I had the pleasure of riding one of the new electric scooters around Portland today. Truth be told, the first time I saw one of these, I immediately thought how perfectly suited it was to a lazy generation that already doesn’t get enough exercise. That is a generalization I share for electric bikes as well.

It really comes down to adjusting to change. I remember being passed for the first time by an electric bicycle. I had looked back over my shoulder before turning left and noted a bike about 50 yards behind me so I was startled when I turned, and it almost mowed me down. I had calculated my time to turn for a non-motorized cycle. I didn’t know electric powered bicycles were permitted in the bike lane.

I’ve heard people claim that they should be able to use the bike lane because it uses an electric motor, but so does a Tesla, and I don’t want that in the bike lane either. I know that we are all resistant to change but after a short bit of mental processing, I came to the acceptance that every trip on one of those vehicles is a trip not taken in a car, so it was on me to adjust for these new vehicles, just as horse drawn carriages had to adjust for automobiles.

Another thing I hadn’t considered is how electric bikes could bring cycling to the 55 and over generation. The benefit for me is that a generation that could previously care less about public funding for bike lanes is now clamoring for more of them!

I didn’t see myself actually using an electric scooter as I enjoy the mandatory exercise that comes with commuting 30 minutes to work each day by bike. This past weekend, however, I had to lead a group that was leaving from their hotel in downtown Portland for a 3 day tour of the Oregon coast. While my bicycle is usually the most logical choice for getting to downtown, I didn’t want to leave it locked on the street for three days as it would likely not be there when I returned.

The next logical choice was the bus, but I knew a transfer would be required, and since it was a Saturday, it could have taken as long as 45 minutes to make a trip that would have taken only 10 minutes by bike. I decided to try the electric scooter. Getting started took a little more time than expected: I had to download the app, enter my credit card information and my driver’s license number, but I knew that would be a one time process.

The next challenge was getting the thing to start. The video on the app seemed to suggest you push the kickstand down three times to start the motor. It failed to differentiate the steps of putting up the kickstand and kick starting the motor with three pushes of your foot to jump start the scooter’s electric motor.

After getting the hang of it, I zipped through town making it to my destination in just 10 minutes at a cost of $2.40. That was cheaper than the bus. What I expected to be a replacement for a bicycle, and the inherent exercise that comes with it, turned out to be a replacement for the bus. For about the same cost, I can take the electric scooter from door to door without the hassle of a transfer or waiting. And on top of its practicality, it was fun. Just look out for me in your bike lane!