A cold wind hit my face as I looked up at the Washington Monument, glowing under the nighttime lights. At 9:30 pm on a not-so-typical Saturday night, my friends and I ditched video games and Cheez-its for a better adventure: an unplanned sidequest to the monuments. The view was incredible, but getting to the other monuments was tricky; rides from parents only go so far. Then, suddenly, a friend shouted a genius idea: electric scooters.
Electric scooters are one of the fastest-growing modes of transportation. According to the District Department of Transportation, there are over 10,000 public electric scooters and e-bikes in Washington, D.C. You can find them almost everywhere in the area, making them one of the most popular ways to get around.
But most importantly, the public electric scooters tackle the burdensome “one more mile” problem. The one more mile problem applies to a situation where you are close enough to your destination to not drive, but far enough that it would be inconvenient to walk. Electric scooters offer a fast, fun and low-effort way to get you home, rather than other transportation options that can’t drop you off right at your house.
Renting an electric scooter is surprisingly simple. Public scooter companies such as Lime or Bird, have an app that allows riders just to scan the code on the scooter. However, at the end of your ride, users must park neatly in an allowed parking place, or they will not be able to pay for the ride.
Electric scooters also offer a clean-energy transportation method. Rather than cars, which according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), emit about 10,000 pounds of carbon a year, electric scooters offer a clean energy mode of transportation that uses rechargeable batteries, rather than energy that harms our environment. Additionally, when these batteries reach the end of their lifespan, they can be recycled, further reducing environmental impact.
Riding electric scooters also provides a very enjoyable way of getting around. With scooter rides going up to 15 miles per hour, electric scooters provide an effortless method of transportation, with riders experiencing a fun amount of exhilaration and adventure mixed in. Freshman Ami Milner-Gillers lives in Washington, D.C., and has had a lot of experience riding electric scooters.
“With Lime scooters, they are very close to you, and very efficient,” Milner-Gillers said. “Even though they don’t let you go too fast, it’s still very fun and that’s one of the reasons I like it so much.”
A lot of people choose not to ride electric scooters because they believe they are unsafe and crash-prone. Many statistics, however, show the opposite. According to ScienceDirect, a respected research journal, electric scooter crash rates went down by a staggering 26% from 2022 to 2023. Dott, a major electric scooter company, says that there has been a 30% drop in injury risks involving electric scooters since 2021. To protect pedestrians even further, users are encouraged to always wear a helmet when riding.
So the next time you need a quick ride somewhere, an electric scooter is the perfect option. When riders wear helmets and follow basic road rules, electric scooters provide a safe, enjoyable and convenient way to get around. The time to ride electric scooters is now.
