She Was Excited About E-Scooters in Portland. Then She Broke Her Leg.

[Anonymous]

In Old Town at the smaller King Street Metro entrance I saw a man (who I assume is the father) riding one with a toddler in a backpack carrier on his back over the weekend on the sidewalk. People have lost their damn minds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a city other than DC I recently encountered a parent riding on one with his approximately 3 year old child, neither wearing helmets, at dusk and going top speed. Ridiculously unsafe.

These are the same parents who let their kids climb on railings at the zoo, and then blame the zoo for not protecting their kid when something happens. You can't fix stupid.

Not the PP, but... I can't fix stupid, true, but I also can't ignore it when it's barrelling toward me on a public sidewalk and I'm having to look for places to duck to avoid being hit by it.

These scooters put stupidity on wheels and accelerate it toward people who didn't ask to share the sidewalk with "alternative transportation."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in Old Town and it is not a disaster. The only disaster is the old cranky people that won't stop complaining about them on Next Door. Relax and go for a ride.

And YES they are an alternative mode of transportation. I have ridden them over to Del Ray and plenty of people ride them to the metro.

And FFS stop saying you "almost got hit" by one.

Use your damn legs to walk to Del Ray from OT. It's not that far. I'm an old fart at 37, but I hate the stupid things. They're eyesores, and people need to stop riding them on sidewalks, parks, and trails (they are not allowed on the MVT). I'd be fine with them if they had docks and there were far fewer of the ugly things, but as it is now, it's awful.

Lazy kids these days.

I like the people putting them on trash cans, or leaving their bags of dog poop on them. Not so much dumping them in the creeks - but I understand where people are coming from.

If a cyclist tells people who drive to man up and ride or walk or whatever, they are obnoxious elitists telling people how to live their lives.

But telling scooter users to walk instead is always fine. Because scooters are new and mostly used by young people, but cars are a pillar of old fashioned middle class suburbanism.

[Anonymous]

I love them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in Old Town and it is not a disaster. The only disaster is the old cranky people that won't stop complaining about them on Next Door. Relax and go for a ride.

And YES they are an alternative mode of transportation. I have ridden them over to Del Ray and plenty of people ride them to the metro.

And FFS stop saying you "almost got hit" by one.

Use your damn legs to walk to Del Ray from OT. It's not that far. I'm an old fart at 37, but I hate the stupid things. They're eyesores, and people need to stop riding them on sidewalks, parks, and trails (they are not allowed on the MVT). I'd be fine with them if they had docks and there were far fewer of the ugly things, but as it is now, it's awful.

Lazy kids these days.

I like the people putting them on trash cans, or leaving their bags of dog poop on them. Not so much dumping them in the creeks - but I understand where people are coming from.

If a cyclist tells people who drive to man up and ride or walk or whatever, they are obnoxious elitists telling people how to live their lives.

But telling scooter users to walk instead is always fine. Because scooters are new and mostly used by young people, but cars are a pillar of old fashioned middle class suburbanism.

Oh honey, you're not the victim you think you are. Especially when scooters left all over the place block sidewalks and paths used by people with disabilities. You scooter person, are almost certainly able bodied - if you are able to stand upright like that. And most scooter users in Alexandria are being used by tourists, or "for fun."

Get some exercise if you're able bodied. We have amazing infrastructure in Alexandria for pedestrians. Or did, before the scooters were left blocking paths and running stop signs and red lights.

[Anonymous]

Whenever I am in Old Town I see about as many correctly parked as wrongly parked. Despite the lack of good places to park them. A lot of the people complaining about them don't actually know how they are supposed to be parked - they can be next to a lamppost, not blocking the right of way, but if they are on the sidewalk "oh they are ugly, its clutter"

They are in fact no more ugly than parked cars. Which are everywhere. So then people shift back from "ugly" to "they block the sidewalk" People who don't spend anytime dealing with improving sidewalks around the city, getting police to enforce against drivers who block crosswalks, etc.

People say its about the handicapped - where are these activists when the problem with pedestrians signals that are too short for a disable person cross the street comes up? Where are they when visually impaired people fear crossing the speedways that afflict our city?

I am all for making the program work better. But most of the complainers are just people who hate the new, who hate the growth in tourism, and who have little interest in alternatives to cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in Old Town and it is not a disaster. The only disaster is the old cranky people that won't stop complaining about them on Next Door. Relax and go for a ride.

And YES they are an alternative mode of transportation. I have ridden them over to Del Ray and plenty of people ride them to the metro.

And FFS stop saying you "almost got hit" by one.

Use your damn legs to walk to Del Ray from OT. It's not that far. I'm an old fart at 37, but I hate the stupid things. They're eyesores, and people need to stop riding them on sidewalks, parks, and trails (they are not allowed on the MVT). I'd be fine with them if they had docks and there were far fewer of the ugly things, but as it is now, it's awful.

