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11/27/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/28/2024 04:16

Electric Bikes and Scooters Are Everywhere. Here’s How You Can Stay Safe

Electric Bikes and Scooters Are Everywhere. Here's How You Can Stay Safe

The BlueBikes program allows commuters in the Greater Boston area to rent e-bikes and bicycles. Photo via AP/Charles Krupa

Environmental Health

Electric Bikes and Scooters Are Everywhere. Here's How You Can Stay Safe

An eco-friendly, speedy, and trendy alternative to cars-if they're used with caution

November 27, 2024
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There are plenty of ways to get around Boston University's unique campus layout, which spans both sides of Comm Ave for nearly two miles. Many BU community members opt for the MBTA Green Line, which runs straight through campus and into downtown Boston, while others walk, take the free BU Shuttle, or bike.

But in recent years, many cities, including Boston, have seen a rise in electric bicycles and scooters on their roads. The majority of these vehicles are battery-powered micromobility devices and can include "bicycles, skateboards, scooters, and other small, wheeled conveyances designed for personal transport," according to BU Transportation Services.

According to cyclist advocacy organization MassBike, e-bikes have ballooned in popularity in the commonwealth over the last five years. Though micromobility devices have been around since the 1990s, it says, "recent advances in technology have allowed batteries to become smaller, lighter, cheaper, and longer range, enhancing the usefulness, appeal, and affordability of these machines."

Part of the reason for their increased popularity is that popular bike-share companies like Bluebikes have introduced electric bikes to the Boston area for a subscription fee or a one-time rental. These silver bikes can travel up to 18 mph and may be parked and retrieved at one of the Greater Boston area's 400-plus charging stations.

Here's a quick primer we created to get you up to speed on how to safely operate an e-bike or e-scooter on Comm Ave.

A speedy, environmentally friendly alternative

One of the biggest draws of scooters and e-bikes is their low carbon footprint.

According to The Roundup, an e-bike info site, a study based in Portland, Ore., found that e-bikes significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to cars, noting that if 15 percent of daily trips in Portland were taken using e-bikes instead of cars, it would result in an 11 percent reduction in carbon emissions-or around 900 metric tons per day.

According to Carl Larson, BU Sustainability assistant director of transportation demand management and planning, these devices are environmentally beneficial equalizers.

"E-bikes have been huge [because] they've gotten people on bikes," he says. "Many people are riding their e-bikes instead of driving their cars-that's a tradeoff that I welcome."

And then there's the speed factor. E-bikes are most often categorized into three classes, according to Wired. Class 1 e-bikes can reach a top speed of 20 mph, but require pedaling to be activated, while Class 2 e-bikes can reach the same speed without pedaling, and class 3 e-bikes require peddling, are bulkier, and can reach a top speed of 28 mph.

While the speed afforded by e-bikes is a huge drawing point, it's also where safety issues arise, according to Larson. "It can take very little effort to go very fast," he says.

Still, Larson is quick to point out that scooters and e-bikes are not "the major part of the safety issues we have on our streets," as cars still pose the greatest risk to Comm Ave pedestrians and bikers.

"I believe it's the convenience of scooters that make them so popular," says Kohana Bondurant (CGS'23, CAS'25), adding that she uses e-scooters frequently to get around campus. "I have not gotten hurt, but the scooter braking was a potential danger because it would take a second to slow down."

Terrance J. Regan, a Metropolitan College lecturer in city planning and urban affairs, says that while different types of mobility devices provide more transportation options, they also create more chaos on the road.

"One of the things you really need to care about at intersections is the speed conflict," Regan says, referring to the competing need in city spaces for both vehicle and pedestrian access. "If we care about pedestrian safety, we need to realize that the faster somebody is going to hit a pedestrian, the worse the injury."

Meanwhile, the average pedestrian walks at a speed of three to four miles per hour, according to Regan, while normal bikes usually reach a speed of 8 to 15 miles per hour.

Miles Forrest (CAS'25), who frequently walks to class, says it's the speed of e-bikes and e-scooters that worries him. "I saw this girl get knocked off her feet by a scooter once, right into a puddle," he says. "The scooter driver also fell and was pretty hurt it seemed."

But he still sees the appeal of e-bikes and e-scooters, especially for people who live on opposite ends of campus. "It can take me up to 30 minutes to walk across campus," he says, "so I like to take the BU Shuttle often."

How can riders stay safe on their e-bikes and e-scooters?

"All too often when someone on a bike gets hit by a car, the driver will say the biker came out of nowhere," Larson says. He stresses the importance of maintaining control over one's vehicle and trying to be predictable on the road. His safety tips include "holding a straight line, always assuming vehicles will be turning into your path, and staying in front or behind vehicles."

Although cities have made real strides in the past two decades in providing additional space for alternative vehicles, Regan says there's still work to be done, especially on Comm Ave. "Every vehicle has benefits and negatives," he says. "We should care about having clear rules on who can use what, and we should put some effort into enforcement."

BU Transportation Services also offers guidelines and safety resources for e-bike and e-scooter users, encouraging students to register their vehicles with the University to avoid theft and use one of BU's secure bike rooms. Larson encourages students to visit the BU Cycle Kitchen (BUCK), an on-campus, DIY bike repair service at 1019 Comm Ave, where members of the BU community can learn how to fix their own vehicles.

"We see a lot of e-bikes and e-scooters coming through the door of the BUCK, and there are some really enthusiastic community members who really love getting around that way," Larson says. "We're happy to help them out."

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