I remember a while back there was a pretty decent ruffling of feathers over e-scooters in the area. Especially on MSU's campus.

After Lime and Bird ambushed MSU (and Greater Lansing) with hundreds of scooters late last year without notice, campus officials have been working to slim down the market by allowing only one company to return to campus this year. (Lansing City Pulse)

Turns out it was more of a competition thing and eventually one company won out. And word was that since that one company won the contract and paid licensing in both Lansing and East Lansing, they would probably be the only game in town.

Not so. As there are still several brands of e-scooters all around. And I have seen a lot of folks using them this summer. Just recently downtown and along riverwalk.

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But, really...how safe are these things? I rarely see people wearing helmets on them.

How fast do they go?

Most cities have a maximum speed limit of 15mph. Lime-S's is just below that, at about 14.8 mph. (Lime)

Don't you need a helmet to ride one? Depends on how old you are. Those in the age range of 12 to 19 must wear a crash helmet while riding. And I don't think a cop is going to pull you over to check your ID on an e-scooter.

And injuries? No helmets, inexperience, and zipping along on our fine city sidewalks have gotta be the formula for some nasty bumps and scrapes.

  • According to the CDC, since the surge in popularity, there has been an increase in emergency room visits for fractures, dislocations and head trauma.
  • “A high proportion of e-scooter related injuries involved potentially preventable risk factors, such as lack of helmet use, or motor vehicle interaction,” a preliminary summary of the study said.
  • The median age for people injured was 29. The majority of injuries occurred on the street, with 29% connected to first-time riders and 18% involving motor vehicles.
  • According to the CDC study, the most common wound after head injuries involved upper extremity fractures at 27%, followed by lower extremity fractures at 12%.
  • Half the people interviewed said a “surface condition like a pot hole or crack in the street” may have caused their injuries. (WLNS)

So if you're going to join in the latest fad, and jump on an e-scooter, please throw on a helmet and take your time especially if you're a first time rider.

You can peep the Michigan Vehicle Code here for all things e-scooters.

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