Across the country, scooter rentals are becoming increasingly popular. However, the rentals might not be good news for residents. Find out what scooter rentals could mean for the frustrating traffic we experience n South Florida.
Why Scooter Rentals?
In 2016, a couple from Silicon Valley decided to launch a business that would revolutionize the transportation industry. They wanted to bring bike shares to major cities in the US. However, they soon changed their vision to include electric scooters.
With an electric scooter share program, cities allow individuals to rent a scooter for a short time. Then, they can drop it off at any dock. It gives people the freedom to get around cities like Miami with ease. You don’t need to sit in the city traffic, but you can still get around traffic. It’s also, more reliable and simple than public transportation.
The concept isn’t untested. In Miami electric scooter shares are already happening. It might not be long before other cities decide to catch on.
The Problem with Scooter Rentals
Many are finding out that scooter rentals might be more trouble than they are worth. The problem isn’t so much the scooters themselves, but the effect they have on traffic.
Miami traffic is bad enough without electric scooters. If you travel during peak time, you can expect to drive for an average of 27 minutes longer each day. Even when you’re not driving during rush hour, traffic patterns can be frustrating.
You might think that electric scooters would limit that traffic. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Scooter rentals can, and have, caused more harm than good. They tend to contribute to accidents, which makes traffic worse.
Wondering how something as innocent as an electric scooter can cause an accident?
Here are a few ways in which scooter rentals can cause car accidents:
1. They Break Down
The problem with electric scooters is their maintenance. Typically, the companies that offer these scooter rentals are small start-ups. Instead of relying on their small staff for providing scooter maintenance, they rely on third-party individuals. The scooters don’t always get the TLC they require.
Even with a dedicated staff, the company would have a hard time keeping track of the maintenance. It’s also impossible to know when a rider abuses the scooter and does damage that could lead to a malfunction. They can’t provide 24/7 maintenance.
2. They Ride on the Street
In many cities, electric scooters are not allowed on sidewalks. This forces riders to ride on the street in bike lanes. In cities like Los Angeles and Tampa, the bike lanes aren’t very narrow. Nor are there enough bike lanes to accommodate the scooters.
As a result, scooters and cars need to coexist. This isn’t always safe. Unfortunately, scooter riders and car drivers don’t always see eye to eye. Reckless scooter riders can swerve onto the road, which causes drivers to suddenly react.
3. Drinking and Riding
Just as drinking and driving is illegal, drinking and scooting is also illegal. However, scooter riders don’t always comply with the law and tend to feel safer on scooters. As a result, they are more likely to ride on a scooter while drunk. But the result can be the same — a serious car accident.
Working with someone who has knowledge of car accident law in Florida can help. You can always benefit from a lawyer for a car accident. [site lists lawyers throughout Florida]
