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Electric Scooters in Austin

Silky Johnston

By Silky Johnston
in Food and Travel

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Silky Johnston

Silky Johnston 2

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Forgive me if there is already a thread.  I searched and don't know how reliable the search feature is on here yet.

Scooters in Austin

Anyway-- I just rode one of those electric scooter things. There was one by my office and so I downloaded the app and gave it a shot.  I rode Bird.  Two thoughts...

1)  Someone is going to get really hurt riding these things.  I'm not a bike rider and I don't know the "rules of the road" so I felt very unsafe and like a car or bus was going to hit me any second.  I never really gave thought to how you're supposed to turn left when the bike lane is the far right lane.

2)  As a criminal defense attorney-- I look forward to representing someone that gets a DWI on one of these things.

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BottleRocket

BottleRocket 647

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These things are really taking off.  It won't be long until death by scooter is a regular occurrence around town.   Are these things supposed to be ridden on the sidewalk or the street?  I see both.  

If scooter people ride in bike lanes do the bike crazies rag on the scooties?  Is there a new pecking order on the streets?

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wood

wood 11577

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14 hours ago, Deej said:

Fuck the assholes that ride them on the sidewalks. I've seen too many to count just blow through pedestrians. I'm going to clothesline the next one that tries to force me out of their way. 

Just don't give way. Then lower your shoulder.

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wood

wood 11577

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14 hours ago, BottleRocket said:

These things are really taking off.  It won't be long until death by scooter is a regular occurrence around town.   Are these things supposed to be ridden on the sidewalk or the street?  I see both.  

If scooter people ride in bike lanes do the bike crazies rag on the scooties?  Is there a new pecking order on the streets?

It's a free-for-all. They're in the street, in the bike lanes, on the sidewalk. Fucking everywhere, doing whatever the fuck they want.

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DaysOff

DaysOff 8004

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My family rode them all over down town San Diego and Pacific Beach and had a great time. Still, they’re an accident waiting to happen 
I just got back from San Diego and counted 6 companies renting those scooters and bikes you unlock with their app for a buck an hour. Don't really understand the profitability of that business model. A homeless guy tossed one over a fence next to I5 so they're sick of them too.
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Napoleon

Napoleon 8710

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I'm a big bicycle lane proponent, but still believe that all bikes should have blinking lights on them Night AND Day. I also feel that bikes need to obey the intersection laws when they approach an intersection.

I'm a proponent of pedestrians having the right of way, but. also believe that when pedestrians DO NOT have the light that they deserve what happens to them. I also believe that if you are an able bodied person, you should move your ass as quickly as possible when cars are waiting for you to walk before they can turn/pass on through. Slow walkers who are out to prove a point might deserve to be mowed down.

I'm a huge fan of these electric scooters, but I DO NOT think that the should be abandoned in random yards and they should only go on bike paths. They should also observe all traffic laws and if they do not, then they deserve to be mowed down AND they should have to pay for the replacement of the destroyed property.

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mycox

mycox 582

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I love them. I liked riding them so much in Santa Monica I bought one when I got back home in Houston. It's great for riding around town, and riding to and from work. It's quicker than driving and you don't sweat like you would riding a bike.

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Hank_Hill

Hank_Hill 18994

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On 7/23/2018 at 7:24 PM, mycox said:

I love them. I liked riding them so much in Santa Monica I bought one when I got back home in Houston. It's great for riding around town, and riding to and from work. It's quicker than driving and you don't sweat like you would riding a bike.

I mean, it shouldn't be if you're obeying traffic laws, right?

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8710

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On 7/23/2018 at 6:24 PM, mycox said:

I love them. I liked riding them so much in Santa Monica I bought one when I got back home in Houston. It's great for riding around town, and riding to and from work. It's quicker than driving and you don't sweat like you would riding a bike.


ANSWER: Electric Bike

You cruise to work (without sweating) and then you actually get some exercise riding home (with sweating).

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mycox

mycox 582

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8 hours ago, Hank_Hill said:

I mean, it shouldn't be if you're obeying traffic laws, right?

I take the back streets with little traffic. Although I'll admit I run a few stop signs and traffic lights. I'm a responsible rider though.

6 hours ago, Napoleon said:


ANSWER: Electric Bike

You cruise to work (without sweating) and then you actually get some exercise riding home (with sweating).

The scooter is more fun. Plus I'm not a fan of electric bikes and they are expensive.

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Hank Scorpio

Hank Scorpio 17731

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On 7/23/2018 at 7:24 PM, mycox said:

I love them. I liked riding them so much in Santa Monica I bought one when I got back home in Houston. It's great for riding around town, and riding to and from work. It's quicker than driving and you don't sweat like you would riding a bike.

It is harder to get to work with the crowds of women chasing after you all trying to fuck the middle aged guy going to work on an electric scooter? 

