This disability advocate and daily wheelchair user reminds all bike and scooter users to please not block sidewalks and paths of travel when you’re done.
Bike and scooter rentals are a godsend for those who use them or for people who want a fun way to get around. But, for those that can’t physically use them, their existence is an added burden to their daily lives. According to Seattle resident, writer, and disability advocate Dain Carter earlier this week (July 30, 2019) he’s finding scooters and bikes parked incorrectly in his path of travel to be a p.i.t.a.
Check out his tweet with an example of what he means below.
I'm a wheelchair user and I'm so fucking tired of people leaving these bikes and scooters wherever they want. For able bodied folx it's an inconvenience but for me it means I have to walk out into a busy street to go around. These are my only safe paths. STOP DOING THIS pic.twitter.com/fGS26T089m
— Tycho Magnetic Anomaly-1 (@OnALighter_Note) July 30, 2019
His example is particularly frustrating because, with a power pole to his left, there’s barely enough room for him to squeeze by. I can only imagine Dain has to literally kick the bike out of his way. Rolling off the sidewalk to go around the bike is not an option.
I can somewhat empathize as a runner who frequently “pounds the pavement” on sidewalks here in the Central Valley. Although just an inconvenience to me, it’s frustrating to come across debris, construction materials, or obstacles when I’m out for my daily run. Luckily for me, I can just push the rubbish out of the way but I can imagine it’s tough goings for those in wheelchairs or electric ride-about scooters.
Lime and presumably other bike and scooter rental companies do instruct users to, at the end of their journeys, park their transportation out of the way as to not impede foot traffic and not on private property.
But, if you’ve come across any scooter user, you know following the rules isn’t exactly something they do, a more common example being riding around without a helmet.
There has to be a way to enforce this rule. Incentivizing chargers to report improperly parked bikes and scooters could be one avenue but I can see that policy being exploited and can see how some users can end up unfairly cited for no fault of their own (some stranger moving it after they’ve used it.)
In my opinion, it’s honestly an issue indicative of a larger societal problem and the lack of respect towards the common good of shared spaces. I hate to say it but most people look out for themselves, rules and conventions be d**ned.
Just last week I wrote about a scooter user who inconvenienced hundreds of commuters by traveling on the freeway with one.
Dallas commuter catches Lime Scooter navigating five lanes of traffic on I-77
A trend to being courteous to all and knowing our actions have consequences towards others should be a thing.
If you’re reading this, it starts with you. Park your bike and scooter correctly. If you see one parked improperly, do the right thing and move it.
Do you have any other ideas on how this should be enforced? Let me know your ideas in the comments below.
