Under many
conditions scooters are the fastest way to travel distances of less than a mile.
Walking a half mile on level ground takes about 10 minutes for a reasonably fit
adult. On a kick scooter, you can travel the same distance in 3 minutes. For
people who make frequent trips of about a half mile, these savings can add up to
several hours a week. Bicycles are slightly faster than scooters once you get
going, but they often require cumbersome lugging in and out of a building, or
locking/unlocking outside. In most settings, a kick scooter beats a bike door to
door for trips of up to 3/4 mile.
Scooters are really fun. There is something liberating and
fundamental about denying friction with two wheels and a platform. Scooters
enable social connections. Two people can comfortably ride side by side on a
walkway and carry on a conversation. Scooters work well in crowds at low speeds,
enabling a rider to navigate a crowded boardwalk or campus path. Scooters are
great for just hanging out, scooting from the cafe to the dorm or scoping out
the surf.