By Eliza Carlton

If you have noticed the sharp influx of stand-up electric scooters scattered across downtown Winston-Salem these past few weeks, you aren’t alone.  A California-based company has been dropping off these scooters, called “Birds”, throughout the entire country for months now. Once users download the app, they can find the nearest location of a Bird.  Once you’ve scanned your driver’s license and determined your method of payment, you can begin your ride through the city.

   “Over the years cities have had bike sharing systems along the same lines,” Reynolds History teacher John Clevenger said.  “These have been met with limited success in smaller cities. The Bird scooters are much cheaper to produce which makes them more feasible for the company to implement and there are no docking stations so patron can just drop them anywhere.  At about 15-20 cents a minute, Bird will recoup their cost rather quickly.”

   Users especially love the scooters because of their convenience.  When you are finished with your ride, you simply leave your scooter along the sidewalk, where the next user can locate it.  

   “Birds are a good idea because they save time when walking downtown and provide a cheaper option for getting around as opposed to an uber or gas money in your personal vehicle,” senior Helen Foster said.  “They are also very easy to use.”

   Wearing a helmet, using your drivers license and staying on the street are a few of the Bird users requirements to ensure the safety of both riders and the general public. However, because the scooters are still so new, there are questions as to how much enforcement there should be regarding the rules. Matthew Burczyk, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the City of Winston-Salem, shared his thoughts in an article by the Winston-Salem Journal.  

   “Scooters in general are not allowed to ride on the sidewalks, so that’s one thing we need to work through with them is where exactly should riders be, is the best place for them in the street? Is the best place for them in a bike lane?” Burczyk asked.                                                                                  

Clevenger added to this statement, focusing more on the issue of the docking stations, or rather the lack of such.

“There’s always a fine line between enforcing rules and personal responsibility so I don’t know if I have an answer for the safety regulations yet,” Clevenger added.  “However, I would like to see a few rules regarding where they can be left. It looks like a zombie apocalypse downtown at night when the scooters are littered all over the place in random spots.”

   While some are concerned about the safety of the scooters, it is doubtful there will be an exact solution to every concern anytime soon.  In the meantime, people of all ages will continue to enjoy the freedom of the scooters.

Photo Provided by Creative Commons