Honestly, seeing them zipping around everywhere they look pretty good on the face of it. The advantages seem obvious:
- Save time versus walking
- Quiet
- No effect on local air quality
The main issue is them colliding with pedestrians, but (similar to bike lanes) that’s a thing town planners should deal with by creating the right environment.
I’m willing to change my view if people tell me good reasons they are bad.
Yes, there is more environmental impact than a bicycle, but not than an e-bike, and they seem to be good for people reluctant to cycle.
I want more pedestrian paths and fewer cars. While I don’t like that the rentable ebikes/escooters don’t come with helmets and people leave them everywhere, they’re riding on the biking path I need instead of driving and both of those things benefit me.
That being said I’d much rather areas take Colorado’s approach of subsidising ebike purchases. They’re so practical and can replace almost all local driving with 50kg+ of cargo capacity. I want people to have a free option that best meets their transport needs while building up the biking industry.