?
Everything around them is built for cars. When that's the case, and you have no car (are underage to drive) you essentially have no freedom because you can't go anywhere or do anything. Bikes are great, they are also exhausting and impractical to cover the distances that cars can. An e-scooter can get you there faster than a bike and without being exhausted. I think it gives these kids a taste of freedom and independence that they crave.
So lazy.
What was wrong with bicycles?
Lazy people, shitty parents.
Good thing the auto industry is funding fear mongering against automated forms of mobility!
She said collisions with motor vehicles is definitely the most dangerous aspect, but in all situations, these scooters require a certain level of skill and balance.
I love how they're going out of their way to not admit this whole article is actually about cars running over kids on scooters.
I hate how much we protect drivers from accountability for their actions. If I go out and stab a kid for no reason I'm in jail for decades. If I run over enough kids on scooters they'll write whole-ass articles arguing that "scooters are unsafe"
But that is not even what the article is saying. Read what you quoted. The article is about kids to young to legally ride these riding them and getting in accidents. Or they require a helmet and don't wear one. The bikes have helmets attached to them why cant the scooters.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that cars are running over these kids. Kids are naive and trust that cars aren't trying to run then over so they'll make stupid decisions (for our car brained society that lets people drive until they drop dead without annual testing).
Then look at the types of injuries, you're not cracking your skull or lacerating your abdomen falling off a kid's scooter that basically go human running speed (18-30km/h) MAX.
Then we have doctors taking about "sprains" and "concussions" typical falling off your e scooter injuries, but that the worst injuries are car related and it's pretty easy to see what's happening even with the blatant pro car bias this article has.
The should upgrade the infrustructure to be less shit.
That's your takeaway from this? Alarming rise in head injuries aren't related to lack of helmet culture, but infrastructure?
Yes, infrastructure is all designed for cars. Even footpaths are designed around cars. Though they could also require scooters to have larger wheels.
Falls can be caused due to shitty infrastructure. Absolutely we need to improve helmet culture, but better infrastructure improves safety overall.
Sure, yes. Obviously we want better quality paving, marked crossings, and safe places to use scooters.
However, it was pretty clear from the article that these injuries are due in large part to:
I'm not saying the infrastructure being improved wouldn't help, but you can upgrade it (the infrastructure) as much as you like, but head injuries will still occur unless kids start wearing helmets.
Not a fan of e-scooters personally. Would prefer ebikes ANY day. You are more likely to get hurt on a scooter than bike because of the way you are positioned on the device, and I'm pretty sure the only reason they're popular now is because they're cheaper for the rental companies.
Again, I'm in favour of bikes and ebikes and dedicated bike paths. Not a fan of e-scooters where they dump you on sidewalks and roads and tell you "good luck".
I've owned a private e-scooter for many years and have been using it more often over the last year despite the fact that I also use my bikes for pretty much everything.
The main advantages that I would say put e-scooters ahead of ebikes is the extremely low maintenance, extremely high portability, and the general lower cost of entry, even to get a fairly decent one.
These scooters do lack carrying capacity, and obviously you aren't getting a workout like you would even on an ebike. However, for short trips where the goal is to get to your destination without sweat and to be able to very neatly tuck this pretty much anywhere, then I think they absolutely have their place.
There had been a sharp increase in e-scooter riders this year, but we also have a rideshare e-scooter program that hasn't been implemented yet this year due to some kind of contract negotiation issue. So I think a lot of people are just purchasing their own and using them instead of cars or public transit. So on one hand, it's actually a good thing, but on the other hand, I also find that almost none are wearing helmets and quite a few are riding dangerously on sidewalks.
So there's still a lot to learn. But this is fairly new tech, and there are going to be growing pains.
Younger children on these is dangerous, though. These are nothing like your traditional kick scooter that kids would normally be riding.
What province? As some, private escooters are technically illegal to ride on the road or sidewalk they made exceptions for the company ones.
What province?
Ontario, which allows them under a pilot project for any municipalities who participate. In my case, I believe all of Durham Region allows them.
Honestly, people should care less about e-scooters and more about the cars who are actually killing people. And the gas powered MOTORCYCLES on pedestrian and cycle trails.
Edit: I was using my e-scooter(s) before the Region participated in the pilot, and was never harassed about it. I also don't ride like a jackass, so there wouldn't have been anything for anyone to complain about.
You're talking about private ownership. I'm talking about the rental scooters. I don't care if people own them as long as they aren't the ones going 80km/h.
My problem is with the rental scooters people don't know how to control/brake and squeeze on 2 people.
Yeah, rentals are a bit of a nuance around here too, but probably because they are still a novelty for many.
IMO, if you're the type of person who rents often, it's probably better to buy an e-scooter. The convenience, money saved, and comfort/performance benefits are going to be a massive advantage.
But I'd rather see idiots on rental e-scooters than idiots in multi-ton cars.
It's a nuisance everywhe but they must be making bank to be able to absorb all the losses from trashed scooters.
Yes, ultimately I agree with you. Micro mobility is far preferable to cars. It would be a better world if everyone was getting around on e-scooters.
I ride an e-bike, but a scooter is tempting. The biggest reason? Theft and parking. When I take my bike, I have to spend a few minutes at every destination finding a bike rack, finding spot, and then awkwardly locking the bike up thoroughly. Then I have to also remove the lights to my bike, as those will get stolen if I don't take them with me. So I have to find a parking space, maneuver my bike, remove and pack away the lights, and lock the bike up with a cable and u-lock. Oh and often this is in uncovered bike parking. And I live in the PNW where it's raining half the year. In contrast, with a scooter I can just take it right in with me to whatever building I'm going into. A scooter just sounds like a whole lot less hassle.
I only see 1 in 10 kids wearing a helmet
I see a lot of people wearing helmets on bikes or ebikes. Not sure i have ever seen someone with a helmet on a scooter.
I'm one of them! Only takes one bad blow to the head to kill or cripple you for life, no thank you.
I see most kids under 10 wearing a bicycle helmet. Of course, kids under 10 shouldn’t be riding these, as they’re designed to carry heavier loads.
Anyone 16 or older? It grabs my attention if they ARE wearing a helmet.