Lazy kids these days.

I like the people putting them on trash cans, or leaving their bags of dog poop on them. Not so much dumping them in the creeks - but I understand where people are coming from.

If a cyclist tells people who drive to man up and ride or walk or whatever, they are obnoxious elitists telling people how to live their lives.

But telling scooter users to walk instead is always fine. Because scooters are new and mostly used by young people, but cars are a pillar of old fashioned middle class suburbanism.

Oh honey, you're not the victim you think you are. Especially when scooters left all over the place block sidewalks and paths used by people with disabilities. You scooter person, are almost certainly able bodied - if you are able to stand upright like that. And most scooter users in Alexandria are being used by tourists, or "for fun."

Get some exercise if you're able bodied. We have amazing infrastructure in Alexandria for pedestrians. Or did, before the scooters were left blocking paths and running stop signs and red lights.

1. I am the PP you are responding. I am NOT a scooter user.

2. We have some pretty terrible infrastructure for pedestrians. Get out of Old Town and Del Ray. Try walking around the West End.

3. There are solutions to the parking issue. If people were serious, they would support those instead of opposing the program

4. We have plenty of other problems with access for people with disabilities that aren't scooters

5. Not sure about the usage. I saw several scooters in Arlandria the other day. Pretty sure they won't be used by tourists. Again, Alexandria is not just Old Town. I do see commuters using them in DC all the time, not sure why they can't be used that way in Alex. I bet when the metro shuts down some people will find them a handy way to get to the Crystal City metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whenever I am in Old Town I see about as many correctly parked as wrongly parked. Despite the lack of good places to park them. A lot of the people complaining about them don't actually know how they are supposed to be parked - they can be next to a lamppost, not blocking the right of way, but if they are on the sidewalk "oh they are ugly, its clutter"

They are in fact no more ugly than parked cars. Which are everywhere. So then people shift back from "ugly" to "they block the sidewalk" People who don't spend anytime dealing with improving sidewalks around the city, getting police to enforce against drivers who block crosswalks, etc.

People say its about the handicapped - where are these activists when the problem with pedestrians signals that are too short for a disable person cross the street comes up? Where are they when visually impaired people fear crossing the speedways that afflict our city?

I am all for making the program work better. But most of the complainers are just people who hate the new, who hate the growth in tourism, and who have little interest in alternatives to cars.

Listen, people are not using them as alternatives to cars, that’s a false ideology on a grand scale and a marketing scheme to try to excuse a business from dumping their product on the streets with no license, no regulation, and no upkeep. No one is commuting on them on the regular. Tourists aren’t coming just to DC or Alexandria over another destination because they can ride a scooter. People are riding them for fun and sh!ts and giggles and it’s all super fun until someone gets hurt.

Sorry you don’t like the look of parked cars, but cars are docked or else they’re towed. I can’t park my car in the middle of the sidewalk, bike path, in your yard, on a trash can, in the middle of the street. Get real.

Sorry you are trying to explain to handicap people what kind of standard they need to meet for you to have them be justified in their complaints. Do you ask the same of minorities when they complain about race issues? You need to check yourself on that.

[Anonymous]

Especially when scooters left all over the place block sidewalks and paths used by people with disabilities.

Cars CREATE people with disabilities. They also block crosswalks, bike lanes, and yes, curb cuts used by people with disabilities. But somehow not only is getting rid of them off the table, but even something like reducing the required number of parking spaces a developer has to build, or lowering a speed limit is an evil "war on cars".

[Anonymous]

Listen, people are not using them as alternatives to cars, that’s a false ideology on a grand scale and a marketing scheme to try to excuse a business from dumping their product on the streets with no license, no regulation, and no upkeep.

There is a study in Portland showing they are used as alternatives to cars.

No one is commuting on them on the regular.

I see people in business clothes on them in DC regularly on weekdays.

Sorry you don’t like the look of parked cars, Its as valid a concern as not liking the look of scooters.


but cars are docked or else they’re towed. I can’t park my car in the middle of the sidewalk, bike path, in your yard, on a trash can, in the middle of the street.

You park your car in one of the zillion parking spaces you are given out of the public right of way. If we gave scooters designated places to park on the side of the street, as ubiquitous as car parking is, we would not have a scooter parking problem.

Sorry you are trying to explain to handicap people what kind of standard they need to meet for you to have them be justified in their complaints. Do you ask the same of minorities when they complain about race issues? You need to check yourself on that.

