Moves Towards Legalizing E-Scooters Seen As Positive Move By Avid Rider
E SCOOTERS TAKE PENNIES A DAY TO OPERATE
By Robert Thomas
If all things go according to plan John Klein will soon be able to take a short drive to Moose Jaw in his electric vehicle get on his e-scooter and legally explore the city.
At their most recent meeting Moose Jaw City Council voted 4 - 2 for Administration to prepare a bylaw to allow E-scooters to operate on certain roads and pathways.
It’s a move the avid e-scooter rider and environmentalist is in favour of.
“I have a short range EV (electric vehicle) so when I come to Moose Jaw it takes a few hours to refill to get home. An escooter being legal makes me more likely to visit Moose Jaw because it's more convenient for me to travel the city while my old car is charging,” Klein said in an online interview with MJ Independent.
Klein describes himself as an avid e-scooter rider as well as has having strong environmental views.
He supports the use of e-scooters as a low cost, environmentally conscience, reduced congestion vehicle, that’s fun to ride for enjoyment and commuting that helps promote physical fitness.
JOHN KLEIN ON HIS E-SCOOTER. Please note Klein Removed his eye protection and gloves for the photo - SUBMITTED PHOTO
It’s something that caught the eye of Council with Councillor Dawn Luhning initiating the push to legalize e-scooters on Moose Jaw’s roads ostensibly because they are already widely used in the community.
What Is An E-Scooter?
According to SGI’s website an “e-scooter (also called an electric kick scooter) is a small 2-4 wheeled recreational vehicle with a standing platform and handlebar that’s unregistered and doesn’t require a driver’s licence.”
The City is considering regulating and allowing the operation of e-scooters on certain roadways and pathways in the wake of SGI adopting regulations allowing municipalities to allow their use.
It’s a move called realistic - because the proliferation of e-scooter use already in Moose Jaw; progressive and overdue by environmentalists and worrisome to others who worry about spills and accident.
AN E-SCOOTER - PHOTO SOURCE SGI WEBSITE
Klein Catches The E-Scooter Bug
Klein said he was introduced to the world of e-scooters by a friend just over three years ago.
“My friend was talking about escooters, and I hadn't heard much about them, but found they cost less than my ebikes, and looked more portable, so I could put one in my car trunk,” he said about his introduction to e-scooters.
He went on-line and purchased an e-scooter for $1,000 - he has ridden one ever since.
“I'm someone doing what I can to limit the damage from the climate crisis, and who tries to make a future for my kids and everyone else,” Klein said about his owning an electric car, e-bike and an e-scooter.
He is well known in Regina for his strong non-hypocritical environmental views with his harshest critics admitting “he talks the talk and walks the walk” on the issues.
Klein has also appeared in front of Regina’s city council arguing in favour of legalizing the use of e-scooters on that city’s roadways.
Council’s Safety Concerns
Klein was asked for his views on concerns raised during Moose Jaw Council’s discussions about the overall safety of e-scooters - he called those concerns as overblown.
“The issue of safety is overblown when we're talking about a vehicle that produces no GHGs, no toxic CO gas, and weighs less than most kids. It's exceedingly uncommon for escooter users to cause property damage or deaths of other people on streets, while in the USA 40,000 people die from drivers of cars every year,” he said.
Asked if he has had ever had a spill on his e-scooter Klein said he had not. He typified e-scooters as less dangerous than cars on the road
“Drivers of cars and trucks are the dangerous troublemakers on our streets, not an escooter user who is just trying to get home safely on streets badly designed for anyone not inside a car,” he said.
About concerns raised by Councillor Jamie Logan - who said he could not support the motion to draw up a bylaw because of the threat of an e-scooter hitting a bad section of road and having an accident - Klein said it is up to the City to keep roads in good shape.
“What happens when someone riding a bike or a skateboard does those things? It should be the same. The city should try to make streets safe for all people using them,” he said.
He does add though advice for e-scooter users on how to ride safely.
“Scooters have smaller wheels than bikes, and feel less stable than bikes, so keep both hands on the handlebars, and go slowly on curves or rough terrain, especially if surfaces are wet.”
He also wears eye protection and gloves when riding.
Regarding concerns raised by Councillor Heather Eby - who voted against legalizing e-scooters - about hours of operation and proper lighting Klein says his e-scooter has bright lighting.
“Best headlight I have on a personal mobility device is on my escooter, it is so bright, has a working brake light too,” he said.
Roadway Restrictions
Klein said his opinion when it comes to regulations for e-scooters is to handle them the same way as they handle e-bikes.
Moose Jaw is proposing that e-scooters only be allowed on roadways with a 50 km/hr speed limit and all riders must wear helmets and be 16 years of age and over.
“I think the speed limit should be consistent with ebikes, and the age requirement also. It makes little sense to make it different and harder to enforce and for people to remember the differences when the vehicles both have rwo wheels and similar uses and sizes,” he said.
In Moose Jaw e-cyclists 16 years of age and over do not have to wear helmets and there is no ban on riding them on roadways with speed limits over 50 km/hr.
Environmental Benefits Of E-Scooters
For Klein one of the main advantages of using an e-scooter is their lower environmental impact than cars but also the lower costs.
“I worked with a woman in Regina 22 years ago who used a regular kick scooter to commute. The cost to commute within Moose Jaw with electricity is less than 2 cents per day. Compared to the 5 cents someone spends idling a gas car at a traffic light, that's a bargain,” he said.
He pointed to e-scooters as being ideal for many people to commute to work. They also lessen the pressures of urban traffic congestion.
“Many people could store their escooter under a desk or a corner of their office, yes. Cities can set aside a parking space previously used for a car, and share a half dozen e-scooters,” Klein said.
Health Benefits
Although there are seemingly no studies readily available on how e-scooters improve fitness Klein pointed out they do in fact encourage fitness and physical activity.
“They are designed to only start if you push off with your foot, thus they are called kick scooters. You also have to balance like when you use a bike, and dismount is like stepping off an escalator if you've not come to a full stop first.”
What About The Winter??
The big question what about winter when e-scooters are impractical are where Klein makes use of his e-bike.
“In winter I suggest an ebike with fat or even studded tires. I commute in the winter with a fat tire ebike. The bigger wheels are safer on ice and go through light snow.”
Others suggest residents could also use Transit during the winter months.
Scooters portability could see Transit helping out in inclement weather.
“Escooters could be carried onto a bus in a pinch. They're a bit heavy, not suitable for carrying even 1 block. Might be possible to wheel them as you walk alongside in some cases.”