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mycox

mycox 582

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A 2 ton car won't flatten me because I always look for traffic. Stop signs are a bit dangerous because drivers  aren't used to seeing a scooter zoom across at 15 MPH. I always yield to the cars.

The scooter sure isn't sexy, but the ladies like it once they get on. It's actually a good bar pickup tool.

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8710

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2 hours ago, mycox said:

I take the back streets with little traffic. Although I'll admit I run a few stop signs and traffic lights. I'm a responsible rider though.

The scooter is more fun. Plus I'm not a fan of electric bikes and they are expensive.

1) How much are electric scooters? I thought that they were over $500, but I don't know.

 

2 hours ago, Orange^White said:

Where do you put the electric bike when you get to work? How do you get it up the elevator?

2) You fold your bike and take it on the elevator and then sit it next to your desk/cubicle/work space.

Black7_grande.jpg?v=1527265340

https://sondors.com/products/sondors-fold-new?variant=39568668238

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52-80

52-80 19277

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On 7/25/2018 at 6:46 PM, Napoleon said:

1) How much are electric scooters? I thought that they were over $500, but I don't know.

 

2) You fold your bike and take it on the elevator and then sit it next to your desk/cubicle/work space.

 

https://sondors.com/products/sondors-fold-new?variant=39568668238

200-800$.  The cheap ones have pathetic speed and range of 10 (mph and mi). 

The newest one on the market are 15-20.  Not sure who the true OEM/ODM is, but its most popularly sold as "Xiaomi M365" which goes for 500 flat on Amazon.  Its the exact model used by Birds.  Segway has one called S3 with similar specs but they're selling for 800 or so.

 

I'm getting one.  Full-sized electric bikes are too big, heavy, and expensive (for my purpose).  They're a bit cumbersome to fit in the subway and even if legal, other passengers find it pesky.  Folding bikes are better but the Bromptons (the "real" ones) are $2000+, and the cheap ones are going to be hasslesome to maintain.  And in the summer it's a sweat to pedal that shit.  

 

E Scooter would be perfect for zipping around and still see the city and and catch fresh air

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3adays

3adays 454

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Saw a chick on the sidewalk of Guadalupe near Lavaca Plaza parking garage take a tumble off one and spill out into the street. Construction truck going south on Guadalupe locked up his breaks and came to a stop with the chick laying about 3 feet from his front tires. I think the only thing that saved her was that she was hot. Construction worker had to have been watching her the whole time. I know I was 

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8710

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, 3adays said:

Saw a chick on the sidewalk of Guadalupe near Lavaca Plaza parking garage take a tumble off one and spill out into the street. Construction truck going south on Guadalupe locked up his breaks and came to a stop with the chick laying about 3 feet from his front tires. I think the only thing that saved her was that she was hot. Construction worker had to have been watching her the whole time. I know I was 

No blurry While You Were Driving pic?

WTF!

 

2 hours ago, wood said:

HS kid from across the street said he saw someone get hit by a car today while riding one. Dunno how bad. Said it was the rider's fault. 


Not shocked.

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105570

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They're on every damned sidewalk downtown (I walk and drive downtown a good bit).  Have almost been run down/run over while walking on the sidewalk, and have almost been hit/hit one coming out of nowhere in my car several times.  For example, if you are exiting a parking garage, you look for street traffic (cars, bikes, etc.), and if clear, you check for NEARBY pedestrian traffic (people on the sidewalk move slower, so it if they're more than 30 feet away, they're not a threat/risk).  Except when those people are in scooters, in a crowd.  I look see pedestrians 50 feet away, I start to pull out....and nearly get hit by a scooter on the sidewalk hauling ass.

It's not the scooter's fault.  It ain't my fault.  It's putting a parade of dumbasses on the scooters and letting them dumbass out there.  Which they are doing, at a professional level.

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52-80

52-80 19277

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12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

They're on every damned sidewalk downtown (I walk and drive downtown a good bit).  Have almost been run down/run over while walking on the sidewalk, and have almost been hit/hit one coming out of nowhere in my car several times.  For example, if you are exiting a parking garage, you look for street traffic (cars, bikes, etc.), and if clear, you check for NEARBY pedestrian traffic (people on the sidewalk move slower, so it if they're more than 30 feet away, they're not a threat/risk).  Except when those people are in scooters, in a crowd.  I look see pedestrians 50 feet away, I start to pull out....and nearly get hit by a scooter on the sidewalk hauling ass.

It's not the scooter's fault.  It ain't my fault.  It's putting a parade of dumbasses on the scooters and letting them dumbass out there.  Which they are doing, at a professional level.

Half city's fault and half rider's fault.  

These things are capable of 20-30kph.  That's bicycle speed, and thus best blended to bike traffic.  City's fault for not having better bike infrastructure.

