Electric scooters have been the talk of the town since they gained popularity with the younger generation. According to Hiboy, electric scooters come in three price groups: budget, which ranges from $300 to $500, mid-range, which costs between $500 and $800 and premium, which costs anything over $800.
Junior Aiden Finell doesn’t see the need to buy these scooters.
“[Electric scooters] are a big waste of money, and people should buy a bike or a normal scooter instead,” Finell said. “When I see them I think, ‘Man, why couldn’t you have just bought a normal scooter? You could just push it and get some exercise.’”
Although these scooters are pricey, freshman Copeland King rides his to school every day.
“My mom bought my [electric scooter] because my house is outside of the bus jurisdiction, so my scooter lets me get to school,” King said.
However, even though these scooters are so expensive, Finell has seen many people riding together
“Sometimes they’re in groups of, like, six or seven, but most of the time, it’s just like one person or like two people on one scooter,” Finell said.
Due to this boom in electric scooters being on the streets, there has been concern about how safe it is. According to the Johnson County Post, Johnson County Management will no longer permit individuals 17 and younger to ride e-bikes and e-scooters on its properties due to safety concerns.
In early August, First Washington Realty also banned e-bikes and e-scooters at its Prairie Village shopping centers.
Although these concerns are very much present, Finell doesn’t see these scooters as a threat.
“[Electric scooters] can be dangerous if you’re really irresponsible with how you ride and control them, but other than that, I don’t feel like much could go wrong,” Finell said.
Junior Kenna Nichols also doesn’t see these scooters as a threat; instead, she sees them as the same as normal scooters.
“I wouldn’t say they’re necessarily dangerous. I mean, it’s the same thing as an actual scooter or a bike,” Nichols said.
While these regulations only apply to electric scooters, Finell doesn’t see why they don’t apply to similar transportation.
“If they make [laws and regulations] for scooters, then why wouldn’t they have any for bikes or other forms of transportation like that,” Finell said.
Nichols doesn’t think these regulations should not apply to children because they are made specifically for children.
“That’s what it’s made for, so I’d say kids are supposed to ride them,” Nichols said. “I would say no to these regulations because it’s just riding scooters and it’s mainly for kids.”
