Pittsburg city commissioners will vote Thursday on whether to permit the electric scooter company VeoRide to distribute 20-30 scooters about town.
Patrons would be able to rent the e-scooters for $1 per 15 minutes via their smartphones.
Most people view the motorized vehicles as recreational, though manufacturers tout them as an efficient means of transportation.
They are not, however, without their dangers, including, operators are not required to wear helmets or other protective gear such as knee or elbow pads despite the fact that the vehicles can reach speeds between 15 and 35 mph. And, like bicycles, they are poorly visible to motorists.
E-scooters are typically distributed around college towns or those with lively entertainment districts and as such lend themselves to being used more frequently by those under the influence of drugs or alcohol. That is a dangerous combination.
THE APPEAL of the scooters is that you can take them for a spin on a whim, which is why so few riders are adequately equipped with protective gear.
Another perk of the scooters is that they can be left anywhere. At days end, hired hands retrieve the devices by tracking them down using GPS technology.
If Pittsburg gives VeoRide the green light, the scooters initially would be restricted to its downtown area and the campus of Pittsburg State University, according to Jay Byers, deputy city manager.
Though injury statistics are still in their infancy, emergency room visits due to e-scooter accidents run the gamut from serious head injuries to broken bones and scrapes and bruises. In 2017, seven deaths were due to e-scooter accidents and another 1,500 visits to the hospital, according to a study by Consumer Reports.
One reason for a high number of accidents notwithstanding that the vehicles provide no protection is that they are easily thrown off course due to minor things such as bumps in the road, a stray rock, an incapacitated driver or, heaven forbid, an inattentive motorist.
Designed to be driven by a single individual, many riders double up, on the scooters, compromising their maneuverability even more.
Because of the growing popularity of e-scooters, some municipalities are trying to head off their inherent dangers by providing free helmets at strategically placed kiosks as well as providing them to hotels and municipal offices.
Others, though, have decided not to take the risks. After a years trial with seven companies and one scooter-related fatality Nashville has banned e-scooters. Following suit are Washington, D.C., Winston-Salem, N.C., West Hollywood, Calif., and Columbia, S.C.
IF PITTSBURG follows the trend, lets hope they impress upon users the importance of wearing protective gear, reminding them that the best offense is a good defense.
Susan Lynn
