Scoot About Salt Lake City

Electric scooters are the trendy new way to travel for Utahns.

An+electric+scooter+from+the+brand+Bird%2C+one+of+the+big+public+use+scooter+distributors.+

Don Pritchett

An electric scooter from the brand Bird, one of the big public use scooter distributors.

In downtown Salt Lake City, you will find many people upon scooters,  zooming about the streets. Whether it’s to speed up a daily commute, or just for some nostalgic fun on the classic scooter, the electric scooter is becoming a common mode of transportation, especially for the city dwellers of downtown Salt Lake. 

These new scooters from brands like Lime and Bird present a number of different benefits; they are more environmentally friendly than a car, and are cost effective. The scooters also do not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. For an initial fee of $1, and 15 cents per minute to ride, short-to medium length trips cost around $3. Sophomore Lauren Lindula definitely supports this aspect of the scooters, stating, “If we have an environmentally friendly way to get around, we should definitely be using it.” 

However, a number of different problems have arisen with the scooters. They are dockless, meaning the previous rider is able to leave them wherever. In an ideal world, people would put them in unobstructive places that are also easily accessible to the public. But this world is nonexistent, and the scooters are open to vandalism and some are even left in the way of foot traffic or actual traffic. The scooters are also not allowed to be used on sidewalks, leaving only the road and bike lanes. This has potentially big safety risks, as scooters are harder for drivers to see on the road with no actual clear laws in place for scooter transportation, there’s a lot of room for accident and tragedy. 

Colleges especially are hotspots for scooters, and you can find one on nearly every street corner. This is an appealing method of transport for college students, given its low cost and accessibility. But even then, some students aren’t totally happy with it. “I see them all the time on campus, and I’ve almost hit about ten of them. They really shouldn’t be on the road,” said University of Utah student and JD alumnus Mariah Maynes. She believes the scooters are dangerous for drivers.

The concept of the electric scooter is still pretty new, and only recently have they been in the city for public use. There are still some rules about scooters that need explaining, but the idea is showing promise because of the environmental benefits. So, the next time you are driving in downtown Salt Lake, keep your eye  out as the streets are filling up with people zooming by on scooters.