Korea Experiencing E-Scooter Problems
Korea is seeing the same problem many cities in the US are seeing with e-scooters just strewn around all over the place on sidewalks:
Electric scooters, an innovative eco-friendly form of transportation, have gained increasing popularity in Korea since their sharing platforms were commercialized in 2018. (………)
Korea Times
Users can unlock an e-scooter on the street by scanning a QR code using their smartphone, ride to their destination and park it there after their trip. Unlike rental bicycles, e-scooters do not have designated parking areas they should be returned to.
The “dockless” scheme is what makes the personal mobility devices convenient for riders, but on the other hand, it creates inconvenience for pedestrians, who frequently find pathways blocked by e-scooters left standing in the middle of sidewalks.
You can read more at the link, but Seoul plans to start issuing fines to e-scooter operators with improperly parked scooters.
I wish the US had such few problems we could worry about E-Scooters.
“Seoul plans to start issuing fines to e-scooter operators with improperly parked scooters.”
This is a wise move by Seoul.
Depending on the real goal, selective enforcement can be used to:
– satisfy the population that Something Is Being Done while doing nothing
– bully the e-scooter companies into doing anything they want with threats to enforce it
– develop yet another perpetual revenue stream by enforcing it just enough the e-scooter companies decide to just quietly write it off as yet another business expense
– complete enforcement to insure the e-scooter companies are put out of business to satisfy lobbiests with deeper pockets
The solution is probably MOAR GOBBERMENT!
But, for now, I love the scooters.
With all those little wheels, motors, batteries, controlling electronics, and a bit of structural framework, when I throw my GPS/3G blocking screenwire Faraday cage sack over them and take them home for disassembly, I find I am one step closer to having my full-scale Jawa sandcrawler complete.
I feel sorry for the investors who foolishly bought into the pyramid scheme. Even the greedy sods who deserved to go broke.
At our son’s university when you are done using the scooter you take a photo to show it is parked in a position that doesn’t obstruct the sidewalk.
“take a photo to show it is parked in a position that doesn’t obstruct the sidewalk.”
I see a bright future in moving properly parked scooters into the walkway.
Do you think the taxi companies or Uber will pay enough to make this a full-time job?