Scooters at School: Plague or Potential?

Alexis+Smith%2C+left%2C+and+Miki+Lopez%2C+right%2C+pose+with+two+Lime+scooters+September+12%2C+2018+in+front+of+the+Main+Gym.+Recently%2C+students+have+been+riding+these+scooters+to+school+often.+%28Nancy+Quintana+%2F+Lincoln+Lion+Tales%29

Alexis Smith, left, and Miki Lopez, right, pose with two Lime scooters September 12, 2018 in front of the Main Gym. Recently, students have been riding these scooters to school often. (Nancy Quintana / Lincoln Lion Tales)

When walking through downtown San Jose, a person can spot a motorized scooter. These motorized scooters can be used by paying with a credit card while using the designated app, depending on the scooter brand.

To use these scooters, you must follow some law procedures. To be able to ride a scooter, you must wear a helmet, have a driver’s license or a permit, the scooter should not be operated on sidewalks, and the scooter should not be driven faster than 15 miles per hour on the road.

These scooters seem to become a problem in San Francisco. Therefore, in San Francisco, riders must have a permit to park a scooter on the sidewalk.

The scooter brands that can be found in San Jose are Lime and Bird. However, other brands found throughout California are Spin, Skip, and Scoot.

Lincoln Lion Tales wanted Lincoln’s opinion about the scooters, this is what they found:

The first person that was interviewed is a senior at Lincoln named Marylou Escobar González. Marylou was asked how she felt about seeing a scooter around campus and at campus. She said “I really don’t care, I mean it can get useful sometimes.” She states that she roughly sees 4 scooters in campus on a school day and has never ridden one. She doesn’t believe a person needs a driver’s license to ride a scooter.

Lincoln Lion Tales then proceeded to interview an English and Yearbook teacher known as Andrew Christian. Mr.Christian said that he sees at least 1 scooter parked next to campus everyday and that a student once tried to park a scooter outside his classroom.

He thinks the scooters are “one of those fads” as well as “one of the dumbest things to ever happen.” Mr. Christian also said “ I don’t really trust someone who doesn’t have a driver’s license to operate a scooter because they’re literally too dumb to even come to class on time. So how are they gonna be smart enough to even operate a motorized scooter.”

Mr.Christian follows an Instagram account who dedicates themselves to post pictures about scooters being destroyed he has personally kicked a scooter and it satisfied him. He believes that if a person is trying to get somewhere, they should “walk faster.”

A Lime scooter parked in front of Mr. Christian’s classroom in the portables on September 19, 2018. If moved, the scooters will alarm. (Sharilyn Munoz / Lincoln Lion Tales)

Lincoln Lion Tales wanted the principal’s opinion. Matthew Hewitson says “I’m glad the kids have a way to get to school on time” because “city buses can be difficult.” He believes the scooters around campus have been a problem, since they are left on campus, neighbors yard, and driveways near by. Mr.Hewitson said that a “serious” problem that “hasn’t been super widespread” is the kids riding the scooters on campus during the school day, which happens to be a “safety situation.”

Mr.Hewitson has tried to solve this problem by establishing a parking area for the scooters. The scooter parking areas will take place in front  of the Small Gym, on the back by the tennis courts, and by the science wing. While these parking spots are being established, the custodians will pick up the scooters that are on campus and take them to the parking areas. 

On September 14, 2018, in the morning around Lincoln’s campus, one can easily find a scooter parked on the sidewalk. (Nancy Quintana / Lincoln Lion Tales)