The Scooter War
In San Diego, there's been some ugly confrontations between people hired to impound dockless scooters abandoned on private property and the people who are subcontracted to recharge their batteries. These incidents are only one part of a much larger conflict about these scooters, which do not require a fixed recharging dock at which they are rented and returned. Instead, their operation is based on a smartphone app, which means a person who wants to rent one can seek out the nearest one, unlock it, ride it to their destination, then log out and leave it.
Unfortunately, this means that a certain number of people will not take the time to consider the most appropriate place to actually put the scooter in the environment of their destination. Scooters have been left in handicap parking spaces, on disability access ramps, and right by the entrances of places of business. Not surprisingly, both business owners and customers have been annoyed by this sort of thoughtlessness by scooter users.
Eventually some sort of solution will have to be worked out so that users who leave scooters in appropriate places will be able to continue to rent them at need, but thoughtless scooter parking will be appropriately penalized to discourage their abuse.
Unfortunately, this means that a certain number of people will not take the time to consider the most appropriate place to actually put the scooter in the environment of their destination. Scooters have been left in handicap parking spaces, on disability access ramps, and right by the entrances of places of business. Not surprisingly, both business owners and customers have been annoyed by this sort of thoughtlessness by scooter users.
Eventually some sort of solution will have to be worked out so that users who leave scooters in appropriate places will be able to continue to rent them at need, but thoughtless scooter parking will be appropriately penalized to discourage their abuse.