By Uwe-Peter Steinschek
My neighbor Arno blew up the stairs in a fit of anger: “Man, there’s such a stupid cardboard nose jelecht his e-scooter right in front of our front door. I’m over that part jestolpat”, he thundered and rubbed his apparently painful elbow.
I can understand Arno’s anger. Because e-scooters are a problem. When they roll, it’s not uncommon for them to roll quickly and recklessly on the footpath. I have already observed situations in which passers-by could only save themselves from a collision by taking a quick step to the side.
When not in use, they are parked or laid down on the sidewalk in our neighbourhood. Not only at the edge, but also in the middle, so that the pedestrian has to hook around the part. The scooters are also disposed of in green areas.
Apart from that: For me, the e-scooter is the most pointless means of transport anyway. You can transport your bulk purchases by car. On the bike you do something for your health. When it comes to e-scooters, the fun factor is often the only thing that counts.
But admittedly. The problem is not the e-scooter, but the contemporaries who use it and do not follow any rules. On the other hand: Where there is no gun, there is no shooting either.
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, must have thought so. She had a vote on whether commercial e-scooters should be banned. A clear majority voted in favour. The license for the three rental companies, who offer around 15,000 e-scooters in Paris, expires at the end of August. I told that to Arno, who was still rubbing his aching elbow. “Oh, kiek ma,” he said, “so the French can’t just play football, but they can also take action. I like it.”
And then he announced: “At the end of Aujust I’m going on a city trip to Paris with my Uschi, in the scooter-free zone.”