...by scooter
This year the "Bike to Work" challenge ran again. I had no competitive ambitions — the goal is simply to rack up as many kilometres as possible during May. A scooter works too, so I mapped out the best route and set off. Part on the pavement, part on the road, and sometimes through the park.
I've been doing this for over a month now. In that time I've observed quite a few phenomena on both pavements and roads.
- People on their phones (behind the wheel or on the pavement) are dangerous to themselves and everyone else — they're not looking and have no idea what's happening around them
- Children are unpredictable
- On roads and pavements you'll meet people who are anything but tolerant
- Not all kerb ramps are accessible (even when they appear to be)
- Loose paving stones are quite dangerous
The longer I do this, the more I notice that on some stretches I'm comparable in speed to — or faster than — public transport (bus/tram). Good news for scooter riders, less so for passengers. Though they're sitting comfortably, can read, and don't get sweaty — which I definitely do. Not to mention rainy days, or days when it rained before and everything's wet with puddles everywhere.
How far do I go? About 5.6 km each way daily. Over 100 km per month.