If handicapped people (but this is DCUM, I have no idea if you are really handicapped) want to remove a source of mobility for others, they can expect people to argue back. Just as if I want cars banned because someone I know suffered permanent disability due to one I would expect people to argue back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Listen, people are not using them as alternatives to cars, that’s a false ideology on a grand scale and a marketing scheme to try to excuse a business from dumping their product on the streets with no license, no regulation, and no upkeep.

There is a study in Portland showing they are used as alternatives to cars.

No one is commuting on them on the regular.

I see people in business clothes on them in DC regularly on weekdays.

Sorry you don’t like the look of parked cars, Its as valid a concern as not liking the look of scooters.


but cars are docked or else they’re towed. I can’t park my car in the middle of the sidewalk, bike path, in your yard, on a trash can, in the middle of the street.

You park your car in one of the zillion parking spaces you are given out of the public right of way. If we gave scooters designated places to park on the side of the street, as ubiquitous as car parking is, we would not have a scooter parking problem.

Sorry you are trying to explain to handicap people what kind of standard they need to meet for you to have them be justified in their complaints. Do you ask the same of minorities when they complain about race issues? You need to check yourself on that.

If handicapped people (but this is DCUM, I have no idea if you are really handicapped) want to remove a source of mobility for others, they can expect people to argue back. Just as if I want cars banned because someone I know suffered permanent disability due to one I would expect people to argue back.

I know who you are now, you wrote the same thing on Justin Wilson's facebook page (but out of respect for DCUM I won't post your name). You are one of those uber bike fans, all bikes only your way, or nothing else at all, everyone else is wrong, and you really don't care about handicap people (except blind cyclists on Quaker/Seminary road). Shame on you, gain some perspective on others, and stop citing the same thing everywhere because you are outted man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I can’t park my car in the middle of the sidewalk, bike path, in your yard, on a trash can, in the middle of the street. Get real.

.

Surely you are kidding. Anyone who rides a bike around here any distance sees multiple cars parked or stopped in the bike lanes every day.

https://www.bikelaneuprising.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Listen, people are not using them as alternatives to cars, that’s a false ideology on a grand scale and a marketing scheme to try to excuse a business from dumping their product on the streets with no license, no regulation, and no upkeep.

There is a study in Portland showing they are used as alternatives to cars.

No one is commuting on them on the regular.

I see people in business clothes on them in DC regularly on weekdays.

Sorry you don’t like the look of parked cars, Its as valid a concern as not liking the look of scooters.


but cars are docked or else they’re towed. I can’t park my car in the middle of the sidewalk, bike path, in your yard, on a trash can, in the middle of the street.

You park your car in one of the zillion parking spaces you are given out of the public right of way. If we gave scooters designated places to park on the side of the street, as ubiquitous as car parking is, we would not have a scooter parking problem.

Sorry you are trying to explain to handicap people what kind of standard they need to meet for you to have them be justified in their complaints. Do you ask the same of minorities when they complain about race issues? You need to check yourself on that.

If handicapped people (but this is DCUM, I have no idea if you are really handicapped) want to remove a source of mobility for others, they can expect people to argue back. Just as if I want cars banned because someone I know suffered permanent disability due to one I would expect people to argue back.

1. If you violate the TOU of here, I will ask that the thread be deleted.

2. I take it you cannot actually answer my points above?

[Anonymous]

what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In DC scooters are being used for transportation, not for fun.

And they’re growing more popular, not less

Wait until someone will run into someone and you see the legal consequences. It is all fun and games. Sidewalks are for walking and not for riding. Anything that moves quietly and unexpectedly can be a disastrous. A walking person wearing earbuds or talking on the phone can make one step in the random direction not realizing there is a fast approaching scooter behind who's driver assumes that the person will walk forward in a straight line. Just like bikes have no place on sidewalks, so should not scooters. The only solution would be to create lines on a sidewalk like they are on a highway and so people would walk with them, change lines as cars and everybody would flow like a car traffic. Otherwise it is a chaotic place based on a traditions and freedom of movement. Add to it fast moving object with a person who is rushing forward with speed.

E=mc2

You bump into someone while walking, it is bad, you bump into someone riding on the scooter it may cost you everything you own in legal fees and then some. Scooters are VERY expensive in that regard. The unfortunate thing is that until enough people get hurt the scooter owners will frolic forward until they will find it to be too risky financially.

EASY FIX:
Scooters should be required to register with the DMV. They should have license plate like everything else that moves, and a person riding them should have a big white number on fabric like Marathon runner so if they ride in a dangerous way, they could be ticketed, reported and recorded. That would be the first step. Second step, the owners should pay insurance because if they hit someone, the person should have some legal recourse because injury can be serious to deadly with such a speed against a walking person. The insurance should be so high that
only super rich would be able to afford it and since they do not ride them in the first place, problem solved.