If scooterers are riding on the sidewalk (as sometimes a bicyclist might), then it's the operator's duty to keep reasonable speed.

 

Just like driving on the freeway.... simply driving fast isnt the danger.  driving too fast or too slow relative to traffic is the danger.

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BurdineBandit

BurdineBandit 815

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22 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

Just like driving on the freeway.... simply driving fast isnt the danger.  driving too fast or too slow relative to traffic is the danger.

I'd add driving too fast or slow relative to the danger level. Saw a cyclist hauling ass down Dean Keeton a few weeks ago (westbound, all downhill coming from 35) going the same speed as me around red river, 35-40 mph bc she was pedaling fast as shit, not 1 minute later she runs straight into an SUV that turned right across her on San Jac. She must have still been going about 25 mph even after trying to brake. Felt bad, was probably the SUV's fault, but if you're on a bike you should ride at speeds relative to your ability to brake, and relative to the amount of danger being on a bike surrounded by cars entails. If I'm going 35 in my car I can brake probably half the time she can on her bike. And she paid for it.

Same with scooters, I hate that they're downtown on some streets without bike lanes and not blending into traffic like *responsible* cyclists would do. Had a couple squeeze into a lane with me scare the shit out of me. Should've just followed me, or even cut me off, at least I'd understand that, but I suppose the more accident posts we see on this thread will help in sorting out the dumbasses.

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Deej

Deej 77169

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5 hours ago, Deej said:

I'm guessing this involved one of these electric scooters, although it's not clear from the Statesman's usually award-winning reporting. We may be close to our first fatality. 

 

https://www.statesman.com/news/woman-critically-injured-after-scooter-wreck-south-austin/Ko6Uy31Xc451JetLZSAEJP/

Lady was on a moped, not electric scooter. Nice work, AAS. 

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8710

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On 8/5/2018 at 7:14 AM, Biff Tannen said:

These things are like cockroaches in this city.  Most of the people I see riding them look like they are a couple of seconds from eating it.

 

7 hours ago, Deej said:

I'm guessing this involved one of these electric scooters, although it's not clear from the Statesman's usually award-winning reporting. We may be close to our first fatality. 

https://www.statesman.com/news/woman-critically-injured-after-scooter-wreck-south-austin/Ko6Uy31Xc451JetLZSAEJP/

 

1 hour ago, Deej said:

Lady was on a moped, not electric scooter. Nice work, AAS. 


I was just going to say that this is starting to sound like summer vacationers on Greek islands who rent mopeds and end up in the hospital with a significant amount of skin gone and possible broken bones.

I am amazed at how stupid people are. The scooters seem like a lot of fun, but either got 5mph-8mph on a sidewalk while constantly looking out for pedestrians and people/cars popping out of doors & driveways or ride 20mph in a bike lane and try to wear something highly visible so that you don't get kilt[sic]!

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8710

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4 hours ago, BurdineBandit said:

I'd add driving too fast or slow relative to the danger level. Saw a cyclist hauling ass down Dean Keeton a few weeks ago (westbound, all downhill coming from 35) going the same speed as me around red river, 35-40 mph bc she was pedaling fast as shit, not 1 minute later she runs straight into an SUV that turned right across her on San Jac. She must have still been going about 25 mph even after trying to brake. Felt bad, was probably the SUV's fault, but if you're on a bike you should ride at speeds relative to your ability to brake, and relative to the amount of danger being on a bike surrounded by cars entails. If I'm going 35 in my car I can brake probably half the time she can on her bike. And she paid for it.


I'm a big cycling fan, but I'm also completely aware of how invisible bikes are on the road (at least in the USA).

I have a friend who frequently commutes to work in San Francisco from the Haight District to the Central Business District and a year or two ago he got taken out by a car while riding in a bike lane. My friend broke his collarbone and it took a number of months to get healthy. I asked him if he had lights on his bike, but he was in mid-explanation of something and he kept on texting without addressing that question (don't even know if he saw my question).

I believe that if you are going to ride a bicycle near cars, you should have flashing lights on the FRONT & BACK of your bike, even during daylight hours, because if the driver of a car/truck/SUV glances to see if traffic is coming, s/he is not looking to see if less than 200 lbs of a slim profile is coming, that person is looking to see if one or more vehicles weighing 1.5 to nearly 3 tons is coming and if they see an opening, they are going to go. A flashing light will increase the chances of the cyclist catching the driver's eye ten fold! [I just made up that stat, but there's probably a stat out there.]

I ride on a bike/jogging/horse path near where I live now in Denver and I still put on my blinking lights during the day and use a bell when I'm coming up on a blind curve. When riding with my friends' 7 year-olds or if I'm going to go out onto the road some, I also make sure to wear either a fluorescent shirt or at least something very colorful. I also no longer fly though 4-Way Stops like I did in my teens, because if someone else also is ignoring the signs/doesn't see them, then you be dead.

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