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.