It’s a clear, breezy afternoon, and clouds gracefully skid across the sky. You step out the door of the school, as the day has just ended. The students pour out of the building, and you wait for them. Fighting past them is a losing battle. As you make your way out, relieved, you gaze up at the magnificent view. Or, put on your headphones. Your favorite song starts playing, and you cheerfully stroll down the sidewalk home. You become so engaged in the music that you are completely oblivious to the quiet humming behind you. You see someone in front of you turn around and step off the sidewalk. Before you can process the demonstration, a blur zooms by you. You gasp, and speeding in front of you is none other than a wretched electric scooter, with red lights flashing. You grunt as you step back on the sidewalk. They could’ve hit you! Why didn’t they give a warning and just whizzed by? What’s the deal with all these e – vehicles anyway?
You are heading out of school, and are refreshed by the relaxing breeze. It’s been a long day, and you’re completely exhausted. No energy for walking all the way, and biking is out of the question. Good news, you took your trusty electric scooter to school. Now you relax, and turn it on. You head home, glad to have an electric scooter and not needing to walk all the way back, carrying schoolwork on your back. Thank goodness!
Now, who would you be in this scenario? Perhaps you despise electric vehicles in general, especially scooters. Maybe you’ve gotten just startled and dropped something as a scooter whizzed by on the sidewalk, without a vocal warning to move. You probably relate to the first story. On the other hand, you may relate to the one in the second story. You may aspire to have an electric scooter or already have one. Riding around in your scooter or an e – bike is a quick, practical, and fun way to get places. The introduction of e – scooters and e – bikes has exploded, especially around Ashburn. I think every day I see at least one person on an electric scooter or a kid on an e – bike. Pretty odd site even now, let alone 5 years ago. Some have enthusiastically embraced the modern way of getting places without needing to use a car. The electric scooter definitely has its benefits. But some are skeptical of the e-products, and aspects like short battery run, the price, and the danger of these vehicles with cars. Let’s dive deeper into the issue and why these scooters are popular in the first place.
The electric scooter boom has immersed people of all ages, but around Ashburn, it seems most of the riders are teens. Do they want these machines the most, and if so, why are they attracted to them? “They’re better than regular scooters, ‘cause those things [regular scooters], you gotta push really hard and get tired after a while.”, senior Louis Jewett says. Electric scooters take you where you need to go in less time, and obviously require much less energy than a simple push scooter. This is very convenient when you go to a sports court or the gym and are exhausted afterwards. It also provides an eco-friendly method of local travel, such as commuting to a nearby grocery store. Does Louis think so? “I think the convenience causes them to be a better choice,” he replies. This implies that electric vehicles are increasing in popularity because of the travel convenience it provides, and not necessarily because they’re better for the environment. Although Louis doesn’t have an e – vehicle, he mentions. “I might want to own one.”
Ebad, a ninth grader, shares his views. His sister has an electric scooter, and he has taken it for a go a few times. “It’s easy to ride and not too hard to operate,” he says. This once again demonstrates convenience. However, Ebad also has some feedback for the scooters. He points out, “Something I dislike is safety. You may wobble if you go fast enough.” Let alone navigating past cars that could injure you as well as the narrowness of the scooter.
Electric scooters and bikes have some nice advancements, such as being practical and easy modes of transportation. However, they also have risks and challenges. Electric vehicles can take a long time to charge and are quite expensive. They can also be very dangerous when riding around cars and on uneven paths. Are electric scooters worth the risks? If you decide to buy an electric scooter, or any electric vehicle, stay alert and remain cautious! You’ve heard the opinions of students here, so what do you think? Would you get in on the popular product?
