E-scooter rentals present potential problems
By Letter to the Editor on May 26, 2021.
Editor:
On the surface, the e-scooter rentals in our city sounds like a fun idea. It has been reported that people who rent them have a tendency to shop more because they can get around better. I think that is debatable because you can carry only so much on these e-scooters.
However, if you peel back the next layer, I believe that there will be more negatives than positives. First of all, if the e-scooters are allowed in our downtown core we could see several of the e-scooters parked along the sidewalk while the people are inside shopping, if the shopping statement is truthful.
Oh, did I say parked on the sidewalk? I know that there is a sign on them that says they are not allowed on sidewalks but we know from past experience and witnessed many times during this pandemic, that some people are going to do what they want, regardless of the requirements in place. This will lead to an increased chance of personal injuries to pedestrians walking on the sidewalks.
Then there is the issue of collisions with vehicles as these e-scooters would be hard to see while driving. One just has to look at how hard it is to see motorcycles on occasion and they are larger than the e-scooters.
Another concern I see is the detriment to one’s physical health that the e-scooter could have. The demographic the e-scooter would appeal to I would think will be Millennials and Gen-Xers. It has been reported that obesity is problematic more so in these two generations therefore physical activity such as walking or biking should be encouraged.
Our city is designed to accommodate mostly multiple passenger motor vehicles at the present time and adding a small, one-person electrically powered vehicle into the mix in my view is asking for trouble.
Kent Perry
Lethbridge
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this cannot be a serious entry! is it april 1st again already?! thanks for a good chuckle.
the writer might have gone on to say that our already over taxed emergency response could not tolerate the consequent influx of hundreds daily: the result of the incredibly fit and buff non-youngest gens, who will seriously stub their toes despite athletically trying to sidestep the woefully obese youngest gens that now will further hog space on our already too congested downtown sidewalks whilst parking their e-scooters.
what is happening to lethbridge? first covid masks gag all of our freedoms, and then come e-scooters that will attract hell’s angels. perhaps the writer also overlooked that those scooter users will be too likely to loiter in hordes as they quaff down calorie packed vitamin water and make our downtown look busy.