Students have been vocal about a recent university ban on electric scooters, both for and against the rule. These vehicles are the main source of travel and are especially popular with the university’s athletes. When a dean of students email announcing the ban hit inboxes, the news spread across all social media platforms, including the social media platform YikYak. Students shared stories of experiences with people who used the scooters and how they often neglected the safety of others. Others expressed their support of scooters.
“We haven’t had a single incident on campus, we get that they are trying to make sure of our safety, so I can see why they placed the ban,” said Andrew Donaldson Jr. “However, at the same time there are people who use the electric scooters as their main source of transportation, as some people’s classes are a long way away from where they live.”
“We never actually experienced anything bad, so why ban them,” said Nesta Onaikhe, an athlete at the university. “We have computers everywhere that are plugged in, so why not ban those too, in that case?”
Ophelie Y. Rowe-Allen, dean of students, said, “Over the last several months, university leaders had become increasingly concerned about the use of lithium-ion battery motorized personal transportation vehicles (MPTV), such as e-scooters and other electric-transportation devices on campus, especially in regard to ensuring the health and personal safety of riders, pedestrians and building occupants.
She said that recharging lithium batteries in such vehicles has resulted in fires around the country and that MPTV accidents have caused serious injuries on other college campuses.
“As a result, the university banned electric scooters and other electric transportation devices, such as hoverboards and e-skateboards, from campus, effective December 21, 2023,” Rowe-Allen said.
Reaction to the ban is an ongoing discussion in cities nationwide. In heavily populated cities such as New Orleans and Las Vegas, strict laws and restrictions have already been placed on e-scooters, such as placing a cap on speed limits of scooters, banning any scooter exceeding 20 mph.
