Do you have one? I am thinking about getting one for my D who lives in a city. Any pros and cons?
Like the motorized (small motorcycle) ones? Not for me or my kids – risky to travel on the road with cars and nothing around you for protection (not much different than a motorcycle, IMHO).
I used a kick scooter (adult size Razor) to go from my parking garage to workplace for a while. It was faster than walking.
No, I don’t think d get the motorized kind for a son or daughter for the same reason as intparent. There was a young woman killed on one in Boston about a month ago. Also a friend had an accident on one when it slid on wet trolley tracks in the road. I’d sooner get one for myself than for one of my kids.
They look so cute.
http://www.genuinescooters.com/images/scooter_pics/stellaauto_ivory.jpg
Around here a lot of girls are riding. Streets are not so busy but you can’t rule out a maniac driving 100 mph on side road.
My s has a motorized skateboard! Makes me crazy!
Motorized skateboard! How fast does it go?
https://boostedboards.com/the-board/#modes. I think he said 22mph (goes up and down hill up to , IIRC, a 25% uphill grade) has a Bluetooth braking system… With some issues that he learned about the hard way). I am not a fan, but he loves it.
I’m thinking of getting my daughter one. Very popular in Florida, and she’d only use it near campus. Even she said she wouldn’t use it to go over the causeway to the beach as that’s too scary.
Nope. Too dangerous in our neck of the woods.
They are too dangerous because they can’t keep up with traffic and drivers are not used to them. I actually rode a scooter when I lived in Japan, and even rode my wife on the back of it at times. I wouldn’t recommend it here. I just read yesterday that the SC legislature passed a law requiring
moped riders to wear reflective vests at night. Lawmakers who had studied the problem noted that many accidents occurred when cars overtook slow moving mopeds and didn’t see them. The law also required moped riders under 21 wear helmets. The governor vetoed the law because it was government overreach.
My son rented one for the year that he lived in Taiwan. He thought about getting one when he moved back, but realized that he would need a motorcycle license to drive one legally. Before you buy a scooter for your daughter, you might want to see if local laws where she would be driving require a license, and whether that’s something she has the time or interest in getting one.
I rent them on vacation. Might have one here but not much traffic here and everyone has to go very slowly in the town I’m in anyway.
We have two. They are great for short trips that are just a tad too long for bike and silly to take a car. Son 3 took one to college with him. We stay off the highway obviously - ours max speed is around 40.
^had no idea you needed a separate motorcycle license. Is it hard to get? The scooter I have in mind, a Vespa like has all the lights. I think it’s great for short distances. Parking is a lot easier, too.
D1 had one in college and wasn’t using it anymore so we shipped it to D2, who lives in Brooklyn. We started out not needing registration or insurance but now those things are needed and NY did an inspection too. Insurance through Progressive was about $140/year for Brooklyn. No special license needed since it doesn’t go very fast.
In NY, bicycle and scooter delivery people commonly wear those fluorescent green or orange vests and D2 has gotten one. She also has refractive stickers everywhere. In NYC, you’re allowed to use the bike lanes which is a big plus. She’s not going to commute with it, and is moving cautiously so far. She has a Kymco.
We have friends who have a little Vespa and they love it. The H commutes with it- less than a mile each way.
I had one as a grad student - it was so much fun. A Honda scooter with 250cc engine, and top speed of >70 mph so I rode it everywhere, highways included. Had to get a motorcycle license and took a riding safety course to be extra careful, but it was worth it.
No highways! The one I am thinking of is 125cc enough to get around but not for highways. Not safe.
D2 just tried to rent one for the day on Martha’s Vineyard but at 4’9 she was too short to safely get it moving and they denied her. 
People just a couple of inches taller had no problems.
One pro is that you can park them on sidewalks (but check your local laws). D2 has a heavy chain and padlock that would make Marley’s ghost envious. They are stored in the seat normally.
^Exactly! It’s a lot easire to squeeze in a scooter.