Play safe on the scooters

I have an e-bike and love the technology. But, since I take it seriously, I have all the required gear – such as a helmet.

People using the scooters don’t take helmets with them to where they can rent them, and I think that is an issue for unprepared riders.

I did, however, notice two things that did raise my eyebrows a tad. And both had to do with the parents. 

First, I saw parents using their phones/credit cards to rent the scooters and then hand the scooter over to their 10 year old with no regard for the age limit required for riders.

Secondly, parents seem to have no regard for their youngster’s safety either. 

I saw countless parents riding with their five-year-old standing on the scooter in front of them. While all this parent could see is how cute it might have looked, all I could see is a terrible accident waiting to happen. Their child’s teeth are at the exact same height as the handlebar, that is mere inches in front of their face. With the unevenness of the paving stone sidewalk in the park, any small bump or heave in the sidewalk would cause the handle bar to jerk back swiftly, removing their child’s teeth in one unexpected smack!

How does that old adage go? “It’s fun and games until someone gets hurt.”

I hope this never happens, but people need to be a little smarter. 

Maybe I’m a spoil sport, but there is another adage that comes to mind. “You can’t fix stupid." Be the adult – never put your child in that position.

I wish everyone on the scooters safe travels. They sure look like fun!

Bill Ferguson