Too much of a Good thing? A reminder of kickscooter etiquette

Aren't kickscooters quick and easy to aquire? Their entire concept of easing travel to longer-than-walkable locations as well as their lightweight use makes them quite suited for our Maltese Infrasctructure. But, are we taking them for granted now?

Have you ever seen a kick scooter in Malta? Bet you have! You can find one almost at any intersection, sidewalk or designated charging station, allowing for easy and quick travel service at the touch of a smart phone. 
The benefits of this mode of transportation can go on and on, from reducing emissions and traffic congestion to the betterment and lifestyle changes they promote. But on the other hand, we should also highly regard the rest of the people which make use of the road. 
A recent comic you can find here depicts a new issue many pedestrians are facing. The comic shows a collection of kickscooters parked on a sidewalk, obstructing the way for someone with limited mobility, bringing their wheelchair to a stop. This is the biggest detterent for the use of scooters, as those who rent or make use of their service should be responsible in every aspect of their travel. 

For instance these kickscooters can be riden on sidewalks and other pedestrian areas, however they cannot obstruct sidewalks for others. These regulations and other unspoken norms are not just for the rider's sake yet to safeguard those around him. We should never diminish the walking pedestrian for the sake of alternative modes of transport, as when all else fails we rely on ourselves to get around. By posing dangers to other pedestrians, less people would opt for active mobility and in turn we would regress to less active travel, hence making us rely on more products and technology to help us.

For more insight and safety tips to make the most of the scooter experience, check out Transport Malta's facebook hashtag #maltasubilgalbu!