So here is the latest to hit the streets in micromobility. I saw these in Santa Monica in March and they are now in Atlanta (my photo is from right outside the Midtown MARTA station).
They refer on their site* to it as a “bike” but since it has no pedals, I refer to it as a sit-down scooter. If the problems with sidewalks, parking, and safe road access can be worked out, I think this could be great especially for those with some disabilities or other mobility limitations, and for older folks in general. I would not listen to podcasts/music while riding (as they suggest doing with its built-in speakers) because I rely on my hearing to discern the traffic conditions.
I have more to say about this, but you’ll have to wait for my scooter article to be published.
(By the way, there’s only one, maybe two, companies in the shared micromobility space with a woman on the management team, and there are very few non-white men or older folks involved. That lack-of-diversity thing is gonna catch up with you, guys. Your products would be better with more points of view and lived experiences, and you could thus reduce the need for constant product iterations. Quick tip: Water bottle holder and a place to put a bag or briefcase, please. See The 3% Movement from my friend, Kat Gordon, for why diversity matters.)
* which, by the way, wasted my time to find because it has such a ridiculously generic name
Traveling at the Speed of Bike 