Austin is in the midst of a transition to dockless scooters and bicycles. And opinions on social media are flying in all directions. Some love the new first/last-mile solution. Some abhor the presence of these scooters blocking sidewalks and littering sidewalks and other areas when they're not in use.
You can catch up on the news from our previous posts on this topic:
You can also learn more at an Austin Tech Alliance discussion on dockless mobility in Austin on May 1. Meanwhile, as the city works on its response, we wanted to share some of what is being said on Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere.
Let's start with Facebook, where a post by Capital Factory founder Joshua Bear spurred a small debate. In it, local investor Adam Zeplain, who was excited when Bird initially launched on April 5, wrote this:
"We should work with Bird, Lime, and others to help solve our mobility issues. Not push them away. I find that I am using my car maybe 10% of the time I used to. I realize this really only applies to folks (today) that live within a couple miles or less from the CBD, otherwise still need a way to get downtown if that’s where you work and spend significant time."
In the same thread, Gavin Booth said: "My only question is why does Austin always push these new start-ups for their 'data,' when the city isn't smart enough to do anything with their own data let alone a new company in town."
On Austin Inno's page, Mitch Hagelberg wrote: "Please kill these stupid things with fire. We invented something in 1817 that solved this problem it's called a bicycle."
Now, on to Twitter comments:
#Austin sidewalks are suddenly littered with discarded scooters. This is an accessibility issue for the #disabled and I am throwing your scooters in the dumpster when I find them blocking sidewalks. I just threw away my first. @limebike @scooteridiots
— Kit O'Connell (@KitOConnell) April 17, 2018
I'm torn. I'm pro #lastmilesolutions, and have already used Bird and Limebike e-scooters. But @birdride's business model is to invade first, ask forgiveness later. After paying >$300K (Santa Monica, CA), they continue bad behavior in Austin? https://t.co/W8FSEdJiIJ
— ely with machine (@mwhitney_atx) April 17, 2018
Super excited to trip over haphazardly scattered @limebike scooters at multiple bus stops. Just what Austin needs, more hipster trash!
— girl VS whale (@girlvswhale) April 17, 2018
the arrival of limebike complicates my mission to become austin's first dockless scooter fatality. not sure which brand i'd like to represent during the series of pratfalls that will conclude with my untimely death after hitting a banana peel and falling into a chasm of some sort
— James Rambin (@JamesRambin) April 16, 2018
Stopped in the Mopac toll lane behind a truck full of scooter pic.twitter.com/qN7FGTjVHU
— Sara Robertson (@bonitasarita) April 16, 2018
The scooters are already EVERYWHERE in Austin and they’re ugly AND impractical and seem unsafe and I TRULY hate them.
— Summer Anne Burton (@summeranne) April 17, 2018
“Which side were you on during the Scooter War, granddad?” “I stood with the people of Austin, McConaughey, and I’d do it again,”
— D. Burns (@dab41484) April 16, 2018
