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E-scooter head injuries


shootingstar

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E-scooter share is very popular in my neighbourhood.  https://www.thestar.com/calgary/2019/09/18/calgary-doctors-push-helmets-as-e-scooter-injuries-send-an-average-of-six-people-to-hospital-a-day.html

We have 5 hospitals in our city.

I'm actually tired of planning my bike route just to avoid more of them.  I actually have greater trust in a wobbly cyclist because it takes certain skill and practice to even stay on a bike and not fall off.  A cyclist wouldn't even venture on a busy bike path. E-scooter gives the illusion that you can jump on for anyone.  Not discounting those who had a scooter for several years as a child.

Every single day when I'm riding I see at least several scooter riders with a child on front or another rider doubling up with them.  And people who clearly aren't comfortable with the balance thing on a scooter...

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We had 4-5 fatalities in a very short period of time. Two vics were the primary authors of their own demise (one overtook a right turning bus; the other ran a stop sign & t-boned a car), one was a hit & run (she was following her husband). At least 3 of the four were not wearing helmets.

They do not belong on the sidewalks. (one train of conversation)

The riders need to wear a freakin' helmet.

I think a lot of it is natural selection. Anyone who has ridden a bike or motorcycle knows how the general public behaves around them. Scooter riders, for the most part, appear to be noobs to the whole idea of riding in public.

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A guy I know from my days at the Newman Center (The 80's)..was in Denver for a conference..he is about my age and active..rented one to meet friends for lunch..no helmet...not sure it it excelled on it's own or what..I mean this is a guy who while adventurous is not a speedster doing foolish stuff..he ended up crashing into a wall (not something he would normally do..) I believe he is still in a rehab place with a brain injury..his crash happened in Feb or March.

Hospitals here are reporting 5 to 7 scooter injuries a day.

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1 hour ago, 2Far said:

The riders need to wear a freakin' helmet.

I think a lot of it is natural selection. Anyone who has ridden a bike or motorcycle knows how the general public behaves around them. Scooter riders, for the most part, appear to be noobs to the whole idea of riding in public.

Been a number of them around here too.  There has been quite a bit of discussion on it locally and a lot of it is the noobs combined with how the scooters work.  It's a twist throttle, so if/when you lose your balance, as you are falling backwards you inadvertently give it more throttle throwing the rider off the back and hitting their head, or they quickly grab the brake to try and compensate and catapult themselves off the front after locking of the front wheel and again on to their head.

I've played around on my kids scooters a lot and growing up on all kinds of motorized toys, I long ago mastered bailing off.  But given the above explanation, I can certainly see the problem with them for the inexperienced.  We are just one good lawsuit away from all these stupid scooters that are cluttering the sidewalks now from disappearing.

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1 minute ago, Indy said:

Been a number of them around here too.  There has been quite a bit of discussion on it locally and a lot of it is the noobs combined with how the scooters work.  It's a twist throttle, so if/when you lose your balance, as you are falling backwards you inadvertently give it more throttle throwing the rider off the back and hitting their head, or they quickly grab the brake to try and compensate and catapult themselves off the front after locking of the front wheel and again on to their head.

I've played around on my kids scooters a lot and growing up on all kinds of motorized toys, I long ago mastered bailing off.  But given the above explanation, I can certainly see the problem with them for the inexperienced.  We are just one good lawsuit away from all these stupid scooters that are cluttering the sidewalks now from disappearing.

If the city would just pass a helmet ordinance and fine the rider, the scooters would go away pretty quickly.   I imagine if they added a "helmet maid" sort of like the old meter maids, it could also be profitable.

I also wonder about helmet vending kiosks.   $2.50 to rent a helmet with lockers at key spots around the city.  Sort of like the self serve propane places.  Get a helmet and a hair cover and return the helmet or have the card tied to your phone app charged for replacement?  

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I have a definite love/hate relationship with scooters and folks using them.  They really are a wonderful resource that can get folks quickly from point A->B, but likewise, there is no "driver's license" which means almost any person can and will be using them.  I see dozens of folks on them every day when I am in the city, and for the most part, they are a non-issue.  The biggest issue I run into is related to the scooter-share schemes which result in scooters being place willy-nilly on the sidewalks. That isn't a problem with the scooters themselves, just the way the sharing system is run & regulated.

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25 minutes ago, Indy said:

Been a number of them around here too.  There has been quite a bit of discussion on it locally and a lot of it is the noobs combined with how the scooters work.  It's a twist throttle, so if/when you lose your balance, as you are falling backwards you inadvertently give it more throttle throwing the rider off the back and hitting their head, or they quickly grab the brake to try and compensate and catapult themselves off the front after locking of the front wheel and again on to their head.

And that itty-bitty front wheel is not designed for running over anything but fairly smooth pavement.

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24 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

They are addressing that issue:

IMG_8053.thumb.JPG.934907647f694d6a92589604de219d8d.JPG

That one also appears to have a rear brake and no front brake, which helps the catapult situation you get on the ones that only have a front.

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32 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

There were some many accidents or near accidents and pedestrian complaints, Virginia Beach banned them from the oceanfront area.  

When I lived there between Pacific and Arctic I thought they should ban cars from Atlantic Ave.  There were simply too many mindless, stoned and drunk people walking back and forth.

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1 hour ago, jsharr said:

People in Dallas are very responsible on the E scooters.
 

 

Pretty impressive that they go fast enough to be out in the left lane.

Or is Dallas one of those areas where the left lane is actually the slow lane and you have to pass everyone on the right?

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Just now, Indy said:

Pretty impressive that they go fast enough to be out in the left lane.

Or is Dallas one of those areas where the left lane is actually the slow lane and you have to pass everyone on the right?

Depends on the road and the time of day.  That area right there is dangerous as is the SW corner of downtown dallas and lots of highways converge there.  

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5 hours ago, Indy said:

That one also appears to have a rear brake and no front brake, which helps the catapult situation you get on the ones that only have a front.

I looked over a variety of them on my lunchtime walk, and it looks like many are rear braking now. Did see a front brake model (Spin scooters), but it looks like front (hand grip) and rear (foot) braking.

 

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I'm just amazed....people don't think of their life against a 1 ton car, given the scooter balance, etc.  And on those faster wide, 4-6 lane multi-lane roads with many cars. I find I can't even feel comfortable in the middle lane of multi-lane road.... on bike.  Unfortunately we have several 1 way roads in our downtown core....not at all pedestrian friendly, never mind for cyclists.

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