What changes can end the conflicts between scooter users and other traffic participants?

Electric scooter users are no longer a novelty. If you travel to any city in the world, you will see countless scooters on the streets. Despite their popularity, electric scooters are still not properly regulated in most parts of the world. The benefits that electric scooters bring have long been proved. Nonetheless, many drivers and pedestrians still deem them unnecessary and dangerous. The reality is that whether everyone agrees with them or not, electric scooters are here to stay. As such, the best thing for all traffic participants is to find viable solutions for them. We must think of solutions that will prevent conflicts and improve traffic conditions.

New bike lane infrastructures

This is the most obvious solution for avoiding traffic conflicts. Bike lanes make it safer to ride a scooter. While riding a scooter is not a dangerous activity on its own, if you are not an experienced rider, things can get a tad dangerous. Cars and pedestrians make it harder for scooter riders to get around the city. Things are increasingly difficult for beginners who don’t feel comfortable on a scooter. Furthermore, while most cities have bike lanes, at their core, the cities are designed for car use. There is a desperate need not only to create more bike lanes but also to rethink existing infrastructure. Only by redesigning our infrastructures can we truly encourage the use of bikes and scooters.

Right of way for bike and scooter users

Bikes and scooters are good for tackling traffic jams and decreasing pollution. As such it makes perfect sense that we should redesign our laws to prioritize the use of these two-wheeled vehicles. If we want more people to use bikes and scooters, there is no better example that we can follow than the Netherlands. Bikes have the right of way in the entire Netherlands, no matter the circumstance. The same should apply to both bikes and scooters all over the world.

Basic driver license for scooter users

We are a long way from reaching the utopian level where bikers and scooter users will have right of way all over the world. Until we get there, we can make our streets safer by requiring scooter users to have a basic driver’s license. The license should certify that scooter users know the proper way to use an electric scooter. Moreover, it should certify that they have a basic understanding of local traffic rules.

The common people don’t have the power to implement the suggestions described above. However, we must raise awareness of the challenges that scooter users face on the streets. We hope that our suggestions will serve as inspiration for authorities looking to build cleaner futures.