Anonymous
By John M, old codger from Isla Vista
I have noticed the number of scooters getting lower and lower in Isla Vista. Recently I saw only one dead Lime leaning against a garbage can in an alley on my walk. It looks as though my adventuring days are over, sigh. At age 80 I wanted to fly along the streets of Isla Vista like/on a Bird. So after three tries, I managed to take off and hurtle down an alley.
I had read the instructions carefully and started reaching for the brake handle to slow down. BUT THERE WAS NO BRAKE HANDLE. So I decided that rather than hitting a wall at 15 mph, I would bail out, so deliberately fell off the scooter.
Later I realized the scooter I had chose had a brake BUTTON, not a handle. Of course, I skinned my knee but now it’s healed. My kids have told me I am not allowed to ride a scooter again . I have been tempted but now the temptation has been removed. Where did all the scooters go?
I hope there is scooter heaven somewhere for them to go to. But freedom is back. We can walk the sidewalks again without pushing against the scooter debris. But I am feeling sad. The opportunity for me to hurtle down an alley and skin my knee again is GONE.
Why would anyone think stealing anything is an acceptable way to behave? Imagine someone coming to your place and stealing whatever they felt they wanted/needed.
@12:50 does it really matter? Still wrong and illegal.
John Heywood, in 1546, was credited with penning: “But there is no foole to the olde foole, folke saie.” If my octogenarian parent told me s/he’d had tried out one of those scooters, I would take that parent by the ear, put him/her to bed with no supper and then allot several different kinds of unsavory chores per day for two months. A curfew would be in place for the two months and no dessert for a month. When an oldie falls and breaks a hip or collar bone or shoulder or wrist or ankle (you get the idea), it’s the relatives and caregivers that have to suffer all the extra care, including transportation and food service. OP: try skydiving or hang-gliding instead. At least then if there’s a “surprise” result, maybe your friends and relatives can have the satisfaction of throwing you a nice memorial: “He died doing what he loved.”
Not screwing anyone. These companies dump this garbage on streets with no announcement and no business license. It’s no different than your neighbor throwing an old mattress or TV on the street corner.
The scooters are all likely piled up in a few IV apartments. The business model for rechargers encourages hoarding them until they are nearly dead as you get much more money the longer they remain uncharged. They are also pretty easy to hack so many have probably become personal transportation devices. I’m on the lookout for an abandoned one so I can use the batteries in my ebike project.
I know some people found these to be a nuisance and an eye sore, but I’m happy that you were able to use them and had a little fun! I’m sorry that you hurt your knee, but I’m glad you’re mended and back on your feet. Everyone needs a little adventure, no matter what your age. Be well, and thank you for your story. 🙂
Thanks for the explanation, but your plan to STEAL is lame. When someone steals one of these and the scooter company realizes their scooter is “off the network”, the last person to rent it (who didn’t lock it up) is charged for the price of a new scooter. So while you might think you are stealing from a faceless corporate entity, you are actually screwing a single real person over. Reconsider your plan, it is NOT that expensive to buy your own e-bike batteries.
I saw one yesterday at Rite Aide on South Milpas..