Micromobility devices are generally inexpensive to buy and own, are quiet, non-polluting, convenient and a relatively quick transportation option, a reader said
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The recent discussion relating to micromobility devices (e-scooter, e-bikes, mobility scooters etc.) omits to mention the benefits this type of transportation provides. An outright ban would be difficult to enforce as their popularity increases.
Micromobility devices are generally inexpensive to buy and own, are quiet, non-polluting, convenient and a relatively quick transportation option for many people of all ages and abilities.
They take very little room on the road and can be easily parked is very small spaces. For short distances in an urban environment, they just can’t be beat. For many, the cost of car ownership is out of reach and public transit is just too slow, inconvenient and you must set your schedule to the bus schedule.
As their use increases we are bound to see more conflict and crashes. In my recent cycling travels in cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam micromobility devices outnumber motor vehicles by à significant margin. Their infrastructure is designed to reduce conflicts between micromobility devices including bicycles and pedestrians and cars.
Speed is very much regulated with traffic calming measures, lower speed limits and segregated infrastructure. Many cities in Ontario are moving in this direction by lowering speed limits on residential streets to 30 kph and use speed bumps to control speeding on all urban roads. In all cases pedestrian safety is first and as such these devices should never be on sidewalks.
For shared paths like the Hub Trail, the maximum speed is 20 kph and all should yield to pedestrians. It doesn’t matter if it’s a scooter or a bicycle that zoom by pedestrians, they are both equally dangerous and annoying.
“We need to fix the potholes” is the most common complaint in this city. What most people don’t realize is one reason we have a pothole epidemic is because we simply have too many roads to maintain.
On a lane/km per capita SSM is in the top three in Ontario yet we keep building more roads to deal with “congestion” instead of investing in less expensive alternative modes of transport.
We should also stop building bike lanes and convert them to segregated micromobility corridors where all alternative forms of transportation including bicycles are welcome with a design speed of 30 km/h.
Winter maintenance in these corridors should be prioritized as users need to get around all year long. Investing in micromobility saves the city money, reduces noise and air pollution and provides an efficient transportation option for those who don’t drive or cannot afford a car.
Andre Riopel
Sault Ste